Embrace Your Real Beauty
I was going for a walk and watching people enjoying their day in downtown Durham. I see a group of ladies taking a selfie to capture a joyful time in that moment. Then I hear “urgh, my hair is messy, the angle is not right, look at my wrinkles under my eyes…” They take a couple of more pictures until they feel that they got it just right, but yet it was still not satisfactory. Enter the filter. Ah yes, now it looks flawless…POST!
For a moment there, their joyful memory turned into judgement and criticism of themselves and what they identified as “imperfections.” But where do they learn and adopt these ideas of imperfections? In today’s world, filters and photo editing are so easily accessible, just one click away and people can get caught up in the moment to change their appearance. It is a way to fit in, to get those “likes", and feel noticed. However this does come with a cost; and is the cost worth it?
So what are the costs? What are these harms?
Definitely a distorted self-image:
Having that access and ability to adjust and see yourself in many different altered images so quickly can lead to unrealistic expectations of the human body. With this instant ability to change a picture of one’s self, there is less and less acceptance of a person’s true self.
Mental Health Impact:
There begins a path of suffering for the individual, receiving messages from the self and others that the filter is acceptable and not what is real. Time is invested in searching, wishing, and unhealthy thinking patterns develop around wanting to be something that is not true. With wasted time invested in unhelpful thinking patterns around false body image, a person can soon develop depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, and eating disorders.
Loss of genuine connection with others.
At some point, there is a loss in authenticity. How are we truly connecting to our friends, loved ones, and our community in ways to uplift each other, and share our joys and pains truthfully? Hiding behind the filter will not provide true acceptance.
The technology is here, some damage has been done, and there will be new technology that will advance the opportunities for growth and also for mental health issues.
How do people combat the harms of filters?
BE REAL! Don’t use them on you. Every piece of your skin, hair, and body makes you who you are. Do you really need the filter and likes to boost your self confidence about who you are? If the answer is yes, try to talk to a mental health professional to see how you can process how you are viewing yourself and what changes you can make to get back to loving the real you. The likes are all based on false information. If you want to be liked for who you are, go build genuine connections with others. Do not hide behind the filter. There will always be people that do not want to engage with you. Instead of taking it personally, create growth and learn about who you want in your life and which people are actually valuable to your mental health and well being.
