Many people all around the world change their appearance on social media. While many think it is just filters on pictures, many also edit their body and faces to make themselves look more appealing. When people see how these edited pictures look, they strive to look like that and it affects how they view their own bodies.

According to BBC, “A systematic review of 20 papers published in 2016 found that photo-based activities, like scrolling through Instagram or posting pictures of yourself, were a particular problem when it came to negative thoughts about your body.”

Many people present a one-sided version of themselves onto social media. They post amazing photos of themselves where they look so happy. This can be unrealistic because it is not how they actually feel in real life. Many social media users are giving followers the impression that they are happy, when they really are not. 

According to Valiant Living, “They feel competitive and want to be seen as having a happy relationship, a thriving career, gifted children, adventurous hobbies, or the world’s cutest baby. Social media allows its members to curate their life by only opting to showcase their finest moments.”

With the ways people photoshop and use filters on images, viewers feel compelled to look just like that setting unrealistic body expectations. Many people are struggling with anxiety and depression because of the competition they see on social media.

Although the photoshop apps can be very fun to use, users do not realize how toxic it makes the social media world. With these apps, people can dramatically change their appearance with just a swipe. They can change the size of their face, make themselves look thinner, and clear their skin — giving themselves a flawless image. This aspect draws a lot of attention to self image where people think they have to look perfect all the time.

People fake many things on social media such as their appearance, relationships they may have, and even traveling. They want to make their life seem amazing, so they photoshop photos to make it seem like they are doing all marvelous things.

Someone’s experience from HuffPost states, “I’ve flown across the country and lost my luggage — and then my wallet, too. I was a mess. Maybe I should have Instagrammed a photo of me in my free extra-large T-shirt from the airline, crying on the phone to Pam from the credit card company. Nah, how about a gloriously filtered photo of me standing in a beautiful cove, lit by the sunset in the mountains of Washington, instead.” 

Traveling can be terrible for some but then people go post an amazing photo to hide all the disasters that occured.

Social media has created a very toxic world. Many people are so focused on how they look and what they post on social media. Viewers of social media need to realize that not everything is as it seems and not everything you see on social media is true.