Tips for Navigating Social Media with an Eating Disorder

Social media consumes all we know about the world, friends, family, and most importantly, ourselves. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok are some famous platforms that people endlessly scroll through, searching and seeking photos and videos of others. However, individuals on social media who see celebrities posing for photos that show off their bodies may find themselves comparing their appearance to their peers and making mental criticisms about their bodies. While social media provides fulfillment and connectivity, these platforms can be toxic and harmful for those with an eating disorder. 

Filter Out Your Feeds

Unfortunately, the social media algorithms will attempt to cater to what you view, like, save, and more. Individuals may see recommended accounts that promote unrealistic body expectations, toxic diet culture, or fat-shaming. The best way to avoid viewing these accounts is by filtering your feed to reflect the type of content you'd like to see. Unfollow accounts that promote these ideals, and instead, find pages that showcase body positivity, intuitive eating, and more. If there is still hesitation about seeing unfiltered content that may be triggering, follow accounts entirely unrelated to topics surrounding body image, dieting, and others (Guerra, 2022). Social media platforms, such as Instagram and TikTok have content creators who focus on making posts and videos that feature their hobbies and interests, so a good tip is to find these accounts to follow!

Here are a few tips and tricks to help navigate finding accounts that promote topics such as anti diet and intuitive eating. For starters, seek out hashtags such as #antidiet, #intuitiveeating, #eatingdisorderawareness, and #healthateverysize (Metzelaar, 2021). Organizations such as National Eating Disorders Association and Eating Disorder Hope provide helpful facts and information about eating disorders and access to free hotlines where you can speak to someone about your struggles. Hundreds upon thousands of therapists, dietitians, ED survivors, educators, and others who wish to spread awareness about eating disorders and help those who need support are all at your fingertips! For a complete list, feel free to click the link here: https://www.bravespacenutrition.com/blog/anti-diet-body-positive-instagram-accounts

Set A Timer For Yourself 

On an iPhone, there is a feature called Screen Time, where people can view how many hours a day they spend on each app. Androids also have a similar feature called Digital Wellbeing. For example, you could be spending about 2 to 3 hours a day on Instagram or TikTok without even realizing it until you check. There are no limitations to how much people can spend on their phones. However, there comes the point and time when overuse of these apps can become prominent. If you find yourself caught up in the whirlwind, you can set up a timer on your phone, or most apps have a feature where you will be locked out for some time after you've exceeded your watch limit. In the case of those struggling with eating disorders, there is an indication within research that the use of social media can ultimately increase body dissatisfaction, which is evident with the unfiltered content that sometimes floods one's feed (Guerra, 2017). Even if you allow yourself 10, 15, or 20 minutes to scroll through social media, you may begin to notice a difference in needing social media less and less.

Consider Taking A Break

If you find yourself getting caught up in the chaos of social media, feeling either anxious or overwhelmed, that's normal. Social media has benefits, such as spreading awareness about important issues and generating discourse. However, the content produced on these apps can also be harmful or triggering. Cyberbullying began in the early days of the Internet and continues to this day. Cancel culture is used way too often to take down celebrities who do something wrong and hold them accountable for their actions. While some may argue that people are allowed to share their thoughts and opinions, there comes a time when things go too far. Individuals struggling with eating disorders can become more vulnerable to the content that pokes holes at these complex disorders. For example, platforms such as Instagram and TikTok showcase videos called "What I Eat In A Day!" where users describe the types of foods they eat daily. The problem that encompasses the content produced on these apps is that creators unintentionally promote eating disorders, food comparisons, and misconstrued intuitive eating (Byrne, 2021). There is also the idea that most of these videos get created by thin women or strive toward promoting "healthy eating." Because the demographics of these apps consist of teenagers and young adults, they are subject to harmful content that emphasizes diet culture. However, while these photos and videos still run rampant, platforms attempt to censor content that may be harmful or triggering to those struggling with eating disorders. "Last year, TikTok began cracking down on content that explicitly encourages eating disorders and blocking some hashtags that promote disordered eating. But it has allowed creators to continue to share videos that discuss recovery or crack subtle jokes about eating disorders." (Conger et al., 2021). 

Although these platforms work towards redirecting attention away from harmful content and instead provide links to organizations that help with eating disorders, there are still ways in which those hashtags and jokes are accessible to the viewers. In that case, those struggling should consider taking a break from these apps, either by deactivating their accounts or simply deleting the apps off their phones. While social media has made us believe that we constantly need to be in the know, there was a time before this when nobody in the world had access to social media and had to rely on other forms of communication to stay connected to friends and family (Guerra, 2017). By taking a step back, you may find yourself feeling more relaxed and less worried about seeing something that may be triggering. And if there are accounts that you follow on these accounts that bring no joy or fulfillment, unfollow them and find those that make you feel good. 

References

Guerra, R. (2017, April 12). Tips for navigating social media with eating disorders. Exchanges. Retrieved June 29, 2022, from https://uncexchanges.org/2017/02/15/tips-for-navigating-social-media-with-eating-disorders/amp/

Conger, K., Browning, K., & Woo, E. (2021, October 27). Eating Disorders and Social Media Prove Difficult to Untangle. The New York Times. Retrieved June 30, 2022, from https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/22/technology/social-media-eating-disorders.html

Byrne, C. (2021, January 27). “What I Eat In a Day” Videos Are Going Viral on TikTok—Here’s Why They’re So Problematic. Health. Retrieved July 7, 2022, from https://www.health.com/mind-body/what-i-eat-in-a-day-tiktok-problematic

Metzelaar, K. (2022, March 11). Anti-Diet And Body Positive Accounts to Follow on Instagram — Bravespace Nutrition. Bravespace. Retrieved July 7, 2022, from https://www.bravespacenutrition.com/blog/anti-diet-body-positive-instagram-accounts