Social media shapes how we see ourselves — here’s how to make it work for you.

What impact does social media have on how we feel about ourselves?

Social media is now woven into so many aspects of our lives. We don’t just use it to keep in touch with friends and family — it’s also for news, entertainment, education, shopping, and much more.

One of the biggest uses of social media is sharing photos and videos — in fact, an estimated 5.4 billion selfies are taken every day. Much of this content is highly polished and appearance-focused, reflecting Western, Eurocentric beauty ideals (e.g., thin or lean bodies, clear and even-toned skin, youthful appearance, symmetrical facial features). Built-in filters and editing tools can further enhance or alter these features, making images look even more idealised. Increasingly, we also follow influencers — content creators who are known for sharing curated glimpses of their lives online.

Research shows that viewing idealised content can negatively affect our mood, self-esteem, and body image. It also fuels social comparison, leaving us feeling inadequate when we perceive ourselves as falling short of these highly edited, unrealistic, and often unattainable ideals.

How can we reduce social media’s negative effects?

Stopping completely might help, but for most of us that’s unrealistic — social media is deeply woven into our lives and brings real benefits, from connection to learning and entertainment. The good news is that research shows some simple strategies can help us use it in a healthier, more positive way.

For example, Seekis and colleagues (2025) found that capping social media to 30 minutes a day improved both appearance satisfaction and wellbeing; however, removing appearance-focused content from feeds was even more effective for boosting body satisfaction.

In addition, following content that reflects diverse appearances, is unedited, and challenges appearance ideals can support a healthier relationship with your body. Body positive - #BoPo - content — celebrating different shapes, sizes, abilities, and features — is especially effective when the images are accompanied by messages encouraging self-compassion and body appreciation. Research shows that this combination can significantly improve body image and mood.

But, if you do notice that certain content is making you feel worse about yourself, a short mindfulness exercise, like this 10‑minute guided meditation, has been shown to improve mood, self-esteem, and body appreciation after viewing idealised social media images.

How to put this into practice

• Follow different topics that aren’t just appearance-focused — think cooking, crafts, travel, science, hobbies, and other interests.

• Seek content that reflects appearance diversity — body-positive (#BoPo) accounts, disability and visible difference representation, and people of different ages, shapes, and abilities. Content is most helpful when it includes messages promoting self-compassion and body appreciation.

• Limit your time online — for example, aim for a 30-minute daily cap.

• Check in with yourself — notice if certain content makes you feel worse and take a break. A 10-minute guided meditation can improve mood, self-esteem, and body appreciation after viewing idealised images.

• Digital pruning — unfollow accounts that consistently promote unrealistic appearance ideals or make you feel bad about yourself.

Small, intentional changes to the way you use social media can make a big difference - by curating your feed, taking breaks, and focusing on content that promotes diversity and self-compassion, you can enjoy the benefits of social media while protecting your wellbeing.

Key references

• Hooper, R., Guest, E., Ramsey-Wade, C., & Slater, A. (2024). A brief mindfulness meditation can ameliorate the effects of exposure to idealised social media images on self-esteem, mood, and body appreciation in young women: an online randomised controlled experiment. Body Image, 49, 101702.

• Jiménez-García, A. M., Arias, N., Hontanaya, E. P., Sanz, A., & García-Velasco, O. (2025). Impact of body-positive social media content on body image perception. Journal of Eating Disorders, 13(1), 153.

• Seekis, V., Mulgrew, K. E., Prichard, I., Manning, H., Wood, I., & Stevenson, C. (2025). To detox or not to detox? The impact of different approaches to social media detox strategies on body image and wellbeing. Body Image, 52, 101849.