How does social media negatively affect athletes?
One of the most significant detrimental effects of social media is the false pictures that young athletes see. They are continuously assaulted with manipulated pictures of models and sports, which create false expectations of body image and life in general. These young people then start copying what they see, which often includes using drugs and other harmful practices to try and look like them. Another negative effect is that athletes use social media to show off their lives, which makes them appear more important than they actually are. This can lead others to believe that they can have any kind of lifestyle they want and still be successful at what they do, when in fact this is not true at all. Social media also exposes them to gossip, which is very dangerous for young athletes who need to keep quiet and focus on their sport. Finally, athletes use social media to seek attention from others. This is usually done by posting funny images or videos, which gets more likes and comments from friends and followers, which then gives the person feeling uncomfortable about it even more reason to post more stuff. Overall, social media affects athletes in a negative way by causing them to copy unhealthy behaviors, allowing them to appear better than they actually are, and giving them reasons to seek attention from others.