Many women feel dissatisfied with their bodies when looking in the mirror, and what they think about their bodies does not match the rest of the world’s opinion. They feel that they are fat, that their breasts are ugly and that their nose is a bit distorted; in short, they can have whatever complaint to show dissatisfaction with their physical appearance. Thus, when this happens it becomes an obsession, which is now known as body dysmorphia.
Monserrat Lopez, psychology specialist, explains that body dysmorphia is a disorder characterized by a nonexistent perception of the human body, that is to say, “they are people who put a lot of their identity in the body, how people see them, and how they feel. They have usually grown up with the idea that their value lies in how their physical appearance is. The person does not see his or her body as it is; their perception of it is not real”.
It is a condition that is now more common than you think. It is dangerous to woman health and welfare. Its signals are difficult to control. It is usually characterized by iterative behaviors such as looking in the mirror very often, comparing their bodies to other women’s bodies, compulsively primping or putting make up on that body part that they do not like.
For example, considering this disorder we can refer to the famous singer Michael Jackson, among his 40 operations and transformations there was bleaching his skin.
According to the Society of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery in Spain (SECPRE, for its abbreviation is Spanish), the number of people who suffer from body dysmorphia is growing in Europe and America. “This disorder makes people to think that they look very ugly, even when their appearance is within normal limits. This perception leads to increased number of patients who are operated several times, which makes cosmetic surgery become a consumer product. ”
Often, depression leads some women to self-criticism, so they begin to suffer from body dysmorphia. This causes the isolation of their social circle; they could also suffer from schizophrenia or have an extremely compulsive behavior.
If you think you are going through this process or know a person who does it, take into account that this disorder have fatal consequences due to the desire of changing the image. Moreover, it threatens their lives continuously when performing methods or treatments that are unhealthy to their welfare.
Now, you will wonder how you can stop this disease or what is the appropriate treatment? The ideal option is to visit a psychologist. This specialist will help you fight this obsessive thinking, reduce anxiety and worry less about your body image.
Among the treatments indicated for this disorder there are antidepressant medications, cognitive behavioral therapy and antipsychotic drugs. However, today there is no exact formulation to prevent body dysmorphia because its causes can be psychological, biological, genetic and even environmental. Accept yourself as you are, at the end physical beauty is not everything!
ALFA