Filters in Instagram, Snapchat, and other social media apps are fostering unhealthy ideas of how we look at ourselves and defining naturally unattainable beauty standards.
…when these flaws of dissatisfaction are psychological, they can not be addressed by a plastic surgeon!!
We had a lesson in our 12th English textbook about a photographer who made changes in a photograph of customer’s face to make it beautiful. This is how the story goes by…
A man walks into a photo studio for a photo to be taken for a job application. The photographer takes a snap and asks the customer to come back after 2 days. When the customer returns he is handed over a picture of someone completely different. When asked about it, the photographer replies – I did not like your nose, I found it flat. So I edited and made it sharp. Your eyes are too small so I made them big. Your lips are too black so I made them pinkish and smiley. You have a thin hairline, so I made it thick and wavy. Now you look PERFECT!!! To which the customer replied, I see a man with a sharp nose, pinkish lips, thick hair but this is not me. How would anyone at the job recognize it’s me?
Today we are living the photographer’s life. Except, we are editing our own photos to look slightly more beautiful than we already are. This obsession with looking slightly more beautiful is leading us into a distorted reality.
Define Body Dysmorphism disorder
In clinical nomenclature, this condition is recognized as Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD). And is defined as constant, sometimes psychotic, obsession with one’s appearance. Individuals with BDD constantly look at the flaws in their own appearance and overlook the goodness.
In some way or the other, we all look into the mirror and wish to be more beautiful. There is no one with some kind of flaw in their appearance. But such thoughts become a disorder when one can not get over the fact and is constantly obsessed with it. These self-reported flaws not seen or at least not abnormal to others.
Techno-geeks are perfecting the selfie technology where cosmetic surgeons want to replace this technology and Psychologists and Psychiatrists are addressing dysmorphism.
Techno-geeks are perfecting the selfie technology where cosmetic surgeons want to replace this technology and Psychologists and Psychiatrists are addressing dysmorphism.
How Dysmorphia starts?
Our grandparents probably never took a photograph for casual purposes. Our parents took photos for formal purposes and for casual photos they had SLR cameras which offer to take limited photos. We are the first generation of selfie-takers.
We see ourselves dozens of times a day on our mobile. When we are seeing ourselves constantly throughout the day, there is a high chance of being obsessed with the little imperfections we have. These little imperfections are never seen by others in usual but only by us when we glare at ourselves all the time. These feelings of dissatisfaction about the little flaws become dysmorphia over time. When these flaws of dissatisfaction are psychological, they can not be addressed by a plastic surgeon!!
Why is Dysmorphia a concern?
In the diagnostical manual, Body dysmorphism disorder is categorized under OCD- related disorder meaning, the characteristics and symptoms of BDD are much similar to OCD.
BDD addresses the presence of preoccupation and repetitive behavior.
- Preoccupation with flaws (real or psychological) about ones appearance and
- Repetetive behaviors of conatant checking oneself in mirror or through selfies.
Individuals with BDD incorrectly perceive themselves as looking ugly or even grotesque, when in fact they look normal or attractive. These flaws are mostly concerned over the face. They see flaws in the eyes, nose, nose tip, jawline, and eyebrows. These individuals also have ideas of reference where they believe that others are staring and they are focusing on the flaws.
When is Body Dysmorphism is a concern?
When these preoccupations and repetitive behaviors are uncontrollable many try to camouflage them with makeup in real life and editing their pics on their social media. But when they can afford it (many times they divert funds from other important purposes) they opt for cosmetic surgery.
- These surgeries come as invasive and non-invasive. A nose job, botox injections or a lip lift may be non-invasive but breast augmentation, liposuction are invasive procedures and sometimes costs life!!
- Inviduals take extreme steps and go under blade to look good, young and getoff their real or psychological flaws.
- Even after the surgery, 40% of the patients return to undergo another procedure as they are dissatisfied with the procedure done.
- This becomes a habitual obsession and patients undergo many other surgeries in a false hope of becoming PERFECT.
Other related conditions:
Muscle dysmorphism: Seen mostly in males, Patients with muscle dysmorphia mostly look normal, though some may be unusually muscular as a result of body-building. They more likely to have abnormal eating behavior (e.g., eating high-protein meals) and to abuse substances (e.g., anabolic steroids) related to their appearance concerns.
