Since the introduction of social media, the phrase “don’t believe everything you see on the internet” has taken on a plethora of new meanings. Social media and the way we use it has evolved to epic proportions. The way we interact with each other and present ourselves defines our “real life” status and speaks for us before we even have the chance. Therefore, we make it a priority to showcase only our best and most gratifying moments to our followers in an effort to maintain the image we put forth. In an age where appearance is everything and status is our main objective, it is no wonder people feel the need to keep up with each other and display value. These days, everybody wants to be the trending topic. However, when analyzing social media trends and behaviors it’s important to think about the bigger picture.
Like nearly every college kid I know, I use Snapchat, Twitter, and Instagram on a daily basis. I make my own music, so naturally I use these platforms as a means to share my music. However, I definitely still use it for my own self-gratifying reasons. If I’m traveling to a new place, I post multiple snaps on my Snapchat to update people about the goings-on of each day I spend there. When I went to Puerto Rico for Spring Break, all 200 of my Snapchat friends were privy to knowing where I was, what I was eating, the kind of alcohol I drank (coconut rum and pineapple juice is my favorite by far), etc. As much as I post for my own self-expressive purposes, I definitely post to get reactions from the people who connect with me on these platforms. People commenting on my stories with heart eyed emojis or the common “I’m so jealous” definitely makes me feel good about my own choices.
The feeling I get when I post something on social networks is a feeling almost everyone gets. We feel appreciated and important, even if just for the moment. Research has shown that this is not coincidental, but is indicative of the neurotransmitter dopamine being released in the brain. The dopaminergic reward system is responsible for feelings of satisfaction from stimuli like drugs, food, and yes, even sex. When we receive a like or comment under our pictures and posts, we get little hits of dopamine released in our brains. Conversely, when we don’t receive as many likes as we are used to or feel we “deserve” that same dopamine won’t be produced, which leads to dissatisfaction Social media users can be addicted to virtual stimuli similarly to how people can be addicted to drugs, food, or sex. This makes for a person who is extremely self-conscious about their image and will do anything to maintain it.
In keeping up with an image, some people can go to the ultimate lengths to make their real lives mimic their online lives as much as possible. New York plastic surgeon Matthew Schulman has been quoted in publications such as the Huffington Post and the New York Post about his encounters with patients who come into his office with photographs of themselves with Snapchat filters in an effort to appear more like their filtered selfies in real life. Gone are the days where patients (mostly women) come in asking to look like famous actresses. Nowadays, social media dictated beauty standards fuel women’s insecurities. Schulman’s cases, along with cases like them has lead to a new condition commonly referred to as “Snapchat dysmorphia.” Schulman goes on to clarify that “not everyone” comes in with their Snapchat app loaded, but admits that other patients who come in mirror some of the same requests without specifically presenting their Snapchat-selves.
This trend of Snapchat dysmorphia surely raises more than its share of eyebrows (no pun intended), but questions of why, and how, this affects us on a day to day basis. In a study published by Time Magazine to determine the worst social media network for mental health, Instagram was the winner according to nearly 1,500 students. The survey, entitled “#StatusOfMind,” was published by the UK’s Royal Society for Public Health, and included data from English, Irish, Scottish, and Welsh youth. Though there were definite positives associated with the rise in social media usage, such as self-expression and emotional support, the overwhelming majority of data pointed to negative impact.
According to the RSPH, “Seeing friends constantly on holiday or enjoying nights out can make young people feel like they are missing out while others enjoy life.” This is a common phenomenon known as FOMO (aka fear of missing out). People see the happiness others portray which can sometimes result in people feeling as though their own lives are lacking. The RSPH refers to this as a “compare and despair” attitude. The study goes on to say that “individuals may view heavily photoshopped, edited or staged photographs and videos and compare them to their seemingly mundane lives.” The irony is that a lot of people tend to share these pictures to promote a seemingly ideal life of their own when in reality this merely masks their compare and despair dilemma.
Social media is a highly paradoxical system that serves as a primary indicator of the contemporary cultural zeitgeist. In other words, apps like Snapchat and Instagram showcase much of what it means to be a young person in todays society, for better or for worse. In a current social climate where celebrity photoshop fails and Twitter beefs qualify as news, people are looking to social media as a means to express and validate themselves. It is important for us to remember that our value is not in how many people like our photos, retweet our thoughts, or watch our snap stories. Our value is in the contributions we make to those around us, and even society as a whole. Sure, social media is fun and innocent when used in moderation, but it is easy to obsess over what people think of you. Only time will tell just how this will continue to affect us.
Sources:
http://time.com/4793331/instagram-social-media-mental-health/
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/snapchat-dysmorphia_us_5a8d8168e4b0273053a680f6
https://www.rsph.org.uk/uploads/assets/uploaded/62be270a-a55f-4719-ad668c2ec7a74c2a.pdf
https://nypost.com/2018/02/23/snapchat-dysmorphia-is-making-more-people-want-plastic-surgery/
