48 | SEPTEMBER 2019 PROJECT BODY LOVE
FUTURE-PROOF
YOUR FEED
In one small study, researchers
from Cornell University in New
York found that students who sat
in front of their own Facebook
profile reported a greater boost
to self-esteem than those who sat
in front of a mirror or pictures of
themselves. They suspected that
the boost was down to the way
in which social media gives you
control of how you present
yourself to the world. As for the
overall impact of social media on
self-esteem, the jury’s out, with
most studies pointing to a need
for further research. But if your
own consumption is dragging you
down rather than building you
up, there are steps you can take
without going cold turkey. ‘It’s
easy to forget how much control
you have over the content you
consume,’ says Dr Sarah Vohra,
consultant psychiatrist, author
and WH columnist. ‘Next time
you’re scrolling through your
news feed, tune into how it
makes you feel and unfollow or
mute any people or accounts that
have a negative impact on your
mental wellbeing, then replace
them with accounts that inspire.
It’s about making your social
media more representative of
your life and your interests.’TAKE UP LIFE DRAWING
If sketching the form of a naked stranger sounds like another
addition to the never-ending list of hen do activities you’d
sell a kidney to avoid partaking in (see also: cocktail making
and games of Mr and Mrs), then hear this: committing the
curve of an elbow, ankle or penis to paper could improve
your body image. Researchers at Anglia Ruskin University
carried out three studies in a bid to establish the extent to
which life drawing is effective at promoting body image.
They found that attending a class for six weeks significantly
improved trait body image (body appreciation and pride)
and reduced social physique anxiety, positing that doing so
provided the participants with realistic depictions of what
bodies look like. Charcoal at the ready.2
1
S
T
R
O
N
G
M
I
N
D