Body dysmorphia: affecting the body esteem of teenagers Body dysmorphia (BD) occurs when someone feels that their body is flawed or defective, and therefore they are not concerned with how they look or feel. This can lead to a number of issues including low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, an eating disorder, and even suicidal ideation(Lyness, 2018). The mental condition formerly known as dysmorphophobia, is characterized by the obsessional belief that some part of one's appearance is defective and also justifies time-consuming rituals like continual comparison and mirror staring. A diagnosis also requires the presence of other elements, such as recurrent behaviors like skin picking, excessive grooming, or mirror staring, as well as mental activities like continual comparison and fixation that significantly hinder social, occupational, or other areas of functioning. Declining body image appears to be influenced by rising social media influence and rising screen time. In recent years, a condition known as "Snapchat dysmorphia" has emerged when people seek surgical advice in an effort to seem like their filtered selves in real life. According to (Bandari, 2022) the symptoms of body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) include excessive concern with an imagined or slight defect on one's body, which leads to repetitive behaviors such as skin picking or excessive mirror checking. It also includes distorted self-image and intense preoccupation with the perceived flaws of one's own appearance. BDD has even been linked to suicidal thoughts.BDD often begins during early childhood but can manifest itself in adolescence or adulthood. It occurs more often in young women than men, but it can happen to anyone of any gender. In the Philippines,Psychologist Dr. Edgardo Juan Tolentino Jr. and dermatologist Dr. Irene Gaile Robredo-Vitas have discussed the impact of face masks on a person's confidence and perception of self. Dr. Vitas believes that filters, such as photo filters, have affected people's physical and psychological well-being, while Tolentino believes that Snapchat and Instagram can contribute to people's perception of not feeling good about themselves and body dysmorphic disorder. Dr. Tolentino also highlighted the importance of showing people, even celebrities, their humanity in advertisements to encourage other people to be more open in talking about and finding solutions to their problems and insecurities. Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach also shared that as a celebrity, she makes sure she is responsible with her social media posts. Pia Wurtzbach and Tolentino discussed the importance of body positivity, body neutrality, and self-care. Pia emphasized the importance of learning ways to make ourselves beautiful inside-out, such as keeping active, eating a balanced diet, and drinking lots of water. Tolentino vouched for "body neutrality," which allows people to be positive about their body even if they have flabs. Pia also admitted to seeking professional help for 'Impostor Syndrome' and emphasized that there is no shortcut to beauty. The pandemic taught people to do more self-care, and Vitas and Tolentino affirmed that self-care is key to mental health. Self-care is not vanity, but rather, having a good work-life balance. Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a mental health condition where a person spends a lot of time worrying about flaws in their appearance, and is most common in teenagers and young adults. Technology advances to become more high-definition to show pores and flaws, creating more pressure on people(M. Afinidad-Bernardo, 2022.)The purpose of this study is to determine the perception of teenagers about body dysmorphia and its impact on their self-esteem. References Lyness. (2018, October 1). Body Dysmorphic Disorder (for Teens) - Nemours KidsHealth. Body Dysmorphic Disorder (for Teens) - Nemours KidsHealth. Retrieved March 13, 2023, from https://kidshealth.org/en/teens/body-imageproblem.html Bandari. (2022, November 28). Body Dysmorphic Disorder. WebMD. Retrieved March 13, 2023, from https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/mental-health-body-dysmorphic-disorder M. Afinidad-Bernardo, D. R. (2022). Are you ‘Maskegenic’? Doctors warn of filters’ impact on mental health, self-worth. Philstar.com. Retrieved March 13, 2023, from https://www.philstar.com/lifestyle/health-and- family/2022/10/11/2215873/are-you-maskegenic-doctors-warn-filters-impact-mental-health-self-worth
