Tell us how social media has affected your eating disorder and recovery

Recent research has raised concerns that social media can aid the development of eating disorders, or lead to worsening symptoms and in April 2025 the Mental Health Foundation and Savanta found that 28% of 16-21 year olds have been exposed to pro-eating disorder content. 

​

In fact, nearly 50% of teenagers say that using social media harms their body image. Exposure to harmful trends like #skinnytok, misinformation around healthy eating and pro-eating disorder content can all worsen existing eating disorder symptoms.

​

However, others have found that social media can be an important part of their recovery journey by creating a supportive community around them, sharing their journey and combatting harmful trends and misinformation. 

​

Social Media Roundtable

As part of the All-Party-Parliamentary Group on Eating Disorders, Dump the Scales has been invited to give evidence at the Roundtable Discussion on the Impact of Social Media and Online Platforms on Eating Disorders. 

​

We will be bringing together experts from across the eating disorder field, and from the health, policy, advocacy and technology sectors to shape actionable recommendations which will help inform future policy and the Online Safety Bill. 

​​

But we want to hear from people with lived experience about how social media has affected your recovery. 

​

​

​

​

​

​