Has the internet hurt your self esteem?

[urbanD0LL]

oh wow , i thought i'd be the only one but yeah it has, and it also made me take more care of myself trying to be on that "pretty girl , model" status . i was just looking at pictures of that girl amber rose, and every guy i know is like in love with her , i spend my time on blogs , watching hip hop videos lol ... so i don't know , it probably did me more bad than it did me good I THINK . and facebook is the worst because you come across GORGEOUS people and they live like 15 minutes away from you ?! im like okay wtf is wrong with me ... i have loooow self esteem , sometimes people even think im conceited which is quite funny to me but im really not , i dont let it show but im sure some ppl are able to see it .

 

[Fataliya]

However I feel about myself, is mostly how I've always felt about myself. Whether it's something good or bad. I've always wanted bigger boobs and a flatter stomach. Looking at other women doesn't make me feel "less than", or "more than".

What it DID do is help me realize that my ex is not a good person and that I wasn't in a good relationship.

I'm glad I suffered through 10 years of misery, but I'm also very glad that I left.

 

[kittykit]

No. I'm comfortable with myself and I admire women who have a pretty face and better body. But it has never hurt my self-esteem.

 

[-moonflower-]

I think the internet has helped mine. Posting makeup on sites like Specktra and outfits on Chictopia has improved my self-esteem a lot. Firstly, the CC has helped me improve my makeup skills (I used to be seriously awful when it came to makeup) and it definitely helps my self-confidence when I get nice comments from people. In real life I don't really tend to get comments on my makeup, my friends just think of it as something I'm good at and don't bother mentioning it unless it's particularly good (or bad!).

I like how online you see people of all different ages, colours and sizes, even on fashion and beauty sites. Whereas in magazines and on tv you really only get the tall, thin, white but fake tanned 'ideal'. Seeing real people online has helped me realise that you can be thin/fat, short/tall, pale/dark... or in between, and still be pretty.

 

[Simply Elegant]

No because no matter how beautiful someone seems, they all have something that they don't like about themselves. I guess it's like a common bond and it doesn't make me feel bad about myself about the few things I don't like. I think it helps to accept yourself as you are and continually make improvements to feel better.

 

[abbyquack]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ImMACnificent I have a really hard time taking compliments. I have found myself almost refusing a compliment....for example, "Oh Austin your make up looks gorgeous today, or "your hair looks great today!" And I will be like "Really? I didnt think so, I didnt spend much time on it!" It's like GOSH DARNIT why cant I just say THANK YOU SO MUCH and go on. I am my own worst critic and always will be. But Im working on it.

I'm the same way! I always shrug them off and be like thanks but I don't think so, and so this past couple weeks I've been trying hard to accept compliments. And also, I always feel bad asking employees at stores to help me out to get me a different size or try a blush on me, etc. I always say sorry for some reason, as if I am inconveniencing them but I realized that I can't apologize anymore for something that is their job! So now I just say thank you instead. It's hard b/c I always catch myself going into that mode again.

 

[malvidia]

Quote:

Originally Posted by -moonflower- I like how online you see people of all different ages, colours and sizes, even on fashion and beauty sites. Whereas in magazines and on tv you really only get the tall, thin, white but fake tanned 'ideal'. Seeing real people online has helped me realise that you can be thin/fat, short/tall, pale/dark... or in between, and still be pretty.

<-- i so agree!


i think my self-esteem really improved using the internet. seeing pics (here on specktra and on other forums and sites) helped me realise that there are so many different kind of beauties that it is fairly silly to stop at a stereotyped ideal. a real eye-opener for me, i learned to love my own kind of beauty. of not to mention the fact that i improved my makeup skills so much that i can be pretty AND colourful

yay for all types of pretty

 

[SparklingWaves]

I will admit the hardcore marketing techniques on the net encourages me to spend more money.

 

[iadoremac]

I think if the internet hurts a persons self esteem that person did not have much of a self esteem to begin with. Just my personal opinion

 

[obentick]

To speak out of my heart and the truth, I lost my self- esteem when I got married to this guy and he used to be calling me names, bringing me down and look at the other girls( for example in por5) and would not even look at my way.
On the other side I dont look bad at all and I know and other guys have told me that I am a good looking female but let me tell you if I would be in front of my husband I would feel like I am nothing and that was the time when the internest also was damaging my self-esteem too, because I was comparing myself to them and what they have and I dont have.

 

[Frosting]

Nah.

For one thing, I don't hang out on parts of the internet where people are nasty. Life is too short and I have too little free time to waste it on that. And if you look hard enough, you can find warm and friendly communities out there.

Secondly, it's thanks to the internet that I've learned to do my makeup better and that has given me a lot of confidence!

There are pretty people out there everywhere, and I sure see lots of them out and about here in Austin, but their attractiveness doesn't diminish my own. Even if I ran into Miss Universe, I always know that I have something she doesn't--my face! Nobody else can ever look just like me or take away my individuality. I have cornered the market on looking just like myself!

Also, everyone's definition of pretty or attractive is different. My husband thinks Angelina Jolie is unpleasant looking. I think he's bananas, but it's proof positive that different people are attracted to different things so it's not worth your time to get caught up in someone else's idea of it.

Make the decision to see yourself as your own unique brand of beautiful and own it! You deserve to have that and never let anyone take it from you.

 

[mtrimier]

hasn't hurt my self esteem, but has totally killed my attention span.

(no comment about my wallet.)

 

[blindpassion]

I think its helped me. Especially being part of such a caring and supporting community like specktra.

 

[claralikesguts]

both.
when looking at FOTDs and all of the beautiful girls here, i instantly get jealous because their skin is fabulous and their makeup skills are excellent and etcetera, and i find myself thinking 'why can't i be that pretty? why can't my skin look flawless? why can't i blend that well?'. but when i post a FOTD and read all the replies, i definitely feel a lot better about myself because everyone here is so kind.

 

[cupcake_x]

^caralikeguts, shut up, you! You're so gorgeous... I always love your FOTDs too.

I don't think the internet hurt my self esteem... Photo shop did! Unfortunatly, a lot of the stuff online is just really good photoshopping.
But nah, I know what you mean. I'll be on the internet and see such amazingly gorgeous women and I'm like "Oh man I gotta get to the gym!"

 

[Mizz.Coppertone]

I didn't really mean the internet as in formus because I know this one is full of friendly, positive posters, I just meant how easy it is to look up tons n tons of beautiful women online! When I was younger I wasn't around piles of playboys or whatever lol so having such instant access to all the perfect pictures u could imagine is hard to deal with sometimes lol. I have my days where I'm like ugghh(like the day I posted this thread lol) and other days I'm totally content with myself. I just know for sure I'd be more confident if I stopped browsing photoshopped models but it's hard not to online.

 

[Sabrunka]

The only problems I've had with the internet was having jerks call me ugly, or claim im fat and a stupid bitch and stuff (saying im fat without seeing pictures obviously lmfao...) These comments usually come from in-humane forums or from comments on youtube and wherever else. I sometimes look at gorgeous girls though and think *wow I wish my boobs/face/lips/hair were like that*. But what can I do.. I am who I am!

 

[BeccalovesMAC]

ok sometimes it hurts my self esteem, I'm 30 with two kids and two dogs. I really don't make time for myself. I have tons of mac but don't really get to wear it that often(I work from home). When I see beautiful girls posting their looks and looking all hot, I get a little jealous. I know that I'm not fugly (ok not really) but, I wish I put myself first sometimes. You feel me?