In this day and age, when advertisement floods social media, and this online world motivates the
idea of perfect lives, and perfect bodies, more and more people feel the need to constantly improve
their appearance. Based on this idea that they are supposed to look a certain way to be desirable
and successful, many people develop anxiety and low self-esteem issues.
Body dysmorphic disorder is a mental disorder that is more real and common than many people think.
People suffering from this disorder may look at themselves in the mirror and think they are fatter
than they are, for example, or have repetitive behaviors such as excessive make-up or frequently
look in the mirror.
Recently, a short film on the topic of "appearance anxiety" in Chinese has resonated with many
people. The topic "Do you have facial anxiety?" is even on the hot search list of Weibo, triggering
a heated discussion among people.
It is generally believed that women are more prone to this problem, but the fact is that many men
also have it.
Like most mental disorders, body dysmorphia is not caused by a single factor. However, social media
can be a big factor.
Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine published an article in the Journal of the
American Medical Association - Facial Plastic Surgery Volume In August 2018, stating that the
beauty function on social media can induce psychological problems related to body dysmorphic
disorder.
Photo editing can cause anxiety to such a level that people choose to go for plastic surgery in
an attempt to eliminate that problem. But plastic surgery is not the best choice. Not only does
cosmetic surgery entail the risk of disfigurement, it also doesn't lead to dealing with the real
root of this mental issue.