A lesson from adolescents
I’ve already written on the importance of creating your social media bubble. But I wanted to revisit the topic, as I have much more to say about this topic.
I recently, talked with some adolescent clients about how their use social media to learn about nutrition, and find support in their journey to recovery from an eating disorder. We spent a good portion of this time talking about how to tell if someone is actually a nutrition expert versus an experience expert.
Nutrition Expert or Experience Expert
A Registered Dietitian nutrition expert (RD), has at least a bachelor’s degree in nutrition, a 1200-hr internship, national registration, and continuing education to maintain credentials. A “nutritionist” has absolutely no legal protection. I don’t need a degree, certificate, or any real experience outside of my lived experience to call myself a nutritionist.
Pay Attention to the Message
Next, we dove into why it is important to review what someone is posting. Not all dietitians are created the same. As a field, we are almost exclusively trained in a weight-normative (weight management) approach, and trained to give diets out like complements. Many dietitians are promoting nutrition on the internet in a way that is not helpful for someone who is trying to repair their relationship with food and body. Specifically, they may provide potentially triggering content that validates the eating disorder.
This goes for self-proclaimed nutritionists as well. Their well meaning advice can easily create or trigger a behavior that will require some work to undue.
Beat the Algorithm
I could write an entire book on why I’m not a fan of algorithms. They are designed to be responsive and adaptive. This great when it’s giving me more golden doodle to look at as I’m scrolling through pinterest. This backfires very quickly, when I’m looking at a recovery quote that then suggests I look at this content that is very triggering and likely sensationalizing eating disorders as a lifestyle. (They are not.)
I made sure the hammer home the point of curating our algorithm. Telling them how quickly it can send someone into a rabbit hole of pro-eating disorder and pro-disordered eating content, that validates their eating disorder.
So I want to encourage you create your social media bubble to reflect your hopes, dreams, and desires.
A Word of Encouragement
Before we go any further, I want to validate a few things for you. It’s okay if using social media has left you feeling bad or worse about yourself. It’s okay if you find yourself comparing your life or body to those you follow. It happens. It’s not your fault, and in time I hope that you can forgive yourself.
Give yourself permission to grow and evolve.
How to Clean Out Quickly
Cleaning up your social media doesn’t take long, and will have you feeling more positive in minutes.
The first step is unfollowing. The algorithm is based on what you interact with. So every click, double tap, and expand tells this complex formula what you want to see more. Unfollow anyone that leaves you feeling bad about yourself, less than, inadequate, in poor spirits.
This can happen one of two ways, start unfollowing as you scroll down. Or you can go straight to the list of who you follow and quickly remove from there.
Unfollow people who are not promoting content in the direction that you’re heading. What I mean by this is, unfollow people who may have good intentions but are still stuck in what you’re trying to move past. This could be people who are still talking about their diets, or disordered behaviors as a viable solution to “the problem.” This could be people who are still promoting the ideal that “thin = healthy,” because it truly doesn’t.
Who are they following?
One thing I’ve also found helpful, is to look at who the people I’m following follow. Example, if I’m following an RD I look though who they follow. Are they following a lot of accounts who talk about dieting or may share an unhealthy behaviors. What someone follows/interacts is going to end up on my feed or in my stories, as people share what they love and what resonates with them. This often indicates when it’s time to unfollow. If I start noticing posts about diets, or excessive exercise, before & after comparisons I know it’s time for us to part. That’s not something I want on my feed, and I’m not afraid to remove it.
TL;DR
- If looking at someone’s social media account leaves you with negative or abusive feelings toward yourself it’s time to unfollow them.
- Check to see who you follow follows. What they like and share will end up in your feed even if you don’t follow them. We share and promote what we like.
- Forgive yourself for being in the cycle of compare and defeat. It happens to all of us. You have everything you need to get off this ride, and create the social media bubble of your dreams!
Today is the best day to change your life!
