Hi there,

Social media can feel like a place to be seen but it can also leave you feeling worse. No matter what’s been posted, it’s never okay for anyone to make comments to make you feel unsafe or uncomfortable. Other people have responsibility for how they behave online, so when someone else comments or messages you inappropriately that’s their fault and responsibility.

Even when you’re feeling overwhelmed or frightened, there are things you can do to take back control. The first steps are to think about your privacy settings and how to block people.

Blocking people who make you feel uncomfortable, unsafe, or upset is something you can do on most platforms. Blocking someone usually means you won’t see what they post and they won’t be able to contact you. You can also report any harmful or inappropriate messages or content. These tools are there to help keep you safe online.

Childline has information on how to change your privacy settings for different platforms, like Twitter/X. Remember though that even with a private profile, when you share things online other people can still choose to share it. Staying safe online often involves thinking about what you’re sharing, who can see it, and how it might be used. Childline have other tips and advice on staying safe online.

When you’re feeling insecure about your body or other parts of yourself, it’s natural to want ways to feel better. Social media can feel like a place to get reassurance, but it can be really unhealthy when you have an eating disorder.

When you’re thinking about posting, it can help to ask yourself whether it’s something that might make things harder with your OFSED (Other Specified Feeding/Eating Disorder). It can even help to think about whether it might help to take down your body check post.

No one should be left to feel alone to cope with eating problems. We’ve got advice and support, and Childline is always here for you.

Social media and online support doesn’t always have to feel negative, and it can be a massive help for lots of people. If you’re struggling to feel positive online, we’ve got advice to help. 

Take care,

Sam