Dysmorphia, or bad body image, can lead to chronic mental illness, low self-esteem, financial hardship, eating disorders, and depression. Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) and muscle dysmorphic disorder (MD) are labels used to describe different aspects of this misperception. Treatment usually involves antidepressant therapy and counseling.
In this day and age of airbrushed supermodels, no real person can compete with the perfect images that saturate the media. Dysmorphia is a term meaning bad body image and refers to the exaggeration of a minor flaw, or the invention of one, to the extent that a person becomes obsessed with it and looks for ways to mask, change, or destroy it. When this obsession interferes with daily life, it can be diagnosed as a chronic mental illness. Even if they don’t advance to this level, a person with poor body image usually suffers from low self-esteem and related difficulties. If dysmorphia continues unchecked and gets worse, it can lead to financial hardship, eating disorders, unnecessary dieting, and depression for the sufferer.
The mental health community has long recognized the negative effects of a poor body image. Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) and muscle dysmorphic disorder (MD) are labels adopted to designate different aspects of this misperception, with BDD being more common in women and MD being more commonly seen in men. A bad body image stems in part from low self-esteem and further undermines self-esteem in a vicious cycle. Individuals may spend excessive amounts of money on clothing, cosmetics, supplements, or other products in an effort to mask their perceived flaws. Even if the expense is beyond one’s means, a person with poor body image might religiously visit a solarium or pay for a regular gym membership.
Dysmorphia is exhausting and expensive. Not only must sufferers try to disguise or repair the offending flaw, but all other aspects of their appearance are generally attended to with meticulous care to draw attention away from it. For example, a person’s weight is often a major component of a poor body image, particularly for women. This perception, real or imagined, often leads to yo-yo dieting or even a lifetime spent on a perpetual diet. In severe cases, life-threatening eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia can develop, with dire consequences.
Men suffering from muscle dysmorphic disorder can spend hours in the gym, training and exercising in an attempt to demonstrate the perfect bodybuilder physique. Repeated plastic surgeries can be the latest symptom of a bad body image in those men and women who can afford it. Unfortunately, one’s own efforts can never be enough to overcome dysmorphia. Treatment usually consists of antidepressant therapy and cognitive therapy or counseling.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
