YOU don't have to scroll through Facebook very far to find the 'showing off' posts.

Whether it's photographs of 'our amazing holiday' or 'my gorgeous family', or carefully stage-managed profile shots, the social media site is awash with images that demand a response - be it approval or envy.

But is it possible to be addicted to such social approval, and what kind of effect is this having on teenagers, the most prolific users of social media?

An Australian teenager who had a huge online following has abruptly deleted her social media channels and revealed 'the truth' behind her seemingly perfect life. On the day she quit social media, Essena O'Neill had 575,000 Instagram followers and was making a living from being paid by brands to wear their clothes and mention their products in her posts.

So why the sudden change of heart?

"I was addicted to social approval and I didn't even realise," the 19-year-old explains in a video on letsbegamechangers.com, a new ad and sponsorship-free site she has set up to encourage others to go cold turkey.

"Looking back I see someone who wasn't happy with herself; she was scared that people only liked her for how she looked," the teen continues, adding that her supposedly candid (often bikini-clad) shots were actually painfully posed, and that the constant yearning for more likes, views and subscribers on Instagram, YouTube, SnapChat and Tumblr was making her feel miserable and insecure.

Reactions on Essena's new site have been unanimously positive, with hundreds of comments - many from teens - praising her bravery and honesty.

"You just described the biggest struggle in my life," wrote one, with others vowing to delete all their social apps.

The incident raises some valuable questions about the influence of social media on self-esteem, especially for young people.

Is it inevitable that posting, or even just viewing, a flood of seemingly perfect pictures every day will lead to a crisis of confidence - or is it possible to be active on social networks without spiralling into an addiction to approval?

While it would take more than one Instagram implosion to bring down social media as a whole, it's refreshing to see someone effectively removing the mask of self-assurance she has worn for years. If that helps others to take a more balanced approach to their digital existence, and realise that reaching half a million followers isn't a sure-fire route to happiness, surely that's no bad thing?

Ilkley mum Suzanne Watson welcomes the fact that her 16-year-old daughter, Melissa, isn't interested in social media.

"She's never been interested in having her own social media accounts and has even said she doesn't want her life to be ruled by 'likes' or peer approval," says Suzanne. "As a teenager in a social media saturated world, I'm staggered she hasn't succumbed. All her friends are on Facebook but Melissa says she just doesn't want the distraction that Facebook, Twitter and Instagram bring while she's in the last year of her GCSEs.

"The one thing she does love is Pinterest which is like a digital pinboard - she spends hours creating boards that reflect her personality, from fashion and films to food and interiors. The beauty of this is that it's anonymous. She has thousands of Pinterest followers but there's absolutely no pressure as they can't access Melissa or her life - she doesn't even go by her own name. Her followers just share a passion for the same things which creates a real sense of community and a place for her to escape and explore her interests, without being judged, criticised or scrutinised."

Shipley mum Sharon Hill, 47, worries her teenage daughter will face increasing pressure. "I find Facebook useful, but there's a 'look at my wonderful life' element that leaves a bad taste," she says. "It presents a false impression of life, like a TV advert.

"Bethany, who's 16, uses sites like SnapChat and Instagram and I worry she'll feel under pressure to have a 'perfect life' or create something fake, to fit in. She's obsessed with dieting and constantly compares herself to online images. I tell her nobody is perfect - it's what you make of life that counts.

"I still find it ridiculous that people put their lives online, but that's the way it is. I can't stop Bethany using social media because all her friends are on it. She follows bloggers and hangs on their every word. I hope Essena O'Neill's decision to quit will send out a message to girls to be yourself - not a fake version of yourself."