Scrolling Into Danger:

The Impact of Social Media On The Rise Of Eating Disorders

By: Alisha Rai

Illustration: Kainaaz Chothia

As digital gadgets hoard our society, establishing their dominance, they bring with them a fair share of triggers. Each morning, a young child wakes up to their social media. The first post highlights a healthy and comfortable lifestyle. However, the comments surrounding the post, highlight passive-aggressive remarks, that range from “you looked much better before”, to “you’ve gained weight”. If we, as a society, set such high standards since the, how do we not expect children to follow the same?

Social media platforms such as Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, Facebook, and others, undeniably play a significant role in contributing to the prevalence of eating disorders. Many researchers have hypothesized

that these platforms contribute to creating and intensifying the phenomenon of body dissatisfaction and consequently, may be partly responsible for the increase in the prevalence of eating disorders.

Kids, as young as the age of 7, gain access to phones. Unrestricted access and lack of parental monitoring result in curious young minds discovering the social platforms that surround them. Today, as per the AACAP, over 90% of teens between the ages of 13-17 have access to social media. It is on these platforms that they are exposed to the concept of the ideal body being either small in size or muscularly bulked up. Moreover so, growing use of AI has allowed a fair share of triggers alongside it.

One such example delves into the hotline replacement of NEDA's eating disorder helpline, with an AI robot named Tessa. Concerns sprouted, as the AI robot switched from being a support mechanism, to instead, encouraging the stigma of EDs even more. Victims reported unremarkable comments and promoted anorexic behavior by regarding it as "confidence in one's skin". As technology increases its wide-span, it’s more than likely that the cyber-rates shoot up too.

NCBI states that 1%-5% of adolescents themselves are prone to bulimia nervosa, after viewing graphic images and bullying, from online abusers. Harshly edited, plasticized bodies are now being portrayed as a sign of natural beauty. Not only does this sprout concerns over the increasing rates of disordered eatings, but also reflects the image the society has derived, despite the lack of development over the years.

Despite such circumstances, there are several anecdotes provided by the media, helping those in the depths of recovery to lead a safer, and nourished lifestyle. The Body Project or More Than Muscles programs, that offer student counselling, have been scientifically proven to support eating disorder programs. Even with several celebrities recording and opening up about their unfortunate disorders, we don't get to see what happens behind closed doors.

n developing brains, a simple image can register forever, causing a life-long scar in their lives as young adults. Thus, it is time we let ourselves weigh away from the number on our scales, and instead focus on implementing a safer web for the world. If not now, then we’d be labelled as a society, uncaring for the future generations.