He said, “I never see myself the way others see me.” Megan FoxAmerican actress and model, who revealed in a recent interview that she is suffering from body dysmorphia A mental disorder where there is an obsessive preoccupation with a defect that many people cannot see.
And this is how Fox, 37 and who has been voted the sexiest woman in the world for many years, said that living under the Hollywood microscope is difficult: “There has never been a moment in my life when I loved my body”,
But what is body dysmorphia? How do you know if you have? Is there any treatment to fix it?
The 37-year-old actress and model revealed in an interview that she lives with the disorder which has not allowed her to accept and love her body.
It is also known as body dysmorphic disorder. It is a mental health condition defined as an obsession with a defect in physical appearance that is usually imperceptible to others and that causes great distress to the person suffering from it.
The disorder can cause damage to mental health and self-esteem, and has been linked to anxiety, depression and even suicidal thoughts.
Although concerned with how the body is perceived, body dysmorphia is not the same as an eating disorder.
But defect that is very visible to the person, not a notable deformity or disfigurement like a scar, but it’s actually somewhat smaller Only the person himself can feel it, but he believes that the rest of the people do too, to a large extent.
“It is important to note that while body dysmorphia is not the same as an eating disorder, it is a specific concern with body shape and weight, and it typically leads to overeating, exercise, and other compensatory behaviors.” Ramani Durvasula, a psychologist at a Los Angeles clinic, explained to The Washington Post.
To date, no specific cause is known. However, according to data from Psicologiechile.cl, Body dysmorphia to increase by 32% in Chile during 2021, And according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, it affects men and women equally.
These thoughts usually appear in adolescence, when changes in the body begin to be noticed, but also may have a genetic predisposition Ann Kearney-Cook, a psychologist who specializes in body image and eating disorders.
Experts say that body dysmorphia disorder does not heal on its own and it is necessary to seek the help of a specialist, such as a psychologist or psychiatrist.
Besides, may be triggered by a negative childhood experience such as abuse, neglect, or intimidation, which makes the person overly sensitive to perceived flaws in their appearance.
“It doesn’t really get better on its own and when left untreated, it can actually get worse over time” said the expert.
Symptoms vary from person to person, but there is a major Deep concern about perceived defects in physical appearance with obsessive behaviors such as looking in mirrors for long periods of time Taking pictures to analyze the perceived failure, feeling ashamed and trying to hide it.
In body dysmorphia disorder, people often obsess over small imperfections that they believe others see on a larger scale.
A psychologist who knows how to treat the disorder will assess whether the anxiety is affecting your life and causing “social and work interference”, and whether While there is no cure, it is treatable with cognitive behavioral therapies and medications, in cases where there is also anxiety and depression.: “We try to teach people how to identify their own thoughts and how they can challenge distortions.”
Ideally, if these symptoms or other obsessive actions are observed, a specialist should be consulted, such as a psychologist or psychiatrist to help identify the disorder and subsequently provide timely treatment.
