Plastic surgeons notice a rise in patients wanting to look like themselves in Snapchat filters. The phenomenon dubbed “Snapchat dysmorphia,” has experts worried because it can trigger body dysmorphic disorder “BDD” which is characterized by persistent and intrusive preoccupations with an imagined or slight defect in one’s appearance. According to the Society of Anxiety and Depression Association of America, BDD sufferers may perform some type of compulsive or repetitive behavior to try to hide or improve their flaws although these behaviors usually give only temporary relief.
Having a daughter, this raises concern for me because self perception greatly affects the way girls navigate through life. The way you see yourself can be misleading when you allow what you see in the media and on social networking sites to influence your standards of beauty. Teaching our daughters ways to boost their self-esteem should be a priority. We have to build their confidence from young and teach them the importance of being o.k. with who they are, and not who society expects them to be. As mothers, we deal with our own struggles of self-love especially as it pertains to aging and gaining weight. As women, it is important to uplift each other in this superficial society with unrealistic beauty standards.
BDD is a mental illness that is a form of obsessive compulsive disorder. If you suffer from BDD, contact the National Alliance on Mental Illness’ crisis line 800-950-6264.
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