My Body Dysmorphia and Social Media

Body insecurity is common among most of us, maybe our shape is something we don't like, it could be our face symmetry or skin issues. For some they can "cope" with their insecurities but for others like me this becomes an obsession and debilitating to their daily lives. Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) is described by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition as a "diagnosis involving distress due to a perceived physical anomaly, such as a scar, the shape or size of a body part, or some other personal feature". OCDaction.org state that "According to the NICE guidelines, it is estimated that approximately 0.5-0.7% of the UK population have BDD. Clinical samples tend to have an equal proportion of men and women across all age groups. In children and young people, body dysmorphic disorder usually has an early-adolescence onset at about age 13. Although symptoms can be found in children as young as 5, it is rare for children under 12 to be diagnosed with BDD. "

About Me

My name is Ruby Smith and I am 25, My Body Dysmorphia was diagnosed at 17 when I tried to "fix" my nose with a hammer and was swiftly taken to A&E, but I suffered symptoms early on in my life. My earliest memory is disliking the changes in my body at the age of 9 and my earliest memory of my obsession with my facial features started at age 11. During school I was repeatedly ridiculed for the size and shape of my nose, it is aquiline and bulbous which to societies standards was then an unflattering shape. Over time, with the help of select medication and cognitive behavioural therapy I have found myself more able to cope, but I still struggle with symptoms such as leaving my house without makeup, social anxiety attributed to this, compulsive thoughts and I have spent around £800 on non surgical procedures such as non surgical rhinoplasty, lip injections, Botox and other products such as "nose secrets" which are a splint I keep in my nose every day and I sometimes wear them for so long I get nose bleeds. I have issues with my whole face and body, I am still recovering from BDD as well as EDNOS but BDD is my biggest issue and I still am saving up for rhinoplasty but I am seeking help and hoping I will be so comfortable in my skin that I do not feel I need it.

Social Media and it's impact on me

In recent years there has been increasing awareness on the impact of social media apps such as Instagram and Twitter on the effects of our appearance. Apps such as Facetune and filters on Snapchat and Instagram have been called to criticism with the BBC covering Instagram banning filters that imitate plastic surgery.

Some Psychologists have spent time investigating this as the disorder has gained more visibility, noting that "several plastic surgeons have shared their experiences whereby they encountered requests sounding similar to what a "filtered" Snapchat picture would look like" and the Cureas (2018) journal states that there are several red flags for surgeons to look out for in such patients, and proper management in those cases should include counselling and not plastic surgery. However the Anxiety and Depression Association of America have stated that filters are trends, but for a person with BDD, the filter is in their brain. "No social media policy change will alleviate the symptoms of BDD. Only an internal change can save their lives."

I am going to note that this is my personal opinion and not based off of medical fact. For me social media has been a double-edged sword, according to my phone I spend 17 hours a day scrolling through my phone (a lot of time I know), but I have been on the internet for around 15 years and in my time I have found like minded people and some who suffer from my condition too, it has helped me to reach out and get the help I need, it has helped me ground myself and try to overcome this disorder and gave me tips to feel better going outside and not feeling like a monster.

On the other hand.. the rise of plastic surgery in celebrities and influence's have definitely had an impact on me personally, I am consistently shown images of these beautiful, facetuned people who have no flaws. I switched from having my insecurities thrown in my face by magazines to this being on my phone every day. I can unfollow and unlike pages which trigger this but they always pop up on explore anyway. The normalisation of plastic surgery in 2020 and the accessibility of it is making it harder for me to be comfortable in myself. I love people for posting their honest and true wonderful selves and effing beauty standards right off, that gives me hope that one day I can feel beautiful. But for now I am still struggling and I am still trying to change myself. BDD is a horrible disorder to have and it's very common. It's to tell someone not to compare themselves to others, my brain just makes it so hard. I just hope the future youth can learn to love their authentic bodies and faces, as even though I have a dislike for myself I do feel everyone has a unique beauty even if its not the "traditional standard of beauty" and being told this has helped me to realise that every person including me is a work of art and no work of art should look the same.

If you feel these issues may be affecting you please do seek help from your GP and I have provided helplines below.

Useful Contacts:

Mind: Help for BDD sufferers

BDD Foundation: Getting Help in the UK

Beat: Eating Disorder Helplines

Links used in this article:

1. NHS UK - Body Dysmorphia

2. OCD Action - Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD)

3. BBC - Instagram bans 'cosmetic surgery' filters

4. Cureus (2018) Is "Snapchat Dysmorphia" a Real Issue?

5. ADAA - Does Media Induce Individuals with Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) To Have Plastic Surgery?

6. Pinterest or Thinterest?: Social Comparison and Body Image on Social Media