Social Media and Mental Health: A Comprehensive Review of Eating Disorders in Young Men and the Literature Gap

Mental Health and Social Media is a literature review of how social networking sites (i.e., Snapchat) and mass media impacts the incidence, risk, and symptoms of eating disorders and disordered eating in men aged 18 to 27. The literature review begins with a general overview and the current literature and research gap. Peer-reviewed articles were searched and entered into an abstract matrix, and 36 were chosen to be in the review. The role of social networking sites (SNS) and mass media in the impact of eating disorder risk, symptoms, and incidence in college-aged men will be explored via the articles, discussing the impact of body image, self-esteem, and drive for muscularity. The main themes in the articles covered for the review are discussed as well as limitations the review faced. Clinical and research implications will be discussed as well