Self-criticism and Social Media
In the era of digital communication, social media, and self-criticism have combined to create an all-encompassing impact on one’s perception of one’s body. In this sense, “self-criticism” refers to the internalized judgment people place on themselves, which is made worse by the inaccurate representations of bodies on social media. This definition becomes crucial in understanding the intricate dynamics that contribute to the worsening of body dysmorphia and the subsequent impact on mental health and social interactions. In terms of social media and self-body image, “self-criticism” refers to the internalized scrutiny brought on by the inaccurate representations of bodies on these platforms, which worsens body dysmorphia and harms mental health and social interactions.
The influence on body perception in the age of social media, digital communication, and self-criticism is made worse by the frequency of false representations on social media. “self-criticism” refers to internalized judgment and is more intense regarding the inaccurate representations of bodies on social media. One major factor in the escalation of body dysmorphia and its detrimental impacts on mental health and social interactions is the ongoing dissemination of an idealized and unrealistic representation of bodies on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram. Social media users frequently post carefully chosen and digitally improved photographs that substantially alter reality, which has a multidimensional impact on body image. This behavior is consistent with studies showing the conflicting effects of social media and online communication on the well-being of adolescents, stressing negative consequences. Best et al. (2014) conducted a systematic narrative review highlighting this matter’s complex nature. They observed that although technological advances online can offer benefits like heightened self-worth and a sense of social support, they can also put people at risk, worsening problems like cyberbullying, depression, and social isolation. The review’s contradicting findings highlight the need for more investigation to fully comprehend the complex relationships among social media, body image, and mental health. As social media continues to shape societal perceptions of beauty, the challenges associated with maintaining a positive self-image in the digital age remain a critical area for exploration and intervention (Best et al., 2014).
Online spaces for self-presentation and social media play a major role in the significant prevalence of Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) among young users, especially in Saudi Arabia. The nation’s heavy reliance on social media hurts how people feel about their bodies, as demonstrated by the research done in 2020 by Alsaidan et al. BDD is fueled by the impossible standards established by supposed perfect bodies and carefully edited photos on social media sites like Instagram and Snapchat, which create a vicious cycle of comparison and self-criticism. 4.2% of participants in the study satisfied the criteria for BDD, with younger people having a greater risk of the condition. Notably, BDD was linked to more time spent on Snapchat and Instagram and an increased tendency to compare one’s appearance to celebrities on social media. The BDD group reported more incidents of harassment as well as a past medical history of mental health issues. According to Alsaidan et al. (2020), the study highlights the importance of promoting safe social networking behaviors and educating the public about the dangers of BDD.
The way that bodies are portrayed on social media correlates to a loss in mental health due to continuous self-criticism. People who are struggling with the increasing gap between their perceived and real identities are more likely to experience anxiety, sadness, and body dysmorphic disorders. A toxic mindset that undermines self-esteem and magnifies negative self-perceptions is fostered by frequent comparison due to social media. Furthermore, a study carried out in 2017 by Gkotsis et al. explores how social media contributes to the development of mental health disorders. The work applies informed analysis posts from the Reddit social media to identify and categorize posts on mental illness based on 11 disorder themes. The results show the potential of deep learning as a research tool, with a 91.08% accuracy rate in identifying postings connected to mental illness and a 71.37% weighted average accuracy rate in choosing the correct theme. To help with organized content and focused interventions for mental health, the study highlights how crucial it is to understand user-generated information on social media platforms (Gkotsis et al., 2017).
The impact of social media on modern society is complex and affects social relationships on a worldwide scale. According to Azzaakiyyah et al. (2023), social media offers advantages like improved connectedness, cross-cultural interaction, and emotional support. However, challenges arise, including “shared solitude,” as face-to-face interactions decline. When people create their online personas, their formation of identity changes, leading to unhealthy social comparisons and inaccurate self-perception. Social media promotes inclusivity and community development but makes it easier for false information to propagate. Fostering digital literacy, communication abilities, and moral online conduct are necessary to strike a balance. Education is essential to preserve the integrity of human connections in the digital age because it enables people to navigate the digital landscape responsibly and strike a good balance between virtual and in-person encounters. The influence goes beyond the person and impacts social relationships. Genuine connections suffer from avoidance behaviors resulting from self-criticism. Social media, which was first created to help people connect, unintentionally becomes an escape from loneliness as people avoid deep conversations out of fear of being judged for their presumed physical flaws.
In conclusion, the complex relationship between “self-criticism” and self-body image in the context of social media and self-image creates a complicated web of influences. This has been shown to possibly worsen body dysmorphia and has a severe influence on mental health and interpersonal relationships. While social media can be beneficial in allowing people to communicate and have long-lasting relationships with different individuals in all locations of the world, It is vital to acknowledge the important implications of self-criticism due to social media. Social media can allow individuals to develop an online community that embraces inclusivity and support. Moving forward, it is important to encourage people to accept and value who they really are. This becomes critical for overcoming the obstacles presented by the digital age, encouraging sincere relationships, and fostering community well-being.
References
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7772767/
https://www.nature.com/articles/srep45141
https://journal.literasisainsnusantara.com/index.php/tacit/article/view/33/49
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0190740914000693
*I want all reviews for this so I can revise it fully*
The Gamer 2.0
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Counterintuitive Spring 2024 
Without having read it, Gymrat, I have some immediate and serious feedback.
