'Snapchat Dysmorphia' ?

Living in a technology driven world where social media is king and every post on Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat is scrutinised, it can be easy to see why body dysmorphia has become so rife. But the latest trend branded "Snapchat Dysmorphia' has taken body image obsession to a worrying new high.

For those of you who have not come across this 'Snapchat Dysmorphia' originally derives from Body Dysmorphia Disorder (BDD), which as explained in a previous post is a mental disorder in which a person spends large amounts of time worrying about their appearance. However, in this case individuals' body obsessions are being centred around the rise in the use of Snapchat filters which smooth out skin blemishes, make lips look fuller and overall 'improve' ones image.

However, instead of keeping these animal-like filters for the purpose of lighthearted fun and comedy, according to the Huffington Post, people are taking filtered selfies of themselves to plastic surgeons to demonstrate their ideal look of perfection.

The rise in the use of such filters, not only on Snapchat but also on Instagram comes after celebrities such as Kim Kardashian, Kylie Jenner and Ariana Grande (amongst other celebs) posted pictures of themselves using animal filters.

Now, whilst some may argue these posts by A-list celebrities are just a bit of harmless fun, I feel it is quite the contrary. As the many of their fans, especially for the younger celebs, are young people over the age of 13, I think it is important to set an example of body positivity. This means the promotion of different body types, skin imperfections, cellulite etc, so fans, especially impressionable young girls know that it is ok to not look flawless.

Most people on social media compare themselves to such celebrities and often overlook the concept of filters and airbrushing, thinking that the person depicted actually looks that way. Ultimately, I think this type of promotion is wrong and provides a distorted view of the so-called 'perfect' body.

#celebrity #dysmorphia #mentalhealth #Snapchat #Instagram