Selfie Dysmorphophobia, Living Life Through Filters

Not long ago, some of us probably dreamed of looking like Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt or Johnny Depp. But today, things have changed a lot. In fact , more and more people today are suffering from what is known as selfie dysmorphophobia.

This disorder defines an obsession. It is the desire to be what you see in the mobile. This universe of filters presents enhanced and ideal images, and it seems that this is what we are all looking for. The best version of ourselves. We retouch our faces via the addictive Snapchat app. We give ourselves a narrower nose, bigger eyes, higher cheekbones… the list goes on.

Some people hardly look at the real world. They spend most of their days in front of a screen that, like a strange magic formula or a magic mirror, always shows them a seductive, perfect and captivating image. These people take between 25 and 50 selfies a day. Furthermore, they do not have the strength to look at themselves in the bathroom mirror, which is not surprising. This is because it tells the truth and does not hide the dark circles or double hooks.

Technology can be quite amazing as well as useful. That’s as long as we use it wisely. However, it hides certain practices that often fall into the pathological. Let’s take a look at the specific disorder selfie dysmorphophobia that to date is not included in any diagnostic manual.

Selfie dysmorphophobia

Some people get irritated by disorders like selfie dysmorphophobia. “When will it end?” they ask. They see this condition as the biggest delusional disorder in recent years. However, there is one thing we must take into account. The fact that the world continues to go on and with each era comes certain peculiarities in behavioral science and mental health.

For example, it was not so long ago that young people asked for cosmetic surgery because they wanted to look like Barbie dolls. Today, new technology and apps fill our lives with filters and beautify everything. Along with this comes new mental disorders.

In this parallel universe, the everyday and the ordinary have no place. In fact, ordinary faces become extraordinary, like something from a Disney movie.

The clinical field has been warning about the impact of selfies on mental health for a long time. For example, the University of York in Toronto (Canada) has researched that the need to take selfies and publish them continuously is correlated with lower self-esteem, feelings of insecurity and social anxiety.

We are without a doubt in a time where image is everything. But strangely enough, we humans feel more insecure about our physical appearance than ever before.

The digital universe and mental problems

Not everything you see on your social networks is real. In fact, there is a proliferation of fake news and fake social media accounts. Furthermore, the photos and selfies that many users post do not correspond 100 percent with reality. However, you may be to blame for this yourself… by adding a specific filter to an image, for example to improve the sharpness or color.

Is there something wrong with this? Of course not. The problem comes when people can no longer post pictures of themselves without having retouched them first. In fact, the pathological element of selfie dysmorphophobia is that a person no longer accepts their own image. In fact, they are only able to accept themselves through the corrective, magical ganske and rather misleading filters.

The consequences of this reality are enormous. This distorted self-perception often causes people to resort to cosmetic surgery. They need to correct the body to fit the ideal vision these filters give them. In other cases, young people develop eating disorders.

How does selfie dysmorphophobia manifest itself?

In 2016, the Institute of Neurosciences in Kolkata (India) analyzed the phenomenon of selfie dysmorphophobia. They discovered that people who use selfies excessively suffer from anguish and dislike their appearance.

The incidence of this is extremely high in young people. For this reason, many organizations warn of the need to increase psychoeducation for teaching the healthy use of technology.

As for the selfie dysmorphophobia itself, these are its defining features:

• The sufferer sees himself as someone who has several physical defects in his face
• They see themselves as eerily ugly
• They spend a large part of the day on their mobile phones. This means that they neglect their other responsibilities
• They can not bear to look in the mirror. Furthermore, the image they have of their physical appearance is completely distorted

• They only find pampering with the selfies they make through filters

How is selfie dysmorphophobia treated?

It is recommended that the person suffering from this disorder not undergo cosmetic surgery. This is because after each procedure, they tend to continue to reject themselves and feel frustrated if they carry out a treatment. In addition, they experience a need to continue with more and more cosmetic procedures. It is estimated that the percentage of patients who come to clinics with selfie dysmorphophobia may be around 10 percent.

It is crucial that patients first undergo specialized psychological treatment. Approaches such as cognitive behavioral therapy are the most successful. In some cases, these people present with an undiagnosed anxiety-depressive condition. For this reason, it is important to assess each case individually and offer a personalized treatment plan.

Let us not forget that this is a disorder that is becoming more and more prevalent in today’s world.