While perusing my morning Google Alerts, “Selfitis and Body Image Satisfaction Among Undergraduates in a Nigerian Private University” (Olabisi et al., 2024) stood out. I started to feel nervous because I’m presenting on the intersection of social media and mental health soon. Yet I had never heard of the condition “selfitis.”
I began reading the study published in the International Journal of Africa Nursing Sciences (Olibisi et al., 2024). It described selfiitis as “a mental disorder known as the obsessive-compulsive behavior of taking pictures of oneself (selfies) and posting them on social media as a way of boosting self-esteem or covering up for low self-esteem.” The authors pointed out that selfitis is currently a “major concern for mental health practitioners globally.”
What?! I felt confused, and imposter syndrome crept in. I mean, I have some expertise in social media literacy and am a specialist in eating and body image issues. When I didn’t know anything about selfitis, I questioned both. (Come on, don’t judge! Anyone who deals with imposter syndrome understands this feeling.)
Next, I did what I do when I’m befuddled: I searched the internet for information. (Click for full article)
