Outline: Impacts of Social Media on Body Satisfaction and Mental Health

Outline

1. Hook: Recall a time when you encountered a photo of an ideal body image and felt envious to the extent of wanting to look similar! Well, that was just the beginning of a decline in your mental health within the confines of social media.
2. Social media envy is real and deeply ingrained in Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat posts.
3. These platforms present carefully edited and selected photos that present idealized lifestyles that users continue to compare with their day-to-day lives.

Thesis Statement: Social media plays a fundamental role in conveying the socio-cultural values concerning body ideas that relate to body dissatisfaction, causing serious mental health issues like low self-esteem as they pursue the idealized body image.

Body:

1. The presentation of the ideal body image is causing body dissatisfaction among social media users.
2. The ideal body image is prevalent across social media through posts that have undergone extensive Photoshop.
3. Comparison of idealized bodies creates body dissatisfaction, with many users opting to undertake cosmetic surgeries to improve their looks.
4. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (2024), there was a tremendous increase in plastic surgeries by 19% in 2022 compared to 2019, where procedures such as lower body lifts, tummy tuck, and liposuction increased by 25%, amounting to 576,485 procedures in 2022.
5. Despite the high number of cosmetic surgeries, most clients end up developing body dysmorphic disorder, exacerbating their body dissatisfaction.
6. Exposure to the idealized body is resulting in body dimorphic disorder among social media users.
7. Increased usage of social media is linked to body dysmorphia as the user is constantly exposed to idealized body images.
8. According to Rizwan et al. (2022), high levels of social media use expose users to body dysmorphia and eating disorders.
9. The more a user interacts with the ideal body image or lifestyle they engage in comparisons that result in body dissatisfaction.
10. Upward comparison in social media platforms results in body dissatisfaction and negative mental health.
11. Social media creates an environment of comparisons where users compare themselves with others, which negatively impacts their mental health.
12. Users who admire being like their peers often develop low self-esteem.
13. According to Jiang and Ngien (2020), social media platforms like Instagram expose users to social comparisons that result in low self-esteem for users engaged in upward comparison.
14. The upward comparison makes one feel left out, lowering their self-worth, which impacts their overall mental health.

Conclusion

1. Social media platforms expose users to the idealized body image that is often exaggerated, resulting in body dissatisfaction and mental health breakdown.
2. Social media use creates envy among users who compare themselves with others, creating competition for unrealistic beauty goals that breed body dysmorphia and low self-esteem.

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