Social Media's Impact on Eating Disorders: A Growing Concern

The Rise of Unrealistic Beauty Standards

One of the primary ways social media influences eating disorders is through the promotion of unrealistic beauty standards. Platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat are flooded with images of seemingly flawless bodies, often edited or enhanced with filters. These images create a distorted perception of reality, leading viewers to believe these unattainable standards are normal and desirable. Dr. Jane Peterson, a psychologist specializing in eating disorders, explains, "The constant exposure to idealized body types can lead to body dissatisfaction, which is a significant risk factor for the development of eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder."

The Role of Influencers and Diet Culture

Influencers play a crucial role in shaping trends and behaviors on social media. Many promote specific diets, exercise routines, and body images that can contribute to unhealthy relationships with food and body image. While seemingly promoting fitness and health, hashtags like #Thinspiration and #Fitspo often glorify extreme thinness and obsessive dieting. "Influencers often lack the credentials to provide sound nutritional advice, yet their reach and impact can be profound," says Dr. Peterson. "Young people, in particular, are susceptible to adopting these unhealthy practices to emulate their online idols."

Cyberbullying and Body Shaming

Cyberbullying and body shaming are pervasive issues on social media, further exacerbating the problem. Negative comments about one’s appearance can severely damage selfesteem and contribute to the onset of eating disorders. According to a study by the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), individuals who experience body shaming are more likely to engage in disordered eating behaviors.

How to Recognize an Eating Disorder

Eating disorders can affect anyone and occur for a myriad of reasons. They might start because of an off-putting comment from a friend at school, an obsession with body image/body weight, gastrointestinal upset that occurs when eating, and trauma. As a parent myself, I am constantly on high alert for signs of a budding eating disorder.

Changes in hair, skin, and nails, especially of the fingers and hands if binging and purging is a potential Imbalanced lab results such as anemia, hypothyroidism, low sex hormones, low potassium, and blood cell counts.

Causes of Eating Disorders

While there is no singular specific cause of eating disorders, there are some potential influenceable factors that increase the risk of development. Those who have a familial history of an eating disorder, such as a parent or sibling with an eating disorder, tend to be at a higher risk. Personality traits are another potential risk factor. Those who tend toward perfectionism and impulsivity are at a greater risk than those who do not. Cultures that tend to prize thinness as the ideal of health and beauty also contribute immensely to the development of eating disorders.

Social Media Influence on Body Image

The impact of social media on eating disorders is a complex and multifaceted issue. While it can perpetuate harmful beauty standards and behaviors, it also has the potential to foster positive change and support. As awareness of these issues grows, users, influencers, and platforms must promote healthier, more realistic representations of beauty and wellbeing. By doing so, we can create a digital space that supports mental health and encourages a balanced, compassionate approach to body image and eating habits.

Healing From Eating Disorders

Healing from an eating disorder through a Functional Medicine approach involves a comprehensive evaluation of the individual's physical, emotional, and psychological health to uncover the root causes of the disorder. This approach recognizes that eating disorders often stem from complex interactions between genetic, biochemical, emotional, and environmental factors. By addressing underlying issues such as nutrient deficiencies, gut health, hormonal imbalances, and chronic stress, Functional Medicine seeks to restore the body's natural balance and promote overall well-being. Simultaneously, partnering with a qualified mental health professional ensures that emotional and psychological aspects, such as trauma, anxiety, and self-esteem issues, are addressed through therapy and support. This integrative approach aims to heal the body and fosters a compassionate understanding of the individual's relationship with food, ultimately leading o sustainable recovery and a healthier, more balanced life.

Warning signs of a potential eating disorder:

Dramatic weight loss • Concern about eating in public • Preoccupation with weight, food, calories, fat grams, dieting, etc. • Complaints of being cold or fatigued • Making excuses to avoid mealtime • Dressing in baggy clothes to hide the body or layers to stay warm • Severely limiting or restricting foods or types of foods • Denying feeling hungry • Expressing a need to “burn off” calories • Obsessive weight tracking • Developing rituals around food • Cooking meals for others but refusing to eat by claiming not to be hungry • Missed menstrual cycles • Stomach cramps and other GI issues like constipation • Difficulty concentrating • Dizziness or fainting • Sleep disruptions • Poor immune system function • Poor wound healing