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BODY DYSMORPHIA
When asked “If there was one thing you’d change about yourself, what it would be?” a typical response pin points an aspect of ones appearance. The insecurities we feel may linger, we look into the mirror and see the things we hate daily, more often than not however, we accept them and move on. This sadly is not as easy for a person with Body Dysmorphia (BDD).
The BDD Foundation defines Body Dymorphia as “a disabling preoccupation with perceived defects or flaws in appearance. It can affect both men and women, and makes sufferers excessively self-conscious.”What sufferers see as being a flaw consumes daily life and often this leads to the development of compulsive behaviours and routines.
Sufferers of BDD, can often spend hours a day carrying out repetitive behaviours such as obsessively checking their appearance in a mirror or having a total avoidance of mirrors altogether. Typically they may seek verbal opinion from others regarding their appearance, commit to unnecessary grooming rituals and elude social situations.
Known as the ‘hidden disorder’, many people suffering from BDD choose not to reveal their struggles with body image due to feelings of shame and a fear of their issues being misconstrued as a sort of vanity.
Only recently has body dysmorphia made its way onto the radars of medical professionals. Having in the past been misdiagnosed as obsessive compulsive disorder, depression and/or social anxiety disorder due to the common comorbidities they all entail. BDD is now recognised as a mental illness in the United Kingdom.
Artist Emily Joyless (@emilyjoyless) first began experiencing symptoms of BDD between the ages of 12-13. Commonly symptoms of BDD manifest during adolescence and is estimated to affect between 1-2% of the population equally in both men and women.
Joyless explains to us that there are ways to cope with the mental illness, using art as a therapeutic way of self-expression; “Art became a useful way to show other people how I saw myself, I’ve spent hours before now trying to draw how I see myself in the mirror.”
“It’s the kind of thing that seems to come out of no-where but has always been there at the same time.”
A person suffering from BDD will see themselves in an entirely different way than other’s see them. Despite being told that their flaws are unobservable they will remain convinced that they are imperfect, with many turning to cosmetic surgery to ‘correct’ themselves, however, are largely left unsatisfied with the results.
Despite frequent criticism of social media as a platform that may be damaging to young people’s self-esteem due to unrealistic comparisons, Joyless expressed that it also gives people the accessibility to share and discuss topics such as BDD. “The internet is truly where I learned what self-love was and that I wanted that for myself…people need to be educated properly about the dangers, but also the wonders that it offers.”
For many, managing BDD may seem like an impossibility, though Emily is a prime example that it can be done, “Become more aware of the negative self-talk in your head, the more aware you are the easier is it to recognise where the issues lie. Always remember to put yourself first, it’s not selfish, its kindness. You owe yourself that kindness."
At the request of our contributor, an Instagram name was used to ensure privacy.