When she was 10 years old, people would bully her about her nose. Some would say it was too big, some would say it was masculine, but she never saw any flaws in it until then. Now she’s 15 and her nose is her biggest insecurity. Every morning she tries to make it look smaller with makeup. She spends countless hours scrolling through social media and obsessing over people with ‘the perfect nose’. She can’t wait until she turns 18 so that she can get plastic surgery and fix what she thinks is flawed. But until then, she continues to look in the mirror and feel unattractive, avoids going out with friends, and doubts her self-worth. 

When he was 12 years old, his friends would tease him about how skinny he was and that he needed to grow some muscles. Since then, he has been working out obsessively. He spends several hours in the gym at least once a day – sometimes twice – weight lifting and working out. It has consumed his life. Sometimes he will skip school or call in sick to work so that he can get his workouts in. Whenever he looks in the mirror, all he can see is the scrawny boy his friends teased him about years ago.  Now he’s 17 and  No matter how much he works or how big his muscles get, he still believes his muscles aren’t big enough, he still thinks he’s small, and he still feels unworthy. 

If you find yourself obsessing over how you look and parts of your body that you believe may be flawed, you may be struggling with body dysmorphia. Body dysmorphia is when you’re overly concerned about how your body looks and you see it as wrong in some way. It can affect anyone, including teens and men. 

Some signs of body dysmorphia can include: 

• Constantly looking in the mirror 

• Picking at your skin 

• Withdrawing from others 

• Comparing yourself to others 

• Obsessing over different parts of your body that you find imperfect 

• Seeking reassurance

• Getting cosmetic procedures to alter your appearance

• Repeatedly grooming

Teens developing unhealthy body images

Growing up in the age of social media, young people are exposed to unrealistic body standards and are more likely to develop issues with their body image. 

There are many different factors that can cause body dysmorphia. One is family factors. For example, if your parents were overly critical of you as a child growing up, then you might internalize that and become overly critical of yourself as you get older. Another is trauma. If you’ve ever suffered from some type of trauma and feel a loss of control over certain things in your life, you may look for other ways to seemingly control yourself. Lastly, if you have poor coping skills, you may be less likely to regulate your emotions well. All of these factors can make you more susceptible to body dysmorphia. 

It’s important for parents to look for the warning signs and openly communicate with their teens. Let your child know that they are supported, cared for and that no topic of conversation is off limits. So, if those feelings of body shame do come up, you’re aware and can get them the help they need.

Getting help

Look for the warning signs and reach out for help early on. Getting help and learning the skills to change your behaviour can help prevent those feelings from getting worse. It can also prevent them from developing into other mental health problems such as anxiety, depression, or an eating disorder. 

When you struggle with a negative body image, low self-esteem, and low self-worth, it can be hard to cope on your own. That’s why it’s so important to seek help from a professional when you’re struggling with any of those feelings. A counsellor can help you learn the triggers for those feelings and find the tools you need to cope better and build up your self-esteem. 

If you’re struggling with your body image don’t wait until it gets worse, and it starts having a negative impact on your life. Reach out for help as soon as you can. Counselling can help you learn to love and accept yourself and build up your self-esteem to overcome those feelings. 

Information for this blog post was provided by Raidah Noshin, registered social worker. Learn more about our counsellors.