Social Media Expectations 

Social Media has become more and more of an issue as it has grown and expanded into peoples everyday lives. Social media plays a significant role in shaping peoples personal perceptions, often creating unrealistic expectations about lifestyle, beauty, success, and well-being. Social media users tend to post only the good things in their lives making it seem as if they have this perfect life, when in reality, no ones life is actually as perfect as their social media makes it seem. With that being said, this places unrealistic expectations onto other viewers which can ultimately cause mental health issues and other concerns to a person. Unrealistic realities and beauty standards are all over the media and influence peoples lives everyday. According to an article by Penn Medicine "Increasingly, young adolescents hold unrealistic expectations on what they should own, how they should look, or what they need to achieve, which is linked to higher rates of anxiety. This focus on perfectionism can be destructive—more than a mental health risk factor, it can be a physical one as well" (Penn Medicine 2024). Experts emphasize the need to accept flaws and focus on balance instead of unattainable perfection.