Comparing can create mental illness

After writing my column last week, I really got to thinking about how much social media, magazines and film effect our lives. 

We always make references and comparisons when it comes to the way we live. Whether it’s someone else making the comparison, or we’re scrolling through Instagram and making a judgement ourselves, its extremely present in our lives.

With this constant comparison, there will always be negative judgements and thoughts. I think far too often we undermine the power of these negative thoughts. They can be a powerful presence in the dark corners of our mind. 

I did research and according to the International OCD Foundation, one in 50 people  have Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD), which is a mental health disorder causing one to constantly think about perceived defects or flaws in their appearance — a flaw that appears minor or isn’t visible. 

It isn’t  exclusive to a gender, as anyone can suffer from BDD and stats show many people do. I believe social media plays may be a cause of this because we are constantly compared to what is “sexy” or “ideal”. 

Think about a magazine cover like Cosmopolitan. Most of its headlines are “How to get sexy abs” or “How to get a bigger butt”. These types of headlines appear on dozens of their magazines (I know because I went to look) and even date back to 20 years ago. I see these on social media articles as well. So many times, we see body positive quotes and how to love yourself, then we turn around and see things like “How to make yourself look better”. 

I’m not surprised that one in 50 people have BDD. ideals are constantly shoved down our throat and we’re told what looks good, what doesn’t and how we should look. 

Not only is BDD a big issue, but so is anorexia. The idea of having to physically look a certain way is destroying an entire generation. Athletes struggle from this as well; about 33% of male athletes are affected. Female athletes who participate in sports dealing with aesthetics and weight classes experience estimates of about 62%. Is it just me or is there something extremely disturbing and alarming about these statistics? 

With all that said, be kind to yourself. Do what you need to keep a positive mindset and know the worst thing in the world is not your weight. There is professional help, like counselors if you need help. Talk to your friends or someone you trust. For those of you who may not suffer, be nice to others. Don’t be rude or comment mean things on social media. Be an adult. Be a nice adult. 

All statistics from International OCD Foundation and National Eating Disorder Association.