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Effects of Social Media on Eating Disorders

Christina Helen Brown — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 10:19:27 +0000

Social-media sites have come under fire in recent years for hosting content promoting eating disorders. Commonly known as “thinspiration,” “thinspo,” “pro-ana” and “pro-mia,” searches on these terms return images of emaciated bodies and suggestions from users about how to develop or sustain an eating disorder. And we all know the craze of the ‘#’. It’s very simple to #bodygoals and be be swarmed down under with thousands of photos of the ‘ideal body’.

Several key characteristics of social media make it an ideal place to promote the pro-eating-disorder mentality, including:

1. Increased exposure to information related to dieting and weight loss.

Dieting mentality has become normative in our culture, in part because people flock to social media to publicize their diet, weight-loss strategies and results.

For example, “thigh gap” is a popular unhealthy body ideal discussed widely in pro-eating-disorder social-media sites.

2. A medium for social comparison.

The literature tells us that social comparison affects deficits in self-esteem.In reality, this content results in feelings of inferiority, inadequacy and body dissatisfaction in otherwise normal women and can compel an urgent need to take action through restriction, purging or over-exercising to achieve greater thinness among those struggling with negative body image or an eating disorder.

3. The social-media paradox.

Social media seeks to promote connection with others, but for many at risk for or suffering from eating disorders, it supports isolation and withdrawal from real-world relationships. For those already dealing with interpersonal difficulties and issues around self-esteem and confidence, spending too much time online in their social networks is a means of avoidance, passivity and minimizing direct communication with people.

4. Anonymity.

Eating disorders thrive in secrecy. The high-achieving, perfectionistic, people-pleasing individuals who tend to suffer from these complex illnesses often go to great lengths to hide their intense body dissatisfaction and eating-disorder behaviors.

Start Using Social Media Productively

1. Avoid pro-eating-disorder content altogether, no matter your stage of recovery.

Despite administrative efforts by various social-media sites to eliminate “thinspiration” content, there will always be unhealthy content and opinions somewhere online. Simply put, avoid this content because engaging with pro-eating-disorder mentality reinforces body dissatisfaction and challenges recovery.

2. Engage with recovery-focused eating-disorder content and communities.

Seek out communities and resources to help you and your loved ones understand these complex illnesses and garner support from those at similar stages of the recovery journey. Personal narratives of recovery are particularly common and powerful in social media.

3. Consider blogging or sharing your story.

Writing, along with most other forms of creative expression, can be healing for those struggling with eating disorders. Commit to sharing your story in recovery-focused communities in a way that feels comfortable to you. Start a blog that is visible and inspiring to anyone, or just share updates related to your recovery progress with friends and followers.

4. Limit your time on social media.

While social media can provide a supportive community, establishing real-world connections and nurturing relationships with friends, loved ones and colleagues are equally important in the recovery journey.

5. Report pro-eating-disorder content to site administrators.

It’s important that social-media administrators continue to receive feedback about dangerous pro-eating-disorder content in their communities and the potential impact it has on users. While previous efforts to remove, contain or limit access to unhealthy content have been largely ineffective in stunting the reach of this dangerous mentality, unified voices calling for action can only compel sites to do more to protect their users.

Healthier Lifestyle for those with busy schedules – Think Outside the Box

Christina Helen Brown — Fri, 29 May 2015 12:35:26 +0000

Use healthy-meal shortcuts

We’re often told to steer clear of packaged foods for better health, but some frozen and pre-made goods can truly help you whip up a healthy meal in minutes. There are tons of good options in the freezer aisle, either for individuals or even family-size meals, that can be prepared quickly. Buy a rotisserie chicken for example, take the skin off and slice it on top of a salad, or buy frozen vegetables to serve with it. Keep in mind that rotisserie chickens can be high in sodium, so cut back your intake from other sources. On nights when even that’s not an option, you still have choices about where you eat out or what prepared foods you bring home; the key is knowing ahead of time which restaurant you’ll choose and which items are healthiest, so you’re not stuck making a last-minute decision.

Set up your own home gym

If you can’t devote time to driving to the gym or you’re stuck at home with kids, working out in your own home may be your best option for fitting in quick calorie-burning session. Not always do you necessarily need to invest in expensive cardio machines, you can still get a great workout using nothing but your own body weight, or with a few simple tools (like hand weights and resistance bands) that take up next to no room in your home. Just roll out your yoga mat, set up a mirror, and you’re ready to go.

Use high-tech solutions

Few of us have the time to keep track of all the numbers involved in weight loss, calories eaten, calories burned, steps taken, and so on, but I guess that’s why fitness trackers were invented. Apple has already given us a health app that can monitor our daily steps as well as other fantastic tools. These apps and devices can save an extraordinary amount of time and make it much easier to follow a specific plan or reach daily step goals or calorie goals. Plus, seeing the a tracker on your wrist may serve as a constant reminder to get moving. Other sources are ones where you can log your meals with an app like MyFitnessPal, which automatically calculates calorie totals and nutrition content for you.

Use social media

Talking about your weight loss journey with your virtual social circle can help you feel like part of a community. So join an Instagram fitness challenge, Tweet about your Pilates class, or start a Facebook group—all on your own time. We all know you spend endless hours scrolling through these sites anyway so why not engage everyone with your progress and it turn you’ll realize how it’ll help you in the long run push yourself further.

Eat more fiber

If you’ve followed my other articles you’ll know to eat at least 30 grams of fiber a day (from food, not supplements). People who did that for a year lost almost as much weight as those who followed a complicated diet plan with 13 components in a recent studies. For people who find it difficult to follow complex dietary recommendations, a simple-to-follow diet with just one message, increase your fiber intake may be the way to go.

The logic is simple: eating foods rich in fiber, like whole grains, beans, fruits, and vegetables, makes you feel full, so you have less room less room high-calorie junk food.

Get a handle on stress

The way you deal with that stress can mean a lot to your waistline. Stress has a big influence on appetite, food intake, and how the body processes calories, and I think people underestimate that. And no, confronting your anxiety won’t add a ton of extra time to your day.

Unwind with ways to beat stress in 10 minutes or less.

Reflect on your priorities

Take a long, hard look at what’s eating up your time. You may be able to pinpoint time sucks you weren’t conscious of before, or decide that certain commitments aren’t as important to you as they once were. You may also want to talk with your boss or your partner about ways you might make your schedule more flexible.

Most people still find time to go to the doctor when they’re sick or get their hair done when they need a cut, but they’re not able to find a few minutes to exercise or eat well, because it just doesn’t seem as urgent. But it should be just as important, in order to ward off health problems in the future.

If you truly can’t find time to take care of yourself, it’s probably time for a change.