Do you edit your photos before posting them? Be careful not to abuse it because the use of filters can weaken self-esteem. Find out why.
It's a fact: with the use of filters, social networks contribute to the cult of the perfect physique. This phenomenon has a real impact on self-esteem and the value we have of ourselves. We compare ourselves, we don't measure up, we prefer ourselves with a filter rather than natural. A vicious circle that can seriously weaken self-confidence. Focus on the link between the use of filters and the lack of self-esteem.
Why is self-esteem so important?
According to psychiatrist and author Christophe André, self-esteem (also called “selfcare”) is “the way we see and judge ourselves” . A positive perception of ourselves allows us to have sufficient self-confidence to face all types of situations, including the most difficult.
Positive self-esteem is also the key to standing out from the eyes of others. This addiction to “what will people say” can be very harmful, because it can condition our behavior and block us from taking action.
Finally, a good self-esteem facilitates access to happiness. Indeed, the fact of accepting and loving oneself with one's faults and one's qualities, without comparing oneself to others and without constantly seeking to achieve an ideal, are just as many factors that allow one to appreciate one's life as it is. She is.
Lack of self-esteem and the illusion of a filtered image
Retouched photos have become the norm. A toxic utopia, they considerably weaken self-love, to the point of no longer being able to accept one's natural image.
Filters that modify the perception of our appearance
Instagram, TikTok or Snapchat filters and applications such as Facetune allow you to modify a face, but also a silhouette in every detail. Result: some people only agree to look at themselves through these filters. They reject their natural physique, not being up to this fantasized image.
A craze for cosmetic surgery among young people
In order to correspond to their ideal, more and more young people succumb to the lures of aesthetic medicine, even surgery. Thus, they bring a retouched photo and ask the doctor to shape their face to look like it. Moreover, this tyranny of the image is at the origin of dysmorphophobia, a disorder where the slightest physical defect becomes an obsession.
An inevitable comparison that feeds the feeling of inferiority
Comparing yourself to others is not necessarily a negative thing. Provided that it contributes to the improvement of the self-image! The problem is that it's almost impossible not to give in to comparison when you spend a lot of time scrolling through social networks.
A world where images of girls with dreamy hair, perfect faces and mermaid bodies follow one another. Does it speak to you? By dint of being confronted with this type of completely filtered photos, we confuse reality with what is shown on social networks. We feel ugly, and we tell ourselves that our life is without interest (even if, obviously, it is not true!).
How to boost your self-esteem?
Because there will always be someone more beautiful, stronger and richer than yourself, it is important to accept that each of us is unique and that this race for perfection is doomed to failure.
Even if it is not necessarily easy, try to limit your use of social networks. Follow more authentic accounts that promote "body positive" and influencers who don't use filters. Take time for yourself: go out, play sports, meditate, succumb to massages. In short, do what makes you happy and above all, leave your laptop at home (or in your bag, that's fine too)!