1. Your work needs a title.
2. Your References don’t comply with our model.
3. We don’t use these parenthetical citation tags: positive self-image in the digital age remain a critical area for exploration and intervention (Best et al., 2014).
4. You asked for feedback in your last line, but you didn’t put your post into Feedback Please.
I want to help you, but you’ve got some things to fix first.
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Thanks for the title, Gymrat.
Your References are still not in Bibliographic format.
Your third paragraph is probably too long. The way to know for sure is to read it for a Main Idea. If it has two (or more), that’s the evidence that it should be divided. I’ll let you know.
Here’s the format to follow for References:
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Thanks for requesting Feedback, Gymrat. I’m eager to get started.
But first, some business:
1. I made some style revisions already, to your Title and the word “References.” Please observe these changes and incorporate them into future essays.
2. MAKE NO CHANGES TO THIS POST YOURSELF.
3. WHY?
4. BECAUSE YOU’LL NEED A CLEAN FIRST DRAFT FOR YOUR PORTFOLIO.
5. INSTEAD . . .
6. Copy and paste the complete contents of this post into a new post you will call Definition Rewrite—Gymrat.
7. Make all your revisions to the NEW POST.
8. At the end of the semester, you’ll put BOTH the original draft AND the rewrite into your Portfolio to demonstrate that you revised your work in response to feedback.
9. I’ll leave the first round of feedback here.
10. But all the rest of our business will take place on the Rewrite.
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Now, let’s do some feedback. I’m starting at 2:15.
—It’s a Title, but it doesn’t say much. It’s just a very big topic. Imagine your reader is deciding what to read from a list of titles. Why should she read yours? Use your Title to kick-start your persuasion.
—Our essays for this class are less formal that academic journal articles, Gymrat, so we can be more approachable than authors of peer-reviewed studies.
—For that purpose, use the first-person plural pronouns We, Our, Ours, and Ourselves to foster camaraderie with readers.
—See for yourself how much more approachable your first two sentences can be:
—It’s still very dry, though. Let’s loosen it up a little more for feel:
—I hope that version appeals to you, and that you’ve been reluctant to write in that style out of fear that it wasn’t “academic enough.”
—It has the advantage of being clear and straightforward . . . and readable.
—There is zero advantage to writing in a style nobody would read.
—The two paragraphs DO mean the same thing, right?
—This section is easier going, especially the nicely-phrased “an idealized and unrealistic representation of bodies on social media platforms,” but it completely goes off the rails with “has a multidimensional impact on body image,” which is completely meaningless, and which you don’t follow up immediately with a list of the dimensions anyway.
—Ugh.
—We don’t use these (parenthetical citations) in our class, Gymrat.
—If you want to quote or summarize Best and the other authors, here’s how:
—I’m suggesting several things here.
—First, you lose the “Best et al (2014)” style of citation tagging. We don’t do that here.
—Second, if you’re going to cite a source that admits that most studies reported “either mixed or no effect(s) of online social technologies on adolescent wellbeing,” you should cull through the Reference list of Best and his colleagues to find the Title that indicates Body Dysmorphia in Adolescents, which, if I’m not mistaken, is your focus.
—It’s fine to be even-handed, but you’ll end up saying nothing if every paragraph tries to balance the positive and negative effects of the media you’re trying to reform, or ban, or regulate.
—The last thing readers want from a 3000-word paper is that we need “more investigation to fully comprehend the complex relationships among social media, body image, and mental health.”
—Your goal should be to Focus, Simplify, Narrow, and Make Bold Clear Claims.
—That’s more like it.
—Remember, Best and his team weren’t concentrating (as you are) on Body Presentation sites.
—If only 5 of the surveys they studied looked at body image, and if all 5 showed self-critical dangers to adolescents, then 100% of studies showed danger (and the other 40 or so aren’t relevant to your work here) and help your case.
I’ve spent nearly an hour on your essay now, Gymrat. I hope it was helpful and that you can apply the advice and modeling to the rest of your work. If I didn’t get to something specific you’d like me to consider, please ask. But . . .
. . . by the terms of our contract, you now owe me at least an hour of revisions to your essay to earn a Regrade and any additional feedback.
Provisionally graded at Canvas. It’s not the grade you want. But welcome to the process. Your grade is just temporary.
Don’t forget. MAKE NO CHANGES TO THIS POST. Copy and paste it into your Def/Cat Rewrite. Make your revisions there. You’ll need evidence of where you started so you can brag about how far you went to get to your final draft. We can do this. I will gladly Conference with you at any time.
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“Body Image and InstaGrief”
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By the way, out of more than 100 References on the Best et al. list, only one uses the word “body” in its title, but it sounds like a good one:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0747563223002571
“The impact of seeing and posting photos on mental health and body satisfaction: A panel study among Dutch and Japanese adolescents”
A snippet from its Abstract seems VERY pertinent to your investigation:
In Dave language, that’s: Adolescents who share authentic body images (theirs and others) achieve positive well-being, while those who post “perfect fakes” or view them, suffer.
You’re welcome. 🙂
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