Meet our new intern!
My name is Ahva Olson, and I am the new high school intern at Well Child. I am in my junior year at The King’s School. I am in the drama club and have recently started a theatre club for the younger students. I love camping with my friends and family and being on the water. I love listening to music, such as Noah Kahan and Taylor Swift. I also love to sing. I am in the youth band at my school and in my youth group. My dream is to become a psychologist one day. The subject of body dysmorphia is very important to me because I have struggled with it myself. Now that I have worked through this issue, I want to help others work through this as well.
Body Dysmorphia
When you look in the mirror what do you see? For some people they look in the mirror and smile back at themselves but for others that might only be the parts of their bodies they want to change. Even if it's something minuscule, no one around them will notice. This is known as body dysmorphia. This takes place in all types of people under all types of circumstances.
According to Mayo Clinic, there is no specific cause for this disorder although some theories are, family history, negative encounters about your body image, and/or unhealthy levels of serotonin (a brain chemical that controls your mood). In my experience, some specific causes of body dysmorphia may be excessive time on social media or spending ample amounts of time with people who you may view as “better” than you. Both examples might make you long for a life that might not be possible for you to have. whether that is the girl with the “bikini body” or the bodybuilder online. But the truth is we do not need any of those things to feel and be beautiful. Beauty isn’t just about looks. Beauty can be seen in someone's confidence and personality as well. In my experience, the people who know and love you do not care about what you physically look like, and they believe you are beautiful when expressing your feelings and walking through life with your head up high.
Some symptoms of body dysmorphia are (Mayo Clinic, 2022):
● Only being able to focus on a small, unnoticed flaw
● Hyper Aware of those around you, and what they think of you
● Constantly checking the mirror or fidgeting with your body
● Comparing your appearance to others
● Avoiding social situations
Whenever you are feeling self-conscious about your appearance, words of affirmation help. Words of affirmation are words and phrases that speak love over us and/or other people. It may seem silly speaking these phrases to yourself, but over time you will notice a change in attitude. It even helps if you write them down and put them in everyday places. The most common place is your mirror, though you could place it wherever you believe will be best for you.
Some examples of these affirmations are:
● “I love myself”
● “I am beautiful”
● “I am more than my looks”
● “I believe in myself”
● “I have my perfect body”
Other ways to cope with body dysmorphia (Mind Infoline, 2022):
● Use self-help materials (such as books based on cognitive behavioral therapy)
● Do things to improve your self-esteem (accept compliments, celebrate successes, words
of affirmation)
● Seek help from a professional therapist
● Support groups
● Take care of yourself (get more sleep, physical activities, go outside)
References:
"Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD)." Mind Infoline, July 2022, www.mind.org.uk/ information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/body-dysmorphic-disorder-bdd/ self-care/. Accessed 25 Sept. 2023.
Mayo Clinic Staff. "Body Dysmorphic Disorder." Mayo Clinic, 13 Dec. 2022, www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/body-dysmorphic-disorder/symptoms-causes/ syc-20353938. Accessed 29 Sept. 2023.
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