Social Media Plays A Huge Part In Body Dysmorphia | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Health and Wellness

Your Body Dysmorphia Won't Go Away Until You Stop Wishing You Looked Like The Instagram Models You Follow

The bodies of others should not impact the love you have for yourself.

277
Your Body Dysmorphia Won't Go Away Until You Stop Wishing You Looked Like The Instagram Models You Follow

Body Dysmorphia Disorder (BDD), is the mental disorder where one fixates one's perceived flaws of their physical appearance.

Individuals who experience body dysmorphia spend hours of the day obsessing over their physical appearance: whether that be their facial structures, skin conditions, or more notably, their body size. Statistics show that 1 in 50 people are affected by this disorder, mainly women who are not satisfied with their body image and physical appearance.

Body dysmorphia is a serious issue in today's society of social media and television, that it could be the new underlying cause of the insecurities in one's appearance.

I mean, look at Instagram: Kim Kardashian-West's ad for appetite suppressants, handfuls of FitTea sponsorship with gorgeous women celebrities with already rocking bods, and even Khloe Kardashian's love of waist trainers that sold thousands to women trying to force a too-thin of waist. Yes, these women are gorgeous, and us poor folk and struggling college students are empowering these women to showcase their beauty in whatever way they see fit, but here's the tea: they didn't get these bodies from these products. They got it from the thousands of dollars they pay their trainers, the power of Photoshop, and the little-to-no food they consume.

We look at these ads, these videos, and these Instagram photos, and we immediately look at ourselves in a negative light. In reality, half of what we see is not even real.

I know I've done it. I'll get done looking at a picture of Kylie Jenner's perfect hourglass body, her flawless skin, and her cute pout, and I look at the mirror disgusted. I've been there — high school was rough, and especially growing up in ballet, the goal to thin was a rough path for me.

Food, the mirror, and I have never had a great relationship, but as I grow up, I realize that there's really no such thing as "picture perfect."

Here is my two cents on the matter: body dysmorphia is real, and comparing ourselves to others plays into that. The next time you scroll down your timeline and see a gorgeous picture of Kendall Jenner, rather than look down at your stomach or look into the dark reflection of your phone, simply put your phone down, or scroll past. As cliché as this sounds, we are all beautiful in our own way, and obsessing over our flaws won't fix anything or make us look like someone else's Photoshop. Embrace your inner and outer beauty, and carry on with the rest of your day!

Report this Content
Entertainment

Every Girl Needs To Listen To 'She Used To Be Mine' By Sara Bareilles

These powerful lyrics remind us how much good is inside each of us and that sometimes we are too blinded by our imperfections to see the other side of the coin, to see all of that good.

546292
Every Girl Needs To Listen To 'She Used To Be Mine' By Sara Bareilles

The song was sent to me late in the middle of the night. I was still awake enough to plug in my headphones and listen to it immediately. I always did this when my best friend sent me songs, never wasting a moment. She had sent a message with this one too, telling me it reminded her so much of both of us and what we have each been through in the past couple of months.

Keep Reading...Show less
Zodiac wheel with signs and symbols surrounding a central sun against a starry sky.

What's your sign? It's one of the first questions some of us are asked when approached by someone in a bar, at a party or even when having lunch with some of our friends. Astrology, for centuries, has been one of the largest phenomenons out there. There's a reason why many magazines and newspapers have a horoscope page, and there's also a reason why almost every bookstore or library has a section dedicated completely to astrology. Many of us could just be curious about why some of us act differently than others and whom we will get along with best, and others may just want to see if their sign does, in fact, match their personality.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

20 Song Lyrics To Put A Spring Into Your Instagram Captions

"On an island in the sun, We'll be playing and having fun"

430966
Person in front of neon musical instruments; glowing red and white lights.
Photo by Spencer Imbrock on Unsplash

Whenever I post a picture to Instagram, it takes me so long to come up with a caption. I want to be funny, clever, cute and direct all at the same time. It can be frustrating! So I just look for some online. I really like to find a song lyric that goes with my picture, I just feel like it gives the picture a certain vibe.

Here's a list of song lyrics that can go with any picture you want to post!

Keep Reading...Show less
Chalk drawing of scales weighing "good" and "bad" on a blackboard.
WP content

Being a good person does not depend on your religion or status in life, your race or skin color, political views or culture. It depends on how good you treat others.

We are all born to do something great. Whether that be to grow up and become a doctor and save the lives of thousands of people, run a marathon, win the Noble Peace Prize, or be the greatest mother or father for your own future children one day. Regardless, we are all born with a purpose. But in between birth and death lies a path that life paves for us; a path that we must fill with something that gives our lives meaning.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments