Unbeknownst to many parents, some children suffer from body dysmorphia because of ever-changing beauty standards. Mums and dads sometimes contribute to the problem if they drop comments about their kids’ appearance.
People with body dysmorphia find it difficult to avoid thinking about the parts of their looks they do not want. Heartbreakingly, body dysmorphic disorder is a mental health condition affecting children. Young people may also feel extreme worry regarding their physical appearance.
Have you ever noticed your child feel extremely worried about their flaws, especially their appearance? They might be suffering from body dysmorphic disorder (BDD).
If you want to know more about body dysmorphia or body dissatisfaction, we compiled the different behaviours of people who suffer from it.
In this article, you’ll read:
- Signs That Your Child Is Experiencing Body Dysmorphia
- Why Parents Should Know About Body Dysmorphia in Kids
- How Body Dysmorphia Affects People Regardless of the Gender
Signs That Your Child Is Experiencing Body Dysmorphia
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The signs and symptoms of body dysmorphic disorder typically start when a person is around 12 or 13 years old. Here are the signs of body dysmorphia that you must observe in your kids:
- Depression
- Social Anxiety
- Avoiding being in pictures
- Having too much desire for cosmetic surgery
- Always seeking affirmation for their appearance
- Feeling extremely worried to the point that it affects their daily life
- Quick to believe that minor imperfections can make them look ugly
- Constantly worries too much over how they look
- Worrying excessively about a single physical part of their body, such as the teeth or the nose
- Either spend a lot of time looking in the mirror or completely avoid mirrors
If your child shows at least 3-5 symptoms on this list, we suggest you encourage them to seek professional help. Alternatively, we suggest that you start providing a safe space for your kid at home to allow them to open up about their body dissatisfaction.
Why Parents Should Know About Body Dysmorphia in Kids
Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is another mental health condition. Kids with BDD excessively worry and feels extreme body dissatisfaction about their physical appearance and how others see them. They feel.
A child experiencing body dysmorphia gets upset even by the littlest flaw in how they look. They often feel a lot of shame and could come to a point where they no longer what to go to school or see their friends.
There could be times when a child with body dysmorphia tends to cover up things that bother them with clothes or make-up.
In addition, there are cases when a flaw does not exist. Experts call this kind of condition as imagined ugliness. Heartbreakingly, people with BDD constantly find something to worry about, regardless of how they look.
Diagnosing Body Dysmorphic Disorder
It is not easy to diagnose body dysmorphic disorder as it can be similar to other mental health disorders, including eating disorders and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
In most cases, many children find it challenging to express their frustration about their physical appearance to their parents or other adults. It is common for kids with BDD to constantly feel upset about their appearance, which could cause problems in their daily lives.
Experts diagnose this disorder through a combination of physical exams and psychological evaluations.
Image Source: iStock
How Can We Treat It?
Experts commonly use the combination of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and antidepressant medication to treat body dysmorphic disorder.
CBT is the kind of treatment which could help children learn how to change their negative thoughts and unwanted feelings about themselves. Additionally, keep in mind that cosmetic surgery is never used as a treatment for this disorder.
How Body Dysmorphia Affects People Regardless of the Gender
While body dysmorphia is most common to several women across the globe, experts believe that body dissatisfaction is not just a girl problem.
However, boys and men also suffer from body dysmorphia due to ever-changing beauty standards. Closely observe your children as your son is probably experiencing it with his body.
Men Experience Body Dissatisfaction Too
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Boys are not safe; they also experience body dissatisfaction as much as women. In truth, recent studies found that most young boys are dissatisfied with their bodies and appearance.
Most men, especially young males, struggle to articulate their concerns regarding their bodies. Like women, they feel bad for failing to meet the beauty standards that most people expect from them.
It is saddening that, for years, conversations about body image have been feminised. It puts males at a disadvantage as it leaves them shamed to raise their concerns and ask for help.
For many decades now, males have had trouble discussing body dissatisfaction. Compared to girls, boys are less likely to seek help concerning their physical and mental health concerns.
The majority of males are very familiar with the brand of masculinity, which is to be a strong, stoic, and independent type.
Concerning this, it would be better for parents and practitioners to participate in normalising discussion about body image among boys.
You can always help your child value communication and social connectedness over physical strength and self-sufficiency. It is a kind of action that could help them build confidence.
Here at theAsianparent Singapore, it’s important for us to give information that is correct, significant, and timely. But this doesn’t serve as an alternative for medical advice or medical treatment. theAsianparent Singapore is not responsible for those that would choose to drink medicines based on information from our website. If you have any doubts, we recommend consulting your doctor for clearer information.