Self-Harm Due to the Media

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Recommended: Explain the importance of physical appearance

Media surrounds everyone living in every part of the world. Whether media is seen in the form of television shows and commercials, magazines, movies, billboards, and newspapers, media is everywhere. You may not notice it, but you cannot go anywhere, or do anything, without coming across some sort of media. Although few media messages may be considered positive, the truth is the media is detrimental to teens in America today. These messages destroy teens’ body image which sadly leads to self harm. Not only can the media lead to self-harm, it also leads to many teens developing unhealthy habits in order to live up to the perceived perfection that they see throughout the media. Equally important, the growing numbers of teens with insecurities can leave teens and their families with expensive medical bills. The world we live in should not be filled with people of all ages and genders hurting themselves and their families in order for them to feel like they are socially acceptable and presentable.
As previously stated, there are an abundance of instances of self-harm due to the media. Certainly, young people agree that there are many celebrities that are well known and looked up to who abuse substances, making it seem as though it is a good idea to do so. Numerous males and even girls take steroids in order to obtain more prominent muscular tone. That can cause them harm in the long run because it is illegal and can result in legal consequences. Steroids can also increase acne, yellowing of the skin, the chances of a heart attack, the possibility for tendon ruptures, and steroids can even increase a person’s heart size (DeNoon 2). In addition to substance abuse, teens may harm themselves by cutting or burning ("Adolescent Self Harm." ...

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Works Cited

"Adolescent Self Harm." Adolescent Self Harm. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Apr. 2014.
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DeNoon, Daniel J. "Why Steroids Are Bad for You." WebMD. WebMD, 16 Mar. 2005.
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"General Information." National Eating Disorders Association. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Apr.
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Mehta, Julie. "Pretty Unreal." SIRS Discoverer. N.p., Jan. 2005. Web. 23 Mar. 2011.
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Zuckerman, Diana. "Body Image- Teenagers and Cosmetic Surgery." Our Bodies
Ourselves. N.p., Aug. 2013. Web. Mar.-Apr. 2014. .

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