The development of social media channels such as Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat and TikTok has provided a supplementary way for 3.96 billion people to connect and stay up to date with the lives of friends and family members.
However, whilst created to enable users to share their lives with other users, social media use has sadly contributed to the number of people developing negative behaviours.
With a worrying amount of people developing social media addictions, eating disorders and other mental health problems, at Action Rehab, we explore how image editing and social media addictions have come to impair the lives of millions of people worldwide here.
Image Editing Negatively Impairs The Lives Of Millions
Although image editing was once deemed to be somewhat harmless, one survey found that up to 71% of people who upload images of themselves to social media will edit their appearance before publishing.
As celebrities and influencers continue to publish edited and enhanced versions of themselves on platforms such as Instagram and Twitter, 72% of men and more than 50% of women feel an immense pressure to follow in their footsteps and only publish what they perceive to be the best version of themselves. Regrettably, doing so has led to much doubt about what is real, especially in the online realm.
Image editing has also contributed to the number of people who feel the need to edit their appearance regularly.
Sadly, as a more significant number of people take to image editing apps before publishing photographs on social media, an increase in the number of people struggling with a lack of self-esteem and reduced confidence has been noted.
In addition to the above, image editing has drastically altered many individual’s perceptions of what the ‘perfect person’ looks like. This has seen a spike in the number of men and women struggling with body dissatisfaction.
Furthermore, as image editing portrays unrealistic expectations, the number of people developing eating disorders such as anorexia, body dysmorphia and bulimia has been distinguished.
The Rise of Social Media Addictions
As social media has become an integral part of an individual’s life, research determines that users spend at least 145 minutes on social media platforms every single day.
While individuals argue that using social media will not cause them to develop addictions, many fail to realise that as they frequently open social media applications and scroll through content on a regular basis, they are at risk of developing social media addictions.
Known to be a behavioural addiction, social media addictions have pessimistic repercussions on the physical and psychological health of 210 million people across the world.
From depression to anxiety and eating disorders to reduced self-esteem and increased bouts of sadness, the psychological effects of social media addictions are catastrophic.
Regrettably, social media addictions leave 67% of individuals feeling negative about their own life. As a result, suicidal behaviours have increased.
Treatment Is Required For Mental Health Problems That Arise From Image Editing and Social Media Addiction
As can be seen from the information shared above, image editing and social media addictions have undeniably contributed to the number of people struggling with mental health problems.
As the number of people struggling with mental health problems relating to image editing and social media addictions continues to rise, the need for suitable treatment has never been greater. Yet, due to stigmas and little knowledge regarding the treatment available, many continue to struggle in silence.
Regardless of the mental health problem faced, the NHS and private healthcare providers have treatment readily available for individuals to access.
To offer you a greater understanding of the support that is available for mental health problems that arise from image editing and social media addictions, we have outlined the treatments that can be accessed below.
Behavioural Addiction Treatment
When considering social media addictions, behavioural addiction treatment is required. Behavioural addiction treatments typically include cognitive behavioural therapy, relapse prevention and well-being therapies.
Eating Disorder Treatment
Eating disorder treatment typically sees those in need progress through a personalised treatment programme.
Combining psychological talking therapies, such as cognitive behavioural therapy, with well-being therapies, such as diet and nutritional supplement therapy, individuals that encounter treatment for eating disorders will have the tools needed to successfully overcome the disorder that has impaired the quality of their life.
Many healthcare providers will also ensure that a sturdy relapse prevention plan is put into place.
Mental Health Treatment
As mental health disorders, including anxiety and depression, are known to arise from image editing and social media addictions, mental health treatment is often deemed necessary.
Just as eating disorder treatments see those who require treatment encounter psychological and well-being therapies, mental health treatment does too.
In addition to cognitive behavioural therapy, dialectical behavioural therapy has proven to be highly effective when treating mental health disorders.
Do Not Delay Treatment For Mental Health Disorders or Behavioural Addictions
If you or a loved one has sadly developed a mental health disorder or social media addiction, treatment must be sought as soon as possible.
As touched on above, without treatment, many individuals gradually come to experience suicidal thoughts. Delaying treatment for mental health disorders and behavioural addictions can also cause a number of additional conditions, such as substance addictions, to arise.
Contact Us Today
Whether you personally suffer from an eating disorder or social media addiction or find yourself concerned that a loved one does, we are here to support you.
At Action Rehab, we can assist you as you turn your thoughts to securing treatment for either an eating disorder or behavioural addiction.
If you are worried that a loved one has developed negative behaviours as a result of image editing and social media addiction, we can also help you refer your loved one to a suitable rehab facility to ensure that they are able to secure the treatment they require to overcome their struggles.
To contact us, please call 0151 268 6992 today. Alternatively, email info@action-rehab.com.
Sources
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2948410/More-half-women-admit-editing-social-media-photos-posting-despite-two-thirds-thinking-s-wrong-magazines-it.html
https://www.statista.com/statistics/433871/daily-social-media-usage-worldwide/
https://mediakix.com/blog/social-media-addiction-statistics/
Posted on Friday, April 30th, 2021 at 12:55 pm in Latest News.
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