Social Media and Its Influence on Body Image Shaping – A Critical Discourse Analysis

Social media platforms have become an essential part of today’s communication. They provide people with a space for easier communication and information sharing. However, even if they foster connection and represent an easier way of maintaining relationships, they also present challenges, particularly for people who suffer from some kind of disorder, like eating disorders. X (formerly known as Twitter) is a social media platform that allows people to share personal experiences and struggles in real time. The aim of the study is to examine, by using discourse analysis, a series of extracts highlighting people’s emotional conflicts with eating disorders, in this case, anorexia. The data for this study were extracted by Twitter’s API through Tweepy and manually over the past year and analysed using the MAXQDA computer-assisted qualitative data analysis software. The paper focuses on the analysis of lexical choices, metaphors, symbolism, and narrative structures, which contribute to a more detailed understanding of lexical features used by tweeters to express their feelings and emotions related to anorexia. Moreover, it also offers a framework for recognizing the linguistic features that can help family members, medical professionals, and others to better understand and help those in need.