In the world and the society we live today, where the developed technology made it so easy to access one another’s lives, we come across different type of people on social media on daily basis. While some of them are popular celebrities, some are only our friends that we get to see a part of their lives. We all have seen models showing off their healthy lifestyles, influencers constantly suggesting new products for us to buy and even the photos of someone we have never met in real life. If there is something that we forget to take into consideration while mindlessly scrolling through social media, it is the fact that almost everything we see there is a part of a big lie.
“Social media is addictive precisely because it gives us something which the real world lacks: it gives us immediacy direction, and a value as an individual.” said David Amerland. Being praised by other people, especially when it comes to our body shape and other physical features, is something we are all secretly craving for. Every one of us needs to be complimented from time to time in order to build up some confidence. It is a deniable fact how much social media has made some people gain 
confidence and self love. But on the other hand, all those “perfect” bodies we see there everyday that are based on society’s beauty standards are the reason so many people, the majority being teenagers, are dealing with body image issues along with the fact that what we see there is completely unrealistic compared to our lifestyles.
With the development of technology, the excessive use of photoshop is seen in many of the photos that are posted on social media. From the models we see on magazines to the influencers on instagram, we are exposed to unrealistic body images. Not only this causes body image issues for many people, it also standardizes a specific type of beauty that is almost impossible to reach. Especially younger people like teenagers are forced to believe that their value is based on their body shape since it is all they have been seeing for years.
Almost all photos we see on social media are edited at some point. The skin is photoshopped so it looks smoother, the legs are made longer, the eye colors are edited, the waists are shrunk. These are things that one cannot acquire by going to the gym and having a healthy diet and yet they are used all around the world completely ignoring the negative messages they are giving to people. A photo that is posted by a random celebrity who have limitless access to any kind of plastic surgery, photoshop can cause a young girl to deal with serious issues like anorexia or a different type of eating disorder for years.
The misuse of photoshop is one of the main reasons why the society is currently so pressed about the beauty standards. All those exaggerated stereotypes and edited bodies we see on the internet all the time is just a part of the unfair system that is subconsciously affecting our mental health and the way wee view ourselves. This is why kids should be educated at a young age about the illogical lies social media tells us that we all tend to believe. The way we look is not what defines our value, but our thoughts are definitely something that makes us the person we are today.