CW: This article discusses eating disorders and abuse.
Isabelle Shaw
We live in a world dominated by the media, which perpetuates unrealistic and unhealthy standards for what a body should look like. Ideals of a ‘perfect’ body image contribute to the rise of body dysmorphia, especially among young people. But can we blame celebrities for this damaging beauty standard?
What Is Body Dysmorphic Disorder?
Everyone worries about how they look. But body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a mental health condition which causes someone to obsess over perceived ‘flaws’ in their appearance. These flaws are often invisible to other people. It affects people regardless of gender, race, class or any other factors.
Common symptoms include:
- worrying a lot about a specific area of your body (particularly your face)
- spending a lot of time comparing your looks with other people’s
- looking at yourself in mirrors a lot or avoiding mirrors altogether
- taking a lot of effort to conceal flaws (for example, by spending a long time combing your hair, applying make-up or choosing clothes)
- picking at your skin to make it “smooth”
BDD is very similar to obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). It isn’t as simple as disliking the way you look. People with BDD are constantly plagued with anxieties, which can only be alleviated by performing compulsive behaviours. It can cause feelings of shame, guilt or loneliness. Many sufferers isolate themselves, become depressed or abuse substances. In some cases, people will undergo cosmetic surgeries to ‘correct’ their ‘flaws’.
Some people with BDD struggle with their daily lives because of their anxieties and the compulsions needed to ‘stop’ them. They might obsessively exercise, edit photos of themselves, pick at their skin and spend a lot of time or money on products. Body dysmorphia can drive people to self-harm, disordered eating and suicidal thoughts.
Causes Of Body Dysmorphia
Traumatic experiences, such as abuse or bullying, can result in low self-esteem and a negative self-perception. It is even more common if the trauma takes place as a teenager, when people are more sensitive about how they look and how their body is changing. Worries about fitting in or being rejected can also result in BDD. These experiences are even more common among minority groups, which puts them at greater risk of developing BDD.
Members of the LGBT+ community are more likely to suffer body dysmorphia than their peers. Olly Alexander, who represented the UK at Eurovision this year, spoke about how growing up gay affected his mental health. Comparing himself to his straight peers caused him to develop body image issues and disordered eating.
“Little Mix’s Jade Thirwall says racist bullying made her “desperate” to change the way she looked“
Systematic racism, which promotes white Eurocentric beauty standards, also affects self-perception. Naya Rivera wrote in her 2016 memoir about how being mixed-race complicated her relationship with her bodies and peers. Racism made it difficult to fit in at school and led to her battle with anorexia. Little Mix’s Jade Thirwall, who also struggled with anorexia, says racist bullying made her “desperate” to change the way she looked as a teenager. Later, working in the music industry, Thirwall says photos of her being edited to make her look “as white as possible” made her want cosmetic surgery.
Perfectionism is also a major risk factor, especially for people who view others as ‘perfect’ and themselves lacking in comparison. This is exemplified for people who partake in body-focused activities, such as fitness or modelling.
The Role Of Social Media
Exposure to the media is often blamed for people developing BBD. Mind, the mental health charity, says: “Social media gives us unachievable ideas about how we look and make us feel we’re not good enough.”
Today, young people are constantly exposed to trends focused on changing their body appearance. This has caused additional pressure to meet an idealised body standard by eliminating ‘imperfections’. The most notable example is how Kylie Jenner has created unrealistic standards and used them to push products, such as through the ‘Kylie Jenner Lip Trend’. A quarter of young people say celebrities make them worry about their body image.
A study by Australian psychologists shows how attractive a celebrity is directly correlates with how large their audience is on social media. The most popular men on Instagram are muscly males, such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. For women, Selena Gomez, Beyonce and Taylor Swift are popularised for their toned and thin bodies.
Are Celebrities Victims Too?
On the other hand, celebrities with diverse body shapes face negative comments in the press and social media. Sam Smith says they “still feel pressured to look a certain way” despite being a successful artist. Other celebrities, such as Rebel Wilson and Lizzo, do change their appearances after being criticised — something which is applauded. Young people with similar body types may also feel pressured to change their appearance.
However, skinny celebrities are likely a symptom of the fatphobic society we live in, rather than a cause.
“80 per cent of people with eating disorders reported seeing advertisements for weight loss programs, apps and intermittent fasting daily”
As a moral panic over ‘obesity’ grips the world, bias towards particular bodies is only increasing. People don’t need to look to celebrities, when their own friends, family, and professionals fatshame them in their daily lives. Body dysmorphia is more likely to stem from bullying or struggling to fit in with peers.
Concerning social media, the damage done by celebrities is hardly comparable to the onslaught of online advertising. As many as 80 per cent of people with eating disorders reported seeing advertisements for weight loss programs, apps, and intermittent fasting daily. Nearly half see these adverts multiple times a day. Although it is easy to blame celebrities, who we can put a name and face to, many faceless companies are committing worse acts.
Changing Social Attitudes
BDD is recognised as a mental health condition and treatments have been established, such as CBT therapy and medication. However, there still needs to be more awareness of harmful body standards and the way they have become normalised in our society. It’s likely there will always be pressure to look a certain way. But everyone has a responsibility to reject that pressure and stop promoting ‘perfect’ bodies.
If you are affected by this article, it’s important to speak to someone about it. UK charity BEAT have helplines for eating disorders, including one-to-one web chat and email. You can speak to someone 3pm–8pm, 7 days a week, 365 days a year at the following phone numbers:
- England: 0808 801 0677
- Scotland: 0808 801 0432
- Wales: 0808 801 0433
- Northern Ireland: 0808 801 0434
For more information, read about BEAT’s helplines and how they work here.
If you are in need of urgent help or medical advice, for yourself or someone else, please contact 999 or the Samaritans on 116 123 if you or someone else is in immediate danger.
If you are looking for medical advice contact your GP or 111.
Featured image courtesy of Gantas Vaičiulėnas on Unsplash. No changes made to this image. Image license found here.
Isabelle Shaw
Isabelle is a student at the University of Edinburgh studying History and Spanish. She is an aspiring journalist with a focus on writing articles that help contribute to change and understanding of women's rights.