With the rise of social media and the abundance of information, it is not surprising that people develop certain mental health problems. In this day and age, the popularity of procedures that can change one’s appearance has become incredibly high. The amount of treatments for altering a person’s looks makes people wonder if they are worth a try. If people become obsessed with their appearance, to the point where it is unhealthy, there is a good chance that this is the case of body dysmorphia. What is it that makes people look for defects in their appearance as if they are looking at themselves in a funhouse mirror? The reasons why this condition establishes itself include individual predisposition, the influence of social media and a phenomenon called early maladaptive schemas.
People with body dysmorphic disorder, or BDD, do not think they have a mental problem, therefore, they would rather consult with a dermatologist or a plastic surgeon than a psychiatrist. Many individuals do not feel comfortable in their own skin which causes an imbalance of their self-esteem and therefore promotes the presence of BDD. One of the main causes of this condition is having a predisposition for it. BDD has many forms, including muscle dysmorphia – obsession with achieving a particular level of muscularity. Sandgren and Lavallee claim that there are people who maybe predisposed to the development of MD (216). That would include having a traumatizing experience that can exacerbate the growth of BDD. Generally, a certain negative event that has caused some kind of emotional damage in a person may be one of the reasons of him acquiring BDD. People that are also predisposed to having this condition are those already dealing with some mental health issues, like depression, anxiety or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)(Dehbaneh and Bahrainian 172). Since one problem significantly undermines emotional balance, it is much easier for another one to establish itself.
The second reason that exacerbates an individual’s mental state and potentially causes BDD is what Dehbaneh and Bahrainian call “early maladaptive schemas” (171). According to the research, these are the reality structures development of which is based on objective experiences one can acquire from the environment (Dehbaneh and Bahrainian 171). These schemas include a person’s belief in himself or lack of it, for that matter. The influence of society in general and people who are close to the particular individual promote the growth of the schemas. Dehbaneh and Bahrainian claim that “one of the variables associated with body dysmorphic disorder is dysfunctional attitudes, the… beliefs that make a person susceptible to … psychological distress” (171).These attitudes predisposition an overly negative reaction from a person to a particular situation. It is important to note, that in the U.S. the pervasiveness of BDD is 2.4 percent (Dehbaneh and Bahrainian 171).
Another reason that may be causing body dysmorphia is society. When an individual is constantly being told by people around him or her that there is something off with his or her appearance, it may lead to a lack of self-esteem. Believing in negative things that others say about one’s alleged flaws can heavily contribute to developing some sort of body dysmorphia. People who have been told their entire life that they are not good enough or beautiful enough accumulate this information with time, which results in obsession with appearance. This leads to excessive dieting, plastic surgeries, and training; however none of that ever makes an individual completely happy. He or she will always be looking for flaws to fix.
A reason that is probably the most serious one is the heavy impact of social media. The abundance of different pictures of influencers promoting unhealthy and unattainable beauty standards achieved through excessive dieting and training and the help of plastic surgeons may badly influence one’s self-esteem. Having realized that most of the procedures and treatments are too expensive, an individual may either develop depression or turn to unlicensed specialists for help. As the majority of social media users are young people, they are more susceptive to its influence and their self-esteem is more at risk than that of an adult. The pictures of surgically enhanced face and body features may develop low self-esteem in the young generation. Trying to achieve those impossible beauty standards an individual may only worsen his mental issues and contribute to further development of BDD.
Despite what most people think about body dysmorphic disorder, considering it something not worth worrying about, this problem is serious and has already affected a great number of people. The way it develops an unhealthy approach to an individual’s appearance and promotes negative thoughts that cause self-hate and depression is concerning as it affects more people every day. BDD contributes to the development of other mental problems and may cause major damage to one’s health. It hinders the gradual progress of one’s personality and self-acceptance. How will the situation change in the future? One cannot be sure, but the problem needs to be properly addressed.
Works Cited
Dehbaneh, Maryam Akbari, and Seyed Abdolmajid Bahrainian. “The Comparison Between Early Maladaptive Schemas and Dysfunctional Attitudes and Coping Strategies in People with Body Dysmorphic Disorder and Healthy People in a Study Population in Tehran.” World Family Medicine Journal: Incorporating the Middle East Journal of Family Medicine, vol., 99, no. 5641, 2018, pp. 170-180.
Sandgren, Sebastian S., and David Lavallee. “Muscle Dysmorphia Research Neglects DSM-5 Diagnostic Criteria.” Journal of Loss and Trauma, vol. 23, no. 3, 2018, pp. 211-243.