The Effects of the Media on Women
Photos in the media are edited until the women models look flawless. Since we see media in our everyday lives, this has created the misconception that the standard for all ordinary women is to be perfect, as the women are in advertisements. The goal of being perfect is unachievable, but women do everything they can to reach the body image of models in the media. They do not realize, however, that none of the women they see in ads are really perfect, they only appear this way due to photoshop tools.
Self Esteem
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Seeing all the models in ads who are perfect, a large percentage of women in our country have made themselves believe that this is what all women should look like. There is an unrealistic standard set in our society for how women's weight, hair, skin, and overall body image should be, and since the ideal body image seen in ads is unachievable, many women around the U.S. develop self-esteem issues. Being unable to achieve the look they want, the look they see in advertisements everywhere, makes women feel inferior. They feel bad about themselves because they cannot be as beautiful as the models, when in reality, the models only appear this way due to editing. Instead of worrying about what is on the inside, many women get caught up in the theory that they are not good enough, pretty enough, or skinny enough. Their low self-esteem can lead to many other issues too. Women who have low self-esteem have a higher chance of getting caught up in negative activities, such as eating disorders, drinking, smoking, or bullying. One of the main causes of low self-esteem in our country is the result of "perfect" models that appear in ads, causing women to create an unattainable body image. When they don't reach their ideal body image, they feel bad about themselves, and this leads to many other bad things. Women who suffer from low self-esteem need to realize that nobody is perfect, and it is what is on the inside that counts. Body images do not matter in the whole scheme of the world, and everybody has their own great qualities that make them who they are.
Some Statistics
1. Ninety percent of women seek change in at least once aspect of their body.
2. Eight-one percent of all ten year old girls are afraid of being "fat".
3. A connection between low self-esteem and negative actions such as drinking, smoking, bullying, bad academics, eating disorders, violent behavior, teen pregnancy, suicide, and school drop-out has been discovered.
4. A study shows that eighty percent of female students stated that their negative body image was linked to mean remarks made by their peers.
5. Eighty-five percent of the world's population experience low self-esteem.
6. Only two percent of women think they are "beautiful".
Some Statistics
1. Ninety percent of women seek change in at least once aspect of their body.
2. Eight-one percent of all ten year old girls are afraid of being "fat".
3. A connection between low self-esteem and negative actions such as drinking, smoking, bullying, bad academics, eating disorders, violent behavior, teen pregnancy, suicide, and school drop-out has been discovered.
4. A study shows that eighty percent of female students stated that their negative body image was linked to mean remarks made by their peers.
5. Eighty-five percent of the world's population experience low self-esteem.
6. Only two percent of women think they are "beautiful".
Eating Disorders
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Eating disorders are caused by the unrealistic standards for women created by advertisements in the media. A lot of women strive to look like the models we see everyday, even though it is near impossible. If they fail to look like those photoshopped figures, they feel as though they do not meet the "requirements" of a beautiful girl. Trying to look like the models we see in ads can be addicting for some, and when they realize they cannot get thinner by dieting, they start to try harder and form eating disorders.
There are two types of eating disorders: Anorexia and Bulimia. Anorexia is when you eat way too little, and your body suffers horribly because of it. One in 200 American women suffer from anorexia. Bulimia is when you eat normally or a little less, and then you vomit up your meal after you are finished eating. People do this so that they can still eat, but they have the satisfaction of not getting any bigger/heavier. Unfortunately, two to three out of 100 women experience this disorder. People with eating disorders have a mental illness that causes them to think that they see an excessive amount of fat when they look in the mirror, when it is obvious to everybody else that they are unhealthily thin, and that they need serious help.
Some Statistics:
Only 1 in 10 women with eating disorders get treatment because (1) of the cost and (2) because many girls do not want to get treatment for something that makes them feel good, no matter how much harm it is actually doing to them. The treatment for an eating disorder in the U.S. ranges from $500 to $2,000 a day. The average cost for a month of inpatient treatment is $30,000! It's estimated that individuals with eating disorders need anywhere from 3-6 months of inpatient care. That is $90,000-$180,000 right there, and health insurance companies do not typically cover the cost of the treatment needed for people with eating disorders. About 80% of the girls/women who have accessed care for their eating disorders do not get the intensity of treatment they need to stay in recovery – they are often sent home weeks earlier than the recommended stay. So what happens after a patient is ready (or not ready, but dispatched anyway) to leave inpatient care? They have to start outpatient care. This type of care consists of therapy and medical monitoring, which can potentially extend to $100,000 or more.
There are two types of eating disorders: Anorexia and Bulimia. Anorexia is when you eat way too little, and your body suffers horribly because of it. One in 200 American women suffer from anorexia. Bulimia is when you eat normally or a little less, and then you vomit up your meal after you are finished eating. People do this so that they can still eat, but they have the satisfaction of not getting any bigger/heavier. Unfortunately, two to three out of 100 women experience this disorder. People with eating disorders have a mental illness that causes them to think that they see an excessive amount of fat when they look in the mirror, when it is obvious to everybody else that they are unhealthily thin, and that they need serious help.
Some Statistics:
- It is estimated that more than 8 million Americans have eating disorders
- 7 million of those people are women.
- 5-10% of all anorexics and bulimics die within ten years after the disease develops
- 18-20% of anorexics and bulimics will be dead after 20 years
- Only 30-40% of anorexics and bulimics will ever fully recover.
- The mortality rate of anorexia nervosa and bulimia is 12 times higher than the death rate of all causes of death for females that are 15-24 years old.
- 20% of people suffering from anorexia will prematurely die from complications related to their eating disorder, including suicide and heart problems.
- Anorexia is the 3rd most common chronic illness among adolescents
- 95% of those with eating disorders are between the ages of 12 and 25
- 50% of girls between the ages of 11 and 13 see themselves as overweight
- 80% of 13-year-olds have attempted to lose weight, and almost 10% of all of those 13 year olds become anorexic or bulimic.
Only 1 in 10 women with eating disorders get treatment because (1) of the cost and (2) because many girls do not want to get treatment for something that makes them feel good, no matter how much harm it is actually doing to them. The treatment for an eating disorder in the U.S. ranges from $500 to $2,000 a day. The average cost for a month of inpatient treatment is $30,000! It's estimated that individuals with eating disorders need anywhere from 3-6 months of inpatient care. That is $90,000-$180,000 right there, and health insurance companies do not typically cover the cost of the treatment needed for people with eating disorders. About 80% of the girls/women who have accessed care for their eating disorders do not get the intensity of treatment they need to stay in recovery – they are often sent home weeks earlier than the recommended stay. So what happens after a patient is ready (or not ready, but dispatched anyway) to leave inpatient care? They have to start outpatient care. This type of care consists of therapy and medical monitoring, which can potentially extend to $100,000 or more.