Tag: Eating Disorders

The Whistleblower that Unearthed The Truth: Social Media and the Degradation of Young Girls’ Mental Health

by No Rules Cornell, posted in Featured

by Izzy MacFarlane //

As social media has become more prevalent in our society, there has been a corresponding increase in mental health issues, specifically that of body image affecting primarily young girls. All different forms of social media have an impact on mental health. However, it has been revealed that Instagram is the main perpetrator. 

The Whistleblower

A few weeks ago, Frances Haughen, who worked as a product manager for Facebook, spoke out against this problem. She revealed findings of Facebook that showed that Instagram, a platform that Facebook owns, harms teenage girls’ mental health and well-being. Haughen exemplified immense courage and strength in revealing these discoveries. As a whistleblower, you expose information of your place of work that you feel is illegal, fraudulent, or unsafe. By doing so, you are turning your back on your organization. This type of act can have very harmful repercussions for the whistleblower, as you are potentially labeling yourself as “untrustworthy” or “a backstabber.” Because of these risks, it is clear that Haughen felt strongly enough about what she found and how pressing of an issue this truly is. She spoke out and put herself in a vulnerable position.

The Instagram Issue

According to CNN, Facebook found that 13.5% of teenage girls say that Instagram spurs suicidal thoughts, while 17% of them say that Instagram makes eating disorders worse

While working at Facebook, Haugen grew immensely frustrated by the company’s primary concerns of growth and money over the health and wellbeing of its users. She noted in an interview with 60 minutes that there were “conflicts of interest between what was good for the public and what was good for Facebook, and Facebook over and over again [chooses] to optimize for its own interests, like making more money.” Because of this, Haugen investigated internal documents and the data she found was startling. 

According to CNN, Facebook found that 13.5% of teenage girls say that Instagram spurs suicidal thoughts, while 17% of them say that Instagram makes eating disorders worse. These numbers are definitely a cause for concern, but what is even more disturbing is that these are Facebook’s own findings, which reveal that they have been aware of the issue at hand but refuse to take it seriously. Moreover, the research states that as these girls begin to consume this type of harmful content, it, in turn, makes them use the app more. They are in a “feedback cycle”, as Haughen phrases it, where they end up hating their bodies more and more. This is not a random occurrence, however.

Instagram, as a matter of fact, uses algorithms that showcase harmful accounts to young girls that express an interest in dieting.

Instagram, as a matter of fact, uses algorithms that showcase harmful accounts to young girls that express an interest in dieting. “I want to be thin,” “I want to be perfect,” and “Eternally starved” are just a few examples of Instagram accounts that these algorithms promote. This is incredibly harmful since confirmation bias is very influential. If young girls are already struggling with eating disorder-type thoughts, these accounts being promoted to them act as validation for these ideas, making it seem normal to have these types of thoughts and feel this way. 

An Apathetic Response 

Facebook has the duty to protect the lives of its community, which they say is their number one priority. However, their actions do not align with this sentiment. 

If the findings themselves weren’t disappointing and saddening enough, Facebook’s response to them was even more disheartening. After Haughen revealed the unfortunate reality of Facebook concentrating on profit over people, Mark Zuckerberg came out with a statement in response. He pushed back against this idea by saying that “at the heart of these accusations is the idea that we prioritize profit over safety and well-being. That’s just not true.” This is clearly inaccurate, as the documents that Haughen disclosed exemplify Facebook’s lack of concern for the harmful effects of these Instagram accounts. Along with this, Facebook sent out a blog post that stated, “Protecting our community is more important than maximizing our profits. It is not accurate that leaked internal research demonstrates Instagram is ‘toxic’ for teen girls.” 

This is clearly a fallacy as the numbers show it all; Facebook has the data that shows how many young girls this affects and has done nothing to combat it. It is also necessary to point out that Mark Zuckerberg, the owner of Facebook, is a cis-man who has never understood, and never will understand, the magnitude of these issues and how his actions have affected girls for the rest of their lives. 

Facebook will not admit that there is a problem, despite the clear evidence that was unearthed, and they will not take any responsibility for it. Facebook has the duty to protect the lives of its community, which they say is their number one priority. However, their actions do not align with this sentiment. 

Mental Health and the lack of awareness or urgency to do anything to help it has been and continues to be a vast problem in our society. This reveals the sad reality we live in where profit is constantly being placed above the happiness and health of the community. Haughen’s courage to speak out against how Facebook contributes to this problem is a start for people to begin taking the issue seriously. But we still have a ways to go in terms of prioritizing mental health in our society. 

