Body Dysmorphic Disorder

This is my first ever article to be published in any magazine. As after many days I opened the magazine & read it again , I felt like putting it up here so that Some Friends around me who are obsessed with their body image should read this. :)

Published in Srijan - A new Vision (A magazine of Women Studies Centre) ; 2008-2009 , Banasthali University

Body Dysmorphic Disorder -

Can you imagine a girl asking again & again about her face and looks? Oh! I know that makes her a girl but do you know it can also mean that she is suffering from BDD- Body Dysmorphic Disorder. Those who suffer from this disease are always preoccupied with their beauty or body image.

Beware if you look in a mirror for a long time analyzing your face and body because you can be a patient of BDD, if a slight defect on your face like the size of your nose or a scar left after a pimple disturbs you a lot and you constantly ask for reassurance even though the defect is not too obvious , you might be suffering from BDD.

My sister has given up all her happiness because of her pimples , she would call me up , cry and refuse to go anywhere outside . Same is the case with my friend Shalini who would shut her up in a room because she thinks her color is too dark and everybody would make fun of her. Psychologists believe that a negative body image is related to low self-esteem.

Doctors believe that this disorder is largely seen in adolescents and teenagers . Although it can happen to both girls and boys, usually girls are seen more affected by this. Those who have done simple or multiple reconstructive surgeries are also known to suffer from BDD.

Feminists claim that the media creates a particular beauty image and thus throws negative impact upon common people. Media is also responsible for encouraging people to go for cosmetic products and surgeries. People are also being attracted towards outer beauty because beauty products and cosmetic surgeries are advertised so much and they are easily available to them.

Everything has its pros & cons . Cosmetic surgery has also its bad and good effects but one should always keep in mind its bad effects before going for it. Well, Athena Paul has said it rightly in her book Girlosophy , " Rather than make up your face , make up your mind". Your universe is a reflective image of your mind. So keep beautiful things there and your world automatically become beautiful. "Real natural beauty never goes out of fashion." also says Athena Paul. Beauty's life span is very short but real inner virtues last long.

Beauty is just an idea and not an object itself. So just don;t worry if you are not beautiful according to people's mind set because your happiness is not dependent upon other people but on your own idea.
Remember only one thing - just believe that you are really superb , unique and God's special child and many people love you and need you not because of your looks but because of your virtues. And yes , never forget to wear a smile - a free of cost expression , better than thousand cosmetic products.

-Ojasi mehta