Social Media

In this section, we will talk about what social media is, both the good and bad things about it, how the way we feel about the way we look can be affected by social media use, and what we can do to combat this.

What is social media?

Social media is the name for websites and applications that let people make and share information and ideas online. This includes sharing posts, stories, photos, videos, and connecting with other people online.

What is good about social media?

People are often told time and time again about the negatives associated with social media, however there are also good things about using social media. Some of these benefits include:

• Helping people to connect with others. This could be the friends you go to school with, or new people. For example, you might meet other people with CMN online. Check out our Instagram
• No matter what your interests are, there will be online communities of other like-minded people. This can help people to gain a stronger sense of belonging and give a sense of escapism from the real world.
• Can help to quickly raise awareness and knowledge of news and events. Social media shows people essential issues not only in their community but all over the world too. Young people are now empowered more than ever before to help and support people all over the world, even if it’s miles away from them.
• Can be a platform for action against discrimination (e.g., sexism, homophobia and racism). For example, the Black Lives Matter movement.
• Share your expertise. Social media gives you an opportunity to talk about what you know and what you want to be known for.

Social Media and CMN

It is important to be aware of the pros and cons of social media use so that you can look out for times when social media may actually be more damaging to you than good.

Everyone makes social comparisons between themselves and others when they are feeling down or self-conscious, and unfortunately this can happen more often in those with a visible difference like CMN.

Here are some thoughts that someone might have when looking at other people on social media. Can you think of any you have had recently?

1. Unfollow accounts that make you unhappy.
If you find that you are comparing yourself to someone or a particular group of people often and it is making you feel down, unfollow them. If you aren’t sure, ask yourself:

– Am I following this account just because I like the way they look?
– Do I often think negatively about what my body looks like when I look at this account?
– Do I feel jealousy towards the person in this account, based on either their looks or their lifestyle?

Learn to spot when images have been retouched. Search ‘celebrity retouching’ to see examples of how drastically pictures are sometimes altered, it can be shocking! Start to assume that every image you see of a celebrity has been changed in some way.

2. Mute accounts from people you know but make you feel bad.
Unfollowing people that you know might cause unwanted tension or might upset the other person. Many social media platforms have the option to ‘mute’ someone; they won’t know that you’ve done this, but you won’t have to see their posts anymore.

3. Find and follow new accounts that do make you happy.
Find new and fun accounts that inspire you and make you happy. Make sure your feed is full of diversity and things that interest you, and make sure it’s full of positive content.

Instagram account recommendations:
@caringmattersnow, @car_uwe, @faceequalityint, @changingfaces,
@bodyimagepositive, @meganjaynecrabbe, @kennyethanjones, @jonolanc, @___chezza___, @albaparejo_, @gemm_lw, @lucy_bealll, @marynevus, @lovingmydots, @nevusespanol,

There are so many to choose from!

Body Functionality

It’s completely normal to feel insecure about your body or appearance every now and then, and everyone will experience this at some point in their lives. However, living in a society that puts so much emphasis on our size, shape, weight, or appearance gives us a really narrow view of ourselves and makes us ignore all of the amazing things that our bodies do for us.

It’s important to remember that your appearance has nothing to do with your worth, and there are hundreds or thousands of more important and interesting things about you that have nothing to do with what you look like.

See if you can name 3 things about you (other than your appearance!) that you like. Think about what your friends or family would say. See if you can do the same for your friends or family.

For example, you might like how funny you are. You might like that you’re great at football. You might like that you have a lot of good friends.

‘Body functionality’ is a term which means everything that your body can do. When we start to appreciate this, we get a much more full and complex appreciation of ourselves and others. This in turn can improve our body image and how happy we feel in our skin.

Name 3 things you are grateful for about your body.

Tips to practice body functionality over appearance:

• Move in ways that make you happy. People often exercise for reasons to do with appearance, for example they might run because they are trying to lose weight. Instead, try to move in ways you enjoy. This means that we will find enjoyment out of our exercise instead of focussing on the way our bodies look.
• If you find yourself thinking negatively about a part of your body, then try to replace that thought with a positive one about your body functionality. For example, if you are thinking negatively about the way CMN looks on your leg, you could think to yourself ‘I’m grateful that my legs allow me to run/play football/dance’.
• Try to think every day about the things you are grateful for that your body can do and remember these can be from 6 different areas (watch the video above!)