Appearances on Social Media: Authenticity or Illusion?

At this point, the question is: how much do we know about body image and its negative impacts on the younger generation, as well as their authenticity crisis? Body image is a comprehensive psychological experience that includes one’s impression of one’s physical appearance, the thoughts and feelings that arise from that perception, and the behaviors that follow those thoughts and feelings. <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1359105316676628" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">Piran (2016)</a> defines body image as a diverse psychological concept connected to embodiment, such as the complicated experience of living in the body. The rise in internet and social media usage, especially among young people over the past decade, has shown early signs of linking to higher body image issues and eating disorders. According to research, <a href="https://emotionmatters.co.uk/2018/10/04/how-does-social-media-influence-body-image/#:~:text=Studies%20show%20that%2088%25%20of,that%20the%20comparison%20is%20unfavourable." rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">88% of women</a> compare themselves to images they see on social media, with more than half focusing on the negative element of the comparison. However, body image difficulties and the authenticity paradox do not only affect women; men also suffer from them. It is estimated that <a href="https://theconversation.com/body-image-issues-affect-close-to-40-of-men-but-many-dont-get-the-support-they-need-179046" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">30%-40%</a> of men are concerned about their weight, and up to <a href="https://theconversation.com/body-image-issues-affect-close-to-40-of-men-but-many-dont-get-the-support-they-need-179046" rel="noopener ugc nofollow" target="_blank">85%</a> are unsatisfied with their muscularity. <a href="https://medium.com/@roymoumi5/appearances-on-social-media-authenticity-or-illusion-7bcfa88fc384">Read More</a>