By Emily Murray

It seems we are constantly confronted with both the benefits and drawbacks of social media use. Today is a drawback day.

A new study has discovered that using Facebook frequently can actually damage a woman’s self esteem. Researchers looked at surveys given to 881 female college students in order to come to this conclusion. The average amount of time per day spent on Facebook was about 80 minutes. The average weight of the students was 149 but the majority expressed the desire to be about 20 pounds less (around 130 pound goal weight) than their current weight. They were asked other questions relating to their self esteem and body image as well.

Researchers were able to detect a link between lower self esteem and more time spent on Facebook. This reaction  was highlighted amount those particularly who voiced a desire to lose weight. Those who were looking to maintain or gain weight did not see as impacted as their weight loss minded peers.

With new filters designed to slim your selfie and other editing software, it’s no wonder that looking at many images makes some women feel inferior. Many women post photos of themselves as they would like to be seen, shaving 10 pounds off here, smoothing blemishes there. This seems to perpetuate the beauty standard and play to other women’s insecurities. While looking at photos of our friends was once what-you-see-is-what-you-get, Facebook timelines are starting to resemble the pages of those glossy beauty magazines that leave us wanting more from our bodies.