Essay on Self-Harm Due to the Media - 870 Words

Media surrounds everyone living in every part of the world. Whether media is seen in the form of television shows and commercials, magazines, movies, billboards, and newspapers, media is everywhere. You may not notice it, but you cannot go anywhere, or do anything, without coming across some sort of media. Although few media messages may be considered positive, the truth is the media is detrimental to teens in America today. These messages destroy teens’ body image which sadly leads to self harm. Not only can the media lead to self-harm, it also leads to many teens developing unhealthy habits in order to live up to the perceived perfection that they see throughout the media. Equally important, the growing numbers of teens with insecurities†¦show more content†¦Heartbreakingly, â€Å"For some of these youth, cutting or burning themselves numbs away unpleasant thoughts and feelings or they feel high from the experience† (â€Å"Adolescent Self Harm.† 1). It is undeniable that media can be the cause of many teens harming themselves because they don’t think they look like the pictures in the magazine. The opposing side needs to recognize the fact that unhealthy habits can come from the media. As many people know, eating disorders are unhealthy habits that are an outcome of someone focusing on how to change their body to the seemingly flawless body they see in the magazine, and not how beautiful their body already is. â€Å"Eating disorders -- such as anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorder – include extreme emotions, attitudes, and behaviors surrounding weight and food issues. Eating ailments are serious emotional and physical problems that can have life-threatening consequences for females and males† (General Information. 1). According to the experts in the National Eating Disorder Association, approximately 500,000 teens struggle with eating disorders. In most cases, a person’s affliction advances from a strict diet that they put themself on. Those who have eating ailments either make themself starve, vomit, or eat a large quantity of food, and then vom it. Either way, it will damage the bodies of eating disorder sufferers. In conclusion, it is sad to say that the media has such an effect on people that they would establishShow MoreRelatedThe Negative Effects Of Social Media1648 Words   |  7 Pages I’ve learned that everything that glitters ain’t gold. In my middle school days I’ve experienced the negative effects of social media, Now when I say social media, I’m referring to Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat. By me being very active on social media I’ve been taunted, teased, threatened and harassed along with having low- self esteem and some suicidal thoughts . 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