TwoCents | Social media filters and how they affect us

Everyone loves photo filters right? There are a lot of them across different social media apps, that help us look our best. The most popular ones are those which gives the face perfect symmetry. Big beautiful eyes, a slim nose, contoured cheek bones, fuller lips and pointy chins. To a lot of people, filters are a game changer. Would you however agree that as much as these filters are popular and arguably helpful, they can have an effect on the user's mental health? According to a study carried out by the City university of London on the negative effect of filters on the mental health. 90 percent of the women who participated in the study, admitted to using filters and other photo editing apps. Out of these, 94 percent said they felt under pressure to look a certain way. With 70 percent stating that they felt pressure to present a perfect life. For these people, photo filters are one of the ways with which they present a perfect life. It gives a sense of perfection when a person posts a selfie, that meets the supposedly ideal ratio. However, the thing about this is that; the more a person uses filters, the more that person battles with self esteem issues. It is very often to see a lady compare her pictures on social media, with her actual physical appearance. And the realization that she can never truly look as perfect as she does in the picture, can affect her mentally. Excessive use of filters further reinforces negative believes that a person body isn't good enough. Especially if that person has a history with low self esteem. Research shows that most people who use social media filters, have increased dissatisfaction in their actual face and body. -( Newport institute) They can also lead to body dysmorphic disorder. For clarification, this is a disorder which causes the affected person to obsess over flaws on their body. The question then is why are filters as popular as they are? Simple. We live in a world that places too much emphasis on perfection and beauty standards. And these beauty standards are reinforced by the media. Like I stated earlier, there is this pressure to present a perfect life. And in as much as we like to talk about it, we do not really do anything about it. Till we start to accept and embrace our imperfections, and drop the 'ideal' standard of beauty, the excessive use of filters isn't going anywhere soon.

More insights from Jefferson Nnadiekwe