Why does society put so much of an emphasis on the way people look?

I'm extremely guilty for doing this. I've deleted my social media accounts more times that I can count because of how awful they make me feel. As women, we're more likely to be victims of this than men. Why?

Because the most common compliments we get are on how we look. Yes, it makes us feel good when other people find us attractive, and that's fine. But when it becomes a real problem?

I feel so much anguish over the way I look. The girls on Instagram who always have cute clothes and are cool in that didn't-have-to-try way are what bother me the most. It's not their fault that I'm so insecure about myself. I'm overcome with a sense of inadequacy when I compare myself to girls who are prettier and seem to have their lives figured out.

We notice our own imperfections that those around us. I spend an embarrassing amount of time looking at my blackheads in the mirror and the way my nose slants to the right. I look at my body and think, 'I'm not skinny enough.' Then, I look at my body and think, 'I'm not curvy enough.'

I'm so insecure that I don't want to eat. I feel like people compliment me the most when I'm at my skinniest. But what do I do? I redownload all of the apps that make me feel so bad, and the cycle repeats. When I used to post pictures, I would sit there obsessively and wait for likes. At least now I know to just move my phone away from me and focus on something else for awhile. And that's just sad.

I want to be pretty, but that's not what's the most important quality about me. I'm funny and smart and hard-working and caring and kind and strong and brave, and my physical appearance reflects nothing about the qualities that truly make me me.