The Aftereffects of a Pandemic: Eating Disorders and COVID

by No Rules Cornell, posted in Featured, Health & Wellness, Pop Culture

by Hanna Carney //

Trigger Warning: this article discusses eating disorders and body image.

Everyone can appreciate a good ice breaker question. The rare thought-provoker can save you from having to listen to the all-too-monotonous answers of your classmates during syllabus week. One of my professors tried to get creative by asking us “how have your eating habits changed during COVID?” This question took me aback. What a specific, personal, and possibly triggering question to ask. And this same question was asked again in another one of my classes later that same day. I assume that my professors had nothing but good intentions. But from their perspectives as privileged, white men, they may not have understood how inappropriate such a question could be–especially now. 

Why is there such an emphasis on eating and body image during the pandemic? I remember downloading Tik Tok during quarantine in March and being bombarded with Chloe Ting challenges, complaints about post-COVID weight gain, before and after pictures, etc. And these trends have not alleviated. Recently, people have been hula hooping to lose inches on their waists. I feel like every day I hear someone mention intermittent fasting. #WhatIEatInADay is making its way around social media with people listing their calories for the day, and some of these numbers are dangerously low. Diet culture has seemingly always existed in the United States, but why has there been an upsurge since the beginning of the pandemic? 

Perhaps the danger that COVID poses to our bodies is festering in the American Psyche. As Lalita Abhyankkar writes in “Anorexia in the Time of COVID,” “eating disorders are only partially about body dysmorphia and body image. They often stem from an attempt to achieve control while in a state of anxiety or uncertainty.” Therefore, the anxieties that come with living through a pandemic are risk factors for those who suffer from eating disorders or struggle with body image. Since the beginning of 2020, people have experienced isolation due to quarantine and social distancing. Most of us had to stay at home near full-time. We’ve had to restrict our grocery runs, so a lot of us have been at home with overly-stocked fridges and pantries. Those who are underweight or obese have been added to the list of those at risk. And, of course, we’ve been exposed to the endless discourse on social media surrounding weight gain and weight loss (both pandemic-related and otherwise). These examples do not constitute a comprehensive list of risks that the pandemic has posed to those with eating disorders. There is an undeniable overlap between COVID and these disorders as one exaggerates the other. 

But perhaps the implications of our use of “pandemic” should include the current mental health crisis associated with COVID. Pathologies like anxiety, depression, and eating disorders seem to be comorbid with living through a pandemic, so we should acknowledge and attend to these serious issues.

This overlap can be seen in the way medical care resources have been exhausted as a result of both afflictions. The National Eating Disorders Association reports that they received a 70% increase in the number of calls and chat inquiries from 2019 to 2020. Just as we saw hospital beds full of COVID patients, inpatient eating disorder units became full. Those unable to receive inpatient care were put on waiting lists. Clearly, the stress that COVID has put on our healthcare system has extended to eating disorders and mental health in general.

When we speak of the pandemic, we obviously refer to the spread of COVID throughout the world. But perhaps the implications of our use of “pandemic” should include the current mental health crisis associated with COVID. Pathologies like anxiety, depression, and eating disorders seem to be comorbid with living through a pandemic, so we should acknowledge and attend to these serious issues. Just as you put on a mask to protect your family and strangers on the sidewalk, or socially distance from your friends, you should make it common practice to check in on yourself and others. We must be aware that this pandemic is far more widespread in ways we don’t always consider.  

Resources

For urgent services, you may reach the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255, the 24/7 National Crisis Text Line by texting HELLO to 741741, or the 24/7 National Lifeline Crisis Chat service here.

For support, resources, and treatment options for yourself or a loved one, you may contact the National Eating Disorders Association Helpline. You may call (800) 931-2237, text (800) 931-2237 from the hours of 3-6pm Monday through Thursday, or you can access the chat feature here. For crisis situations, text “NEDA” to 741741 to be connected with a trained volunteer at Crisis Text Line. 

If you are a member of Cornell University, Cornell Health Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) is available to all students at Cornell University. If you feel you are in need of psychological services, you may call to set up an appointment with CAPS at 607-255-5155 or visit their website here. For urgent services, you may reach the Cornell Health 24/7 phone consultation line at 607-255-5155 and press 2.