Social Comparisons and Mental Health: Don't Let Those Summer Beach Posts Get You Down
For this week’s post, we welcome a guest author and volunteer at Waterloo Psychology Group, Beverly-Ann Hoy! Beverly-Ann is an undergraduate student at the University of Guelph studying psychology. In the blog post below, she shares some helpful tips to reduce social comparisons and boost self-esteem. Enjoy!
Comparing Our Bodies on Social Media: How to Reduce the Urge to Compare
Summer is well underway and so are social media posts about vacations to lakes, beaches, and of course, the accompanying beach body shots. Social media can evoke comparisons and play on our insecurities in many ways, including body image. Social media allows us to selectively construct our preferred identities or characteristics; and, it generates easily comparable information allowing us to form a quick impression of others with easily accessible feedback (for example, the number of followers, likes, and comments).
Social media is associated with negative consequences in terms of self-esteem and social comparison. Simply put, the more time you spend on social media platforms, the more opportunity for comparison there will be. Social comparison may lead to poorer self-perception, lower self-esteem and body dissatisfaction, and it creates a stronger awareness of socially normative values, like beauty standards. Social comparison may result in believing that external appearances and material things are more important than internal characteristics and personal traits.
Social comparison theory suggests that people are innately driven to compare themselves with others to assess their progress and standing on various aspects of their life, such as physical attractiveness and body image. People can have both upward comparisons (viewing people as better off) and downward comparisons (viewing people as worse off). Regardless of the direction of the comparison, a general tendency to compare your appearance to others is associated with negative outcomes with respect to mental health.
Although people are aware of societal standards of beauty, not everyone internalizes those standards to the same degree. However, those who more readily internalize these societal standards are at greatest risk of body dissatisfaction and overall social comparison.
How to prevent body comparison on social media:
Be selective: Follow people who make you feel good, who are uplifting and who are worth your energy.
Be aware:
Notice your triggers
Are there certain accounts that make you feel bad about yourself and who weigh you down? Unfollow or mute them.
Seek:
Discover accounts that show body positivity, self-love and healthy eating habits.
Set limits:
You can set time limits on your social media apps now!
When in the midst of comparing yourself, try these tips:
Be mindful:
Ask yourself: is fixating on this picture or account worth my energy? What is this doing to my mood and self-esteem? Am I becoming a better person or learning something new from looking at this post?
Remind yourself that social media is not real life:
The filters and poses that people use are the best of what they have captured; you do not see what is out of frame and the many photos that do not make the cut.
Delete the app temporarily
Oftentimes, when we are comparing ourselves to others on social media, it is partly because we are in need of some sort of relief. Seek relief through self-care, a hobby, time with friends or family, doing something productive, or reflecting internally, such as practicing meditation.
Try to figure out why you are making these comparisons
It is normal for people to compare themselves. However, this can turn into an unhealthy behaviour if it is not reflected upon.
Consider speaking with your counsellor about how to enhance your self-esteem.
Instead of admiring and fixating on someone’s body, tune into your own body.
If you or a loved one is interested in learning more about the emotional impact of social comparisons and methods to reduce the tendency to compare, please do not hesitate to reach out to us at Waterloo Psychology Group for help!
Article Author: Beverly-Ann Hoy