Body Dysmorphia

                             

Body Dysmorphia

                          By: Yulissa Ramirez 

Many think that the word perfection means being perfect in every sense. Such as in the way that now in days social media takes a huge impact upon what individuals think "perfect" truly means. For example, many believe that fitting into society means that they have to be being skinny, not eating this, not wearing that. This is something that they should follow but no that should not be the case especially since it is them not accepting themselves as how they look. That is which then leads to body dysmorphia by them getting into the idea that they don't look a certain way, or that they feel fat, skinny or whatever the case is. 

What is Body Dysmorphia? 

"Body dysmorphic disorder is a mental health condition in which you can't stop thinking about one or more perceived defects or flaws in your appearance — a flaw that appears minor or can't be seen by others. But you may feel so embarrassed, ashamed and anxious that you may avoid many social situations" (Mayo Clinic.., MC]) 

"When you have body dysmorphic disorder, you intensely focus on your appearance and body image, repeatedly checking the mirror, grooming or seeking reassurance, sometimes for many hours each day. Your perceived flaw and the repetitive behaviors cause you significant distress and impact your ability to function in your daily life (Mayo Clinic., MC). 

Effects of Body Dysmorphia

This identifies the meaning of what body dysmorphia is. Most of the effects that come along with in this situation are low self-esteem, social isolation, major depression & mood disorders, suicidal thoughts or behavior, anxiety disorder, social anxiety and lastly eating disorders. This explains the way of how having body dysmorphia affects men as well as women's. Some of the things are avoiding to eat cause of the thought of getting fat, fearing of not looking a certain way, feeling not worthy enough, feeling fat or skinny and lastly feeling that everyone else will judge you the certain way that you look. As well as to how in the U.S" body dysmorphia occurs in about 2.5% in males and 2.2% in females" 

•  Helping someone in Need
• 
  
• 1. Listening to them
• 2. Guiding them into guidance 
• 3. Getting theraphy
• 
  

These are some of the ways in which people with body dysmorphia can be helped. Such as in the way of how they can get oriented into getting therapy that way they get to open up about how they are feeling. As well as someone can help them by listening to them and by not judging them into the feelings that they are expressing towards them. This identifies how most of the times individuals believe that opening up and seeking for help is something that they shouldn't since they feel that they will get judged for how they are feeling or whatever the situation. 

Personal Issue

I would say that all my life I never felt the need to feel some type of way about my body. But as time passed by I always felt that social media played a huge role into the way that I was feeling about my appearance I always thought that I was way too skinny, fat, didn't have this or that. That was the moment in which I realized that I was developing a body dysmorphia towards myself. I started to feel that "I wasn't enough" that everyone else was better looking than me. I got to a point in my life in which I thought that the best for me to do was to get a surgery thinking that it was going to help me look better and fit into how everyone else looked like in social media. I would say that body dysmorphia is an actual thing and I am glad that I was able to reflect and come into realization that I was perfect the way I was and that nothing simply nothing was wrong with me.

Hotline Help

    If you or someone you know suffers from body dysmorphia, here are some available hotlines:

 1. CalHOPE: It is a support group developed by California Consortium for Urban Indian Health. They as well have a live chat if you are not comfortable speaking.

Hotline: (833) 317-HOPE (4673)

https://www.calhope.org/pages/current-services.aspx#cs2. 

    2. NewVista: 24-hour hotline available to those who suffer from Body Dysmorphia:

Hotline: 1(800) 928-8000

Newvista.org. https://newvista.org/sites/default/files/one-page-handouts/Mental%20Health/Schizophrenia.pdf.

                       What is a civic engagement ?  

Civic Engagement can be interpreted among distinctly things such as in accordingly to this article it identified how "working to make a difference in the civic life of one's community and developing the combination of knowledge, skills, values and motivation to make that difference"(Civic Engagement.,[CE]). This explains the meaning of what civic engagement identifies.

References

Body dysmorphic disorder - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic. (2022, December 13). Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/body-dysmorphic-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20353938

 

Civic Engagement | Youth.gov. (n.d.). https://youth.gov/youth-topics/civic-engagement-andvolunteering#:~:text=Civic%20engagement%20involves%20%E2%80%9Cworking%20to,motivation%20to%20make%20that%20difference.

 

 24 -Hour Helpline 1.800.928 - Newvista.org.https://newvista.org/sites/default/files/one-page-handouts/Mental%20Health/Schizophrenia.pdf