Wednesday 09/09/2026
Photo: Katarina Wolnik Vera
Text: Alejandra Misiolek in collaboration with Daniella Espidel
Social media alone does not cause an eating disorder, but it can become an environment that intensifies body comparison, appearance anxiety, and certain behaviors aimed at controlling food or exercise. Understanding how this process works helps restore critical judgment, self-care, and freedom.
Beyond Thinnes: The Invisible Complexity of Eating Disorders
For a long time, eating disorders were spoken about as if they were purely an issue of “wanting to lose weight.” Today we know the reality is far more complex. Food, body image, and self-esteem are intertwined with emotions, relationships, personal history, anxiety, perfectionism, and the digital environment in which we live.
In therapy, many people don’t say, “I want to have an eating disorder.” They say: “I want to eat better,” “I want to feel healthier,” “I want to look more defined,” “I want to stop comparing myself,” “I want to have more willpower.” The problem arises when these seemingly healthy goals start taking up too much mental space—when every meal becomes an evaluation, and the body turns into an endless project.
This phenomenon does not only affect women; more and more boys and men are getting caught in a different version of the same issue. Instead of chasing thinness alone, they pursue definition, muscle volume, or a “shredded,” strong, and perfect physique. In this context, the gym, supplements, hyper-controlled diets, and constant comparison with fitness accounts become part of an anxiety cycle. Health stops feeling like well-being and starts being lived as an obligation.
The Impact of Social Media: The Trap of Control Culture
Social media didn’t invent body dissatisfaction, but it has changed its intensity and frequency. Previously, a person might compare themselves to models in magazines or commercials. Today, comparison lives in our pockets, shows up at any hour, and presents itself as everyday life: picture-perfect breakfasts, trained bodies, gym routines, “before and after” transformations, nutritional advice, “what I eat in a day” videos, and messages that blend well-being with control.
Recent research on social media, body image, and disordered eating points to an important insight: it is not just about how much time we spend online, but what kind of content we consume and how we relate to it. Repeatedly viewing idealized bodies, extreme routines, or rigid rules around food can increase social comparison and body surveillance. For someone who already has underlying vulnerabilities—anxiety, low self-esteem, perfectionism, a history of bullying, or body discomfort—this content can act as fuel.
A particularly delicate point is that many problematic messages do not seem problematic at first. They don’t say “stop eating.” They say “be disciplined,” “flush out toxins,” “no excuses,” “gain control,” “eat clean,” “transform your body.” This language can sound motivating, but it can also reinforce guilt, fear of certain foods, and the idea that personal worth depends on controlling one’s body.
Self-Care Strategies: How to Protect Your Mental and Physical Well-Being
It is not about demonizing social media, as it remains a source of community, information, and support for many people. The key question is not “Should I use social media or not?”, but rather: How do I feel after consuming this content? Does it inspire me or leave me feeling inadequate? Does it help me take care of myself or push me to punish myself? Does it connect me with my body or make me an external observer of my appearance?
To answer this, applying the following strategies can be extremely helpful:
- Evaluate the emotional impact: Notice if thoughts like “I should change my body,” “I ate badly,” “I am not enough,” “I’ll make up for it tomorrow,” or “I have to workout even if I’m exhausted” appear after viewing certain posts. If an account repeatedly triggers guilt, comparison, or rigidity, it is not a health account—it is content that increases your vulnerability.
- Diversify what you see: Following diverse bodies, rigorous professionals, and accounts that discuss rest, pleasure, flexibility, mental health, and adequate nutrition helps re-educate your perception. What we see daily shapes our desires, our self-image, and our baseline for what feels normal.
- Redefine recovery: Healing does not begin when you “look good.” It begins when you can eat with freedom, move without using it as a punishment, rest without guilt, and inhabit your body as a home rather than a display window. Your body does not need to be perfect to deserve care.
If you feel that food, exercise, or body image are taking up too much space in your daily life, asking for help is not an exaggeration—it is listening to an early warning sign. Eating disorders do not appear overnight; they build up slowly, normalized by a culture that applauds excessive control. Detecting this early is the best form of protection.
Key Takeaways
- Not all “healthy” content is good for your mental health.
- The issue isn’t just screen time; it’s the comparison and the specific body ideals being consumed.
- Rigidity regarding food, body image, or exercise can easily masquerade as discipline.
- Taking care of yourself includes curating the content you allow into your mind every day.
References:
- Bonfanti, R. C., Melchiori, F., Teti, A., Albano, G., Raffard, S., Rodgers, R., & Lo Coco, G. (2025). The association between social comparison in social media, body image concerns and eating disorder symptoms: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Body Image, 52, 101841. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2024.101841
- Dahlgren, C. L., Sundgot-Borgen, C., Kvalem, I. L., Wennersberg, A. L., & Wisting, L. (2024). Further evidence of the association between social media use, eating disorder pathology and appearance ideals and pressure: A cross-sectional study in Norwegian adolescents. Journal of Eating Disorders, 12, Article 34. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40337-024-00992-3
- Haywood, S., Paraskeva, N., & Schneider, J. (2026). Body image, disordered eating, and social media use among children and preadolescents: A scoping review of longitudinal studies. Body Image, 58, 102109. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2026.102109