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There was this one girl in my class— let's call her Thalia for the sake of this post— that I'd always found so effortlessly pretty. Thin, proportional, slightly tanned; she seemed to glow even without any makeup. I slowly got the chance to know her and everything was fine until Thalia shared something rather disturbing to me. "I can't believe you eat so much during lunch, I'm way too fat to do that," she said while awkwardly laughing at herself and it broke my heart. The more I talked with Thalia, the more I realized what was going on with her; but my realization did not end there...
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Anorexia, bulimia and many other eating disorders can be terribly dangerous outcomes for an individual suffering from Body Dysmorphic Disorder or BDD. Thalia later revealed that every time she looked in the mirror, she saw herself as an obese monstrosity (which was far from the truth). But that's the thing; body dysmorphia tends to distort the reality of things in the eyes of the individual dealing with it. (Low self-esteem and bullying can also be linked to this disorder). In this post, I would like to touch on a little more about body dysmorphia and how everyday people can surmount it with help and introspection.
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The first thing one should do if they wish to overcome their BDD is to understand what the disorder is and where it stems from. What are your triggers and when did they start? Why does X body part bother you so much? How often do you 'check yourself out'? All of these questions might be too overwhelming to even think about and if they are, please look for professional help as they will guide you through your reflection.
Signs for BDD include the following:
>> Repeatedly checking your reflection in the mirror or staying away from mirrors altogether.
>> Isolating yourself so others will not see the offending body part.
>> Spending a lot of energy camouflaging or covering up the perceived flaw.
>> Going to lengths to avoid having your picture taken.
>> Undergoing plastic surgery, sometimes more than once, to correct the perceived imperfection.
>> Picking your skin compulsively, leading to injury.
>> Obsessing over the "flawed" body part and what others think about it.
>> Seeking reassurance.
>> Comparing yourself negatively to others.
>> Feeling depressed, anxious, or have suicidal thoughts.
>> Putting a lot of effort into changing the feature, with excessive exercise, weight lifting, or tanning.
>> Spending a significant amount on personal grooming.
(Note: if you only have a few of these symptoms, it does not automatically mean you have body dysmorphia. Please see a professional to get a proper diagnosis.)
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Once you know where you started, it's better to plan where you finish. In other words, it'll be easier to heal from your disorder when you find the root of it. Ways to slowly untrain your brain from its toxic patterns can be keeping your busy so that you don't think about your flaws, taking a break from social media in order to not compare yourself to others, practicing mediation and disciplining yourself whenever you have bad thoughts about your person.
Here are some helpful and educational videos:
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My main source of research for this post came from these websites which I highly recommend consulting if you struggle with BDD: https://www.cci.health.wa.gov.au/Resources/Looking-After-Yourself/Body-Dysmorphia | https://www.helpguide.org/articles/anxiety/body-dysmorphic-disorder-bdd.htm
Take care of yourselves and stay beautiful, lovelies!
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