Social Media: How Does It Affect Men When It Comes To Confidence And Body Image
Over the past decade the number of people using social media platforms has skyrocketed. The likes of Instagram and Facebook allow us to connect with friends and family from all four corners of the world, whilst keeping up to date with world news and following the lives of celebrities and sports stars.
Although social media platforms provide a breadth of advantages, there is a darker side which has been exposed over recent years. Social media was once a way to keep in touch with those close to you, but now, it’s much more of a lifestyle and in ways, can damage user’s confidence and self-esteem. Sadly, over recent years this has become more of an issue for men and it’s a subject we need to talk more openly about.
If you’re a social media user, then you’ll know the feeling where you’re scrolling through your timeline and come across pictures of friends or maybe even influencers, who appear to be living the ‘perfect’ life. Whether it’s sipping cocktails in a luxurious venue or soaking up the sun in the Mediterranean; it can cause you to compare your life to theirs and cast a shadow of doubt over why you’re not living the same life.
As social media now plays a huge part in how we live our lives, it’s important that you take positives from your channels and not let the downsides take over. With this in mind and more of us using social media on a daily basis, Chemist Click wants to share some tips on how to use your channels as a way to benefit your life, instead of damaging your confidence and self-esteem.
Don’t allow social media to compare you with others
As a man it’s more than likely you’ve been scrolling through your Instagram timeline and come across numerous images of other men who you believe are in much better shape than you. Whether their muscles are bulging through a tight item of clothing or they’re on holiday with their top off displaying their chiselled abs; it’s important not to start comparing yourself to them.
Social media can have damaging effects when it comes to the way men view their bodies and although you’re comparing yourself to a person on a screen, it’s more than likely they’ll have their own insecurities. If you can relate to this then it may be best to avoid following anyone or any pages that will make you start comparing yourself to others.
Don’t believe everything you see on social media
The majority of social media users will only share what they want people to see on their timelines. For example, lavish restaurants they’re dining in or amazing times they’re having with friends or family; not necessarily the more normal areas of their lives.
As this is the case for most people, you’ll often find your timeline filled with attractive photos, updates from exotic locations and other similar events you may not be experiencing anytime soon. Constantly seeing updates like these will often leave you feeling deflated and wondering why you’re not in the same position as them. It’s important to remember that for the majority of the time, you only see what people want to share on social media and their lives are probably very similar to yours.
Social media really can have a positive impact on your life, it’s just important to make sure you remove as much of the negative side of the industry as possible. Hopefully the points we’ve mentioned will come in useful to you and allow you to enjoy your social media channels as much as possible.
We want to know what you think about the points we’ve mentioned and if you have any useful advice of your own. Join in the conversation on social, using #NoTypicalMan.
