The glorification of eating disorders on TikTok

 

We're all aware that social media is a sham. Of course, we understand that we are only viewing a small portion of someone's life. Why would anybody do anything else except show off their finest moments? Aside from that, several of the real photographs are outright fakes. Others celebrities had their faces airbrushed, and some have lied about their cosmetic surgery. Many people use Photoshop to make their looks and bodies seem precisely way they want them to. There are numerous ways for them to change their bodies by posing.

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These are not something that TikTok is immune to. It may be more difficult to utilise Photoshop on a video, but individuals discover methods to get around it by experimenting with angles, lighting, and posture. This isn't to suggest they don't look fine; it's just that this isn't how they look on a regular basis. When we see ourselves so frequently, we can't hold ourselves to that high of a standard.

However, in addition to the unrealistic standards promoted by social media, TikTok actively encourages eating disorder culture and bad attitudes about food and weight in general. Despite the fact that searching terms like "thinspo" — short for "thin inspiration" — or even "proana," short for "pro-anorexia," which promoted being thin and often underweight through unhealthy and harmful methods, now lead directly to the National Eating Disorder Association helpline, TikTok still promotes a lot of thinspo-like content. Many of the videos I see on TikTok are labelled with "#fitspo" or "#fittok," both of which have billions of views. Much of my For You page, particularly in the early days of quarantine, was devoted to excessive dieting and over-exercising. TikTok posts a lot of stuff that promotes bad behaviours. Food servings are often shown in "What I eat in a Day" films. Furthermore, the meals are often composed mostly of vegetables, with some protein but very little carbs. Many of the same creators advocate for excessive exercise. While exercise is beneficial when done correctly, over-exerting your body may be harmful and is a contributing factor in certain eating problems. When someone exercises often, they need to eat more to fuel their bodies, yet these creators are frequently eating (or at least promoting eating) less than they should while pushing their bodies to their limits. Furthermore, TikTok promotes harmful narratives such as aiming to attain your "summer body." Every body is a "summer body," as we must recognise. To wear shorts, wear a bikini, or go to the beach, you don't have to be skinny. People who have never suffered from an eating issue may be unaware that they are naturally competitive. People who suffer from eating disorders often believe that they aren't "sick enough." When they come into contact with other individuals who have eating problems, they continuously compare themselves to them. As a result, it's critical to avoid discussing anything that might provoke a relapse. This mindset, however, is not shared by everyone. I believe it is important to be clear about the process, but it is also acceptable to restrict some aspects of it. Creators should avoid using body monitoring, excessive weighing, or calorie tracking in their movies or photos. This sort of stuff isn't beneficial to anybody. If someone believes they need to reduce weight, they should talk to their doctor about it and come up with a specific strategy. Don't listen to strangers on TikTok who have no idea who you are or what you look like.

Unfortunately, getting away from this material is difficult. TikTok's algorithm is amazingly — and maybe shockingly — precise. If you connect with a video once, related videos will appear on your For You page in the future. Likes, comments, sharing, following the author, and even letting the video play numerous times are all ways to interact. It's difficult to get away from these videos after you've done this. When one of these films appears, the best thing to do is hold down and click "not interested." My personal experience with an eating issue has taught me a lot. The most remarkable thing my nutritionist said to me throughout my therapy was, "You don't have to love your body." I believed she was kidding when she said that. It seemed to be a set-up. She is, however, quite correct. She was implying that loving your body all of the time is unrealistic. There will be times when you don't like anything about yourself, and that's perfectly OK. No one believes that every aspect of oneself is flawless. Self-love isn't always attainable; self-acceptance is much more so. The idea is to accept yourself for who you are. Begin with acceptance and work your way up to love.