Interview: Nuvit Tiryaki & Tugsem Soner
The “ideal” filtered images presented on social media or the “flawless body” representations of virtual fashion influencers and avatars created with artificial intelligence that is currently popular leave deep scars on individuals’ perceptions of their own appearance. “Body Dysmorphic Disorder”, which has been on the rise in recent years, gradually affects a much wider group of people along with such changes.
“Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) is when a person focuses on any flaw or problem with their body appearance and overthinks and intensely worries thereabout. The flaw is a figment or too small to be of any importance. However, the anxiety experienced by the person disrupts their functionality in social life, workplace and other areas.”
We interviewed Expert Clinical Psychologist Esma Uygun on body dissatisfaction.
How are the daily lives of people with body dysmorphic disorder affected? What are the impacts of this disorder, especially on impaired functioning, social relationships and mood?
We can all get upset and uneasy about our appearance now and then. Such concerns are just temporary for people without body dysmorphic disorder who spend only a few minutes thinking about them. Whatever it is they feel uncomfortable about their appearance, they make small efforts to change it and can go on with their daily lives without any impairment to their functionality. Individuals with BDD are unable to do so. They may spend hours or days thinking about their appearance and distress themselves. The impaired functioning of individuals with BDD can lead to major depression, social anxiety and suicidal thoughts.
Can you please tell us about the different subgroups of body dissatisfaction and its prevalence?
In various studies, the prevalence of BDD in the general population has been reported as 2%. This rate varies in different cultures due to the characteristics of the disorder. A less common subgroup of BDD is when a person has increased concerns about the appearance of another person rather than himself/herself. They are often worried that a person in their close environment has some feature in their appearance that is not right enough. Even though this person and other people around them do not necessarily recognize such flaw, the individual with BDD may even insist that this relative or close friend undergo an operation to solve the problem.
Today, studies show that body dissatisfaction is increasing at about the same rate in both men and women. We know that men are also preoccupied with another subtype of BDD, “muscle dysmorphia” (the mental and physical preoccupation with looking big and muscular).
What do you think about the impact of cultural and social factors on body image? Can you explain this relationship by giving historical examples?
The very definition of the ideal body has shifted many times over the years, and it varies from one culture to another even today. Body size and shape have always been considered a sign of wealth and social status. In times of limited resources, plump bodies were perceived as cool and fashionable because it implied that the individuals could afford to eat well and it also symbolized fertility in women.
It is possible to see statues of voluptuous women with large, rounded features even in the stone age from historical sources. In the 1800s, the voluptuous female body was still popular, but it was during these years when women began to wear corsets in order to slenderize their waists and create an hourglass figure. According to the ideal body size of the mid-19th century, breasts and hips should be large and legs thick, while being thin was still associated with sickness. ‘Curveless’ body image appeared all over the world in the 1920s and became a symbol of looking young, successful and wealthy. We have been challenged with this ideal of being thin and looking young since the 1970s.
What is the role of media representations in the emergence and proliferation of BDD? What are the influences of filters and editing tools used in social media on BDD?
The culture we live in, and predominantly the media culture, has a huge impact on our perception of our body appearance. We visualize our body image through the messages conveyed by the media, which is the voice of culture. Therefore, we often do not have a realistic view of our own bodies. We are well aware that it is impossible to achieve and maintain the ideal body image promoted by the media, yet each and every one of us still feels the pressure to some extent.
Photographic filters blur the boundary between reality and fantasy and create the illusion that we could potentially achieve the ideal body image. This pressure from the outside world forces us to spend a lot of time, effort and money on our appearance, and although we are willing to do all these, we are still trapped by the desire to look “flawless”.
What are the effects of marketing strategies in the beauty industry on an individual's self- esteem and body image?
The diet, cosmetics and fashion industries impose on us what we should need and then make sure that we need their products: Our weight is above the standard, we don't have a tight enough body, our skin is wrinkled and dehydrated, our hair is unhealthy, our lips are thin... No matter our age, we get the message “These are essential for you.” Our sense of beauty is trapped in this whirlpool in an unpredictable cycle. The illusion that “I will be satisfied with my body once I do this” and the body ideals that we are constantly unable to achieve prevent us from getting out of this vicious cycle.
Beauty culture provides us with a reference point against which we can compare ourselves. Some of us take as reference what we see in the media, and some of us what our friends and family tell us. We need to carefully choose what to take as a reference in this mess.
What is the responsibility of fashion magazines and those working in the beauty industry with regard to awareness of BDD?
The diet, fashion, advertising and entertainment industries have each contributed significantly to the development of the body ideal. Advertisements, movies and the fashion industry favor thin bodies and a single facial type for women and muscular bodies for men. Today, fashion designers have started to design for all body types, but I still believe we have a long way to go. Showcasing body diversity representations is an ethical and universal responsibility of the fashion world.
What steps can be taken to create positive changes regarding body dissatisfaction?
The media imposes on young people a message: If you are appreciated, you will eventually be loved. This in turn influences the social genetics of society. The behavioral genetics and social genetics go hand in hand. Therefore, we should reflect on what we read, what we watch, whom we spend time with, and whether we act on image-form or content in order to be successful, to feel valuable and to be liked.
Now it is time to accept and embrace different body images, instead of wasting time and money trying to conform to unrealistic ideals dictated by the diet, fashion and cosmetics industries. We are a lot more than our outer package. Our self-worth resides in our wisdom, intellect, values, skills and talents. Sure, we may strive for self-care and looking good, but we must also keep a balance in our inner world with realistic expectations.