Are Selfie Filters Affecting Our Mental Health?
Ah, selfies! You either love them or hate them. Some see them as self-absorbed, others see them as a great way to capture moments with people, especially when you don’t have a camera-person around to snap a picture.
But then came… the selfie filters. You know the ones! Snapchat has so many fun ones, I will admit, but… are they having a negative effect on our mental health?
Many doctors, and even social media gurus, point out how much pressure social media can put on us. Even down to how we caption a photo. Dr. Travis Health, a social media expert and psychology, highlights how people can obsess over how they look and that has an effect on mental health.
Dr. Heath adds that the filters only make matters worse. We compare ourselves, thinking “I don’t look good enough.” He points out that this can lead to depression and anxiety—even in people without this as a pre-existing issue; and make matters worse for those already struggling with them.
“Snapchat dysmorphia” is what cosmetic surgeons have called the issue. Many of them are seeing patients looking to improve their appearances for selfies. Many people have fallen into a selfie filter trap and can’t seem to post many pictures without using some sort of editing or filter.
At the end of the day, we all have issues we’re self-conscious about. Maybe you have wrinkles around your eyes, you have freckles or a crooked smile. Instead of always worrying about our flaws, embrace who you are! And most importantly—remember that most of what people post on their social media is their “filtered” highlight reel—it’s not always a great example of their true life!
