This article includes discussion of mental health that may be challenging for some readers.
February 12, 2025
By Neiki Rokni, MD Program Student, Drexel University College of Medicine
In today’s digital age, social media has become a central aspect of adolescent girls’ lives. Platforms like Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat are among the most popular, offering spaces to connect with friends, share content and explore interests. While social media offers many benefits, including connection, self-expression and entertainment, it can also negatively impact mental health, particularly within this demographic, contributing to body dissatisfaction, disordered eating patterns, and increased anxiety and depression symptoms (Casares & Binkley, 2021).
The ability to stay close with friends, even across distances, is one of the most important advantages of social media. Platforms like Instagram and TikTok foster communication and closeness, helping girls feel a sense of belonging and support. Positive interactions online can strengthen friendships and promote emotional well-being, helping girls navigate the ups and downs of adolescence (Pouwels et al., 2021). Additionally, social media serves as an educational tool, expanding access to information on health, nutrition, wellness and self-care, especially for more sensitive topics like menstruation and birth control, which might be more difficult to discuss in person. These platforms also offer a valuable outlet for self-expression, allowing girls to explore their identities by sharing photos, videos and thoughts. The opportunity to feel part of a community and connect with others can be validating, particularly for those who may feel isolated or socially marginalized in their offline lives (Yue & Rich, 2023).
While social media can be a source of empowerment for adolescent girls, it can also be problematic for their mental health. Regular engagement on TikTok and Instagram exposes girls to curated images that promote unrealistic beauty standards. The constant emphasis on appearance-based content on these highly visual platforms often leads girls to internalize these standards, increasing their risk for negative self-perception and self-objectification.
Studies show that many girls feel pressured to edit their photos, altering their appearance to fit the idealized beauty they see online (Kleemans et al., 2016). Unfortunately, editing photos and using filters have been linked to increased body dissatisfaction and a desire to undergo cosmetic procedures to resemble filtered images (Chen et al., 2019). Additionally, exposure to content that emphasizes thinness has been linked to disordered eating behaviors, like skipping meals, binge eating and following extreme diets (Wilksch et al., 2020). These harmful patterns are reinforced by influencers and viral trends like “What I Eat in a Day,” which may unintentionally push girls to engage in unhealthy eating behaviors.
Despite these challenges, there are strategies to help mitigate the negative impact of social media on adolescent girls. Media literacy programs that teach girls to critically analyze the content they see online have been shown to reduce body dissatisfaction. These programs help girls recognize that many images are edited or filtered, helping them resist unrealistic beauty standards and harmful social comparisons (Gordon et al., 2021). Supportive environments, such as school programs that promote self-acceptance, confidence and critical media engagement, are also beneficial (Burnette et al., 2017). These settings encourage girls to focus on personal strengths rather than appearance comparisons. Parental involvement, including monitoring or limiting social media use, can further reduce exposure to harmful content and encourage healthier screen time habits (Fardouly et al., 2018). By combining media literacy, supportive environments and parental guidance, adolescent girls can learn to navigate social media in healthier ways, reducing the risks of body dissatisfaction and disordered eating, while promoting self-acceptance and emotional well-being.
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Sources/Resources:
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- Casares, D. R., & Binkley, E. E. (2021). An unfiltered look at idealized images: A social media intervention for adolescent girls. Journal of Creativity in Mental Health, 17(3), 313–331. https://doi.org/10.1080/15401383.2021.1892556
- Chen, J., Ishii, M., Bater, K. L., Darrach, H., Liao, D., Huynh, P. P., Reh, I. P., Nellis, J. C., Kumar, A. R., & Ishii, L. E. (2019). Association between the use of social media and photograph editing applications, self-esteem, and cosmetic surgery acceptance. JAMA Facial Plastic Surgery, 21(5), 361–367. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamafacial.2019.0328
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