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Why social media is so toxic for teens with eating disorders – Source fastcompany.com

When I was 15 years old, I was diagnosed with anorexia. I fully recovered, unlike many of my peers, but it was an uphill battle.

One thing I’m grateful for is that in the years I was most acutely suffering from the disease, I didn’t have access to Instagram, with its continuous drip-feed showing images of unattainable bodies that young people are exposed to today. But I did have Facebook.

I vividly remember returning home from treatment and immediately reconnecting with treatment friends on Facebook. I’d spend every evening on our family’s desktop computer comparing myself to them: Had they lost weight? Were they back in treatment? It was immensely triggering to be connected with folks who I considered “sicker” than I.

To reach true recovery, I learned to unfriend people who were triggering to me. I learned to spend more time actively interacting with recovery-oriented peers instead of scrolling through full body photos online. I learned to limit my time on Facebook, and…

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Source : fastcompany.com

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