Many teens today hate themselves based on how they look. According to Daily Mail, 90% of teens report being unhappy with their bodies; This may be caused by things happening at school and/or at home. For example, teens may be pressured by family, friends, and the media to lose weight or gain weight. The most common case is feeling they need to lose weight. Time Magazine reports a study that says that 40% of American teens 16-19 years old polled that they wish to lose weight. A lot of teens look in the mirror and wonder what other people say about them behind their backs. They may compare themselves to their peers and feel depressed. A study called “Impact of Social Media on Self Esteem” by Muqaddas Jan, Sanobia Anwwer Soomro, and Nawaz Ahmad said that one hour spent on Facebook 5.574 decrease in self-esteem.

According to mentalhealth.org, “Among teenagers, 37% felt upset, and 31% felt ashamed in relation to their body image. Just over one-third of adults said they had ever felt anxious (34%) or depressed (35%) because of their body image.” Because of this, teens are more likely to commit suicide. This is evident in a 60% increase in youth 10 to 24 suicide rates between 2007 and 2018. According to cbsnews.com, “But teens who perceive themselves at either weight extreme-very fat or really skinny- were more than twice as likely as normal-weight teens to attempt or think about suicide.”

Remember that you are perfect just the way you are. You are not too fat and you are not too skinny. If you are thinking about committing suicide, just remember that you can find help at

https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/suicide-prevention

or

you can call 1-800-273-8255.