There was a time when no one would dare take photos of themself for fear of looking too vain, or

obsessed with themselves and their looks. But now everyone does it – and so often that it even got its
own word, ‘selfie’, and a place in the dictionary. A whopping 17 million selfies are uploaded to social
media every week in the UK alone. For some, taking selfies becomes such a habit that they post to their
Instagram stories or Snapchat from the moment they wake up to the time when their head hits the
pillow. But can you be addicted to taking them? And could they be affecting your confidence?

It’s almost impossible not to compare yourself to the people who populate your social media feeds with
their seemingly perfect pictures, but it’s important to remember that people rarely post their true
selves. Instead, they opt for heavy make-up and suggestive poses. Often, older people are trying to look
younger while younger folk are trying to make out they’re in their late teens or even 20s. This is where
apps come in – removing spots, blemishes and scars; brightening skin, teeth and eyes; plumping up
cheeks. Ultimately, they’re disguising, even distorting reality. Anyone can fake perfection with a filter on
their face, so try not to compare yourself to their posts. Similarly, it’s easy for people’s posts to give the
impression they’re always having fun, but who’s going to upload a picture of themself looking miserable,
tired or red-eyed? Many of the images you see may be sun-kissed and sensational, but pictures rarely
reflect the true day-to-day realities of life.

For selfie addicts, taking photos of themselves is like a diary, documenting their day – but they’re
sharing it with their hundreds or thousands of followers. ‘I post all day,’ said one 15-year-old from the
UK. ‘I’m not obsessed but I know people who are and really want people to like or comment on their
image. If they don’t get many likes, they’ll remove the picture.’ For some, posting selfies is a bit like a
test to see how attractive people think they are. It’s normal to want to receive reassurance, but it can
lead to low self-esteem if you judge yourself by the number of likes and comments that are put up.
‘When lots of people like what you’ve posted, you get a real boost,’ said another UK teenager. ‘That’s
why people keep posting. But people can also post negative comments and that can be upsetting.’