Many of us sometimes wish to alter certain things about our appearance which we might consider as ‘flaws’. That’s just human. But if a person starts obsessing over the flaw or becomes fixated over it, it might be the first sign that they’re suffering from Body Dysmorphic Disorder.
Celebrities like Shakira, Robert Pattinson, and Miley Cyrus among others have confessed in the past about suffering from BDD. No one could’ve imagined that people who look as perfect as them consider their appearance so blemished.
People suffering from BDD constantly get controlling thoughts which lead them to spend majority of time trying to conceal their perceived ‘flaw’. They try to seek verbal approval and validation on a regular basis, but guess what? They won’t believe most positive feedback they receive.
It’s like staring into a mirror with an obsession that leaves one in a place where they can see nothing, but their imperfections.
In Batman: The Animated Series, Paige Monroe, also known as Calendar girl was one of Batman’s opponents who fostered a crazy obsession with getting revenge on the people who stopped giving her acting jobs when she turned 30. It made her feel ugly beyond imagination. Her plans for revenge were finally put to an end by Batman and his team, and then she was unmasked revealing that she was still beautiful. That’s when Batman pointed out that she can’t see how beautiful she is anymore, because all she sees are her flaws that never existed.
Body dysmorphia is way beyond feeling slightly insecure. People go for something as extreme as plastic surgery just to fix what they think is imperfect about them. Their perception about self-image is so distorted that they feel fixing one thing about their physical appearance will solve all their problems. If you have a loved one suffering from BDS, get them the help they need.
If you or your love one needs help, reach out to this list of curated specialists and helpline numbers.
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