The human body has so many changes as it grows: our bodies do not look the same as when we were kids, nor will it look the same when we are older. The biggest and most important transition is between the period of childhood and adulthood; our teen years as this is when puberty begins. Puberty causes so many changes for our bodies; it is when secondary sexual characteristics begin to develop. This is the age where typically the interest of how we “look” or appear in front of others starts to develop. Many struggle with loving their body and notice imperfections and how their body does not meet the media’s idea of perfect. We see all these models and celebrities on social media looking flawless with little to no imperfections. What we don’t see is the process taken to edit and filter the picture to achieve that “perfect” look. Almost all pictures we see from celebrities are photoshopped to perfection, filtered for good exposure, posed at a good angle, and sometimes surgically enhanced. Occasionally in the media we see pictures of how these celebrities look in real life without these enhancement tools and they have a typical human body that has natural imperfections. In the world today, these enhancement tools are dangerous because it does not allow our young people to see what a typical human body looks like without society’s idea of perfection.
This is known as body dysmorphic disorder. Body dysmorphic disorder is a mental health disorder in which you can’t stop thinking about one or more perceived defects or flaws in your appearance; a flaw that appears minor or can’t be seen by others. This is where one is focused on every imperfection in their body in the mirror and they have a disconnection with their own body and dislike it. They believe that they are bigger than they really are in reality or vice versa. They feel disgusted or ashamed of their own body because they believe it is not up to society’s standards. We fail to remember those enhancement tools used by celebrities to make them look flawless when we look at their pictures on social media. Our bodies are powerhouses, they are built for us to love and nourish with healthy habits. Natural human bodies have rolls when we twist, turn, and sit down. Typical bodies have ingrown hairs, peach fuzz facial hair, cellulite, and are different proportions. Not having a perfect body with the female’s trendy hourglass shape or society’s idea of men being big and muscular is OKAY and it is TYPICAL! Each and every body is built differently. Our bodies need love from us; both physically and mentally! Try to get 30 minutes to an hour of exercise every day, nourish your body with a balanced diet, and wear the clothes you feel comfortable in. Just remember these ideas when you find yourself looking at another enhanced photo on social media and learn to LOVE your body more!
Blog author: Stephani Ornelas Salazar, BSN RN, Nurse Care Manager at Orchard Place Integrated Health Program
