Every year on average at least 4% of adolescents between the ages of 13 to 18 will develop an eating disorder. In the United States right now 10 in 100 women are currently suffering from some type of eating disorder. When looking closely at these numbers it is horrifying to see how many young girls are struggling with accepting the way their bodies are. Eating disorders affect over 9% of the population between girls and boys. 

Social media can be one of the most toxic forms of communication in adolescents’ lives. As you scroll through your feed all you see these days are skinny models with perfect legs, hair, arms, and a flat stomach. Young girls are forced to think that this is how every woman should look in order to be seen as “beautiful”. Eating disorders are often treated as a joke in society because how could someone possibly find it hard to eat. Girls are constantly pressured into thinking that their eating disorders are fake and they’re just doing it for attention. Men will never understand the hardships that come with trying to be the “perfect girl” and have a shredded body that everyone aspires to have. Apps such as instagram and twitter are giving celebrities the ability to freely post photos of themselves in little to no clothing and skimpy bathing suits. 

As time goes on it is important that we crack down on the signs of eating disorders and try to avoid them at all costs. These disorders can have long lasting effects such as irregular heart beats, kidney and liver damage, infertility, and loss of bone mass. All because of what we are told we should look like. Social media will be around for years ahead but we have to stop letting it define who we are as a person.