Students are struggling with body dysmorphia, possibly more than ever, due to the influences of social media. Body dysmorphia is a condition where a person is preoccupied with perceived flaws in their appearance, often leading to repetitive behaviors and significant distress. The repetitive behaviors include mirror checking, camouflaging, skin picking and excessive grooming, all driven by preoccupation with perceived appearance flaws. Body dysmorphia can also lead to eating disorders.
I experienced my own form of camouflaging when I was a student. Born with a club foot, I wore a knee-high brace following multiple surgeries until I was 12 years old. With a visibly skinnier ankle than my other leg, I faced the cruelty of ignorance by other kids my age. I did my best to hide my leg, often wearing pants in warm weather and crossing my good leg to cover the other. I assumed women would not find me attractive and often wondered why they did. While I am unique because body dysmorphia affects girls more commonly, it is real, and the effects are significant.
Girls are affected more than boys
The research suggests that girls, particularly adolescents, experience a greater proportion of body dysmorphia than boys, six times more often. This is reinforced in the literature. Boys may be less likely to express their true feelings of perceived flaws. Yet, given my unique perspective, I can appreciate how adolescent girls struggling with body dysmorphia may feel. I quickly developed compensatory strategies, such as distracting others with humor and similar social methods. I also cannot disregard the reality that even with an obvious physical deformity, I was probably less likely to be judged than my female peers.
As a father of two daughters in high school and college, I have watched them perseverate on their looks. Even when we stop for a photo on vacation together, they must have a certain look and wear just the right outfit. This seems exhausting, yet I suspect that women can appreciate their reality. Even if a person is not experiencing body dysmorphia, it is safe to say that many people, especially female students, feel judged by their appearance, and that is inherently unfair.
Real vs. fake
So what to do? I recently presented at FETC in Orlando, Fla., on the challenges of social media with students and how to overcome a sense of distraction and judgment online. My favorite study to share is little known, resulting from Instagram’s parent company Meta, Instagram versus Reality. In this study, exposure to the paired “Instagram vs reality” and real images decreased body dissatisfaction relative to exposure to the ideal images.
This was a powerful study that highlights the value of educating students about real-life images versus online fictional narratives of perfection. More and more famous individuals are showing their real selves without makeup and Photoshop online. We can teach through this study. What an untapped opportunity to tackle body dysmorphia!
Body dysmorphia, or BD, and the more common fear of judgment can also be addressed through cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT. In this process, CBT is considered the most effective therapy for BD because it helps:
- Identify and challenge disordered thoughts about appearance
- Reduce compulsive behaviors related to appearance
- Develop healthier coping mechanisms
You can even use references like this for implementation in schools, though a trained school counselor should always take the lead.
Adopting self-compassion
Perspective: Another simple yet profound strategy I learned was something I taught my daughter when she faced significant self-doubt and struggles with her image of self: self-compassion. This is not just self-compassion but also framing in a targeted way: kids with fragile egos are typically kind and empathetic. What better way to help them see this from a different lens than through that of others? My strategy: “Would you be as hard on a friend as you are on yourself?” Of course not, Daddy. Then why would you be so demanding of yourself? Give yourself the compassion you give to others so freely.
Another method, often discovered by students on their own, that should be tapped with greater potential and structure from school support systems is referred to as the benign disinhibition effect. All that fancy wording means the opposite of a phenomenon we are all too accustomed to: the online disinhibition effect. This is when an individual engages very differently online, often in a toxic manner, than they would dare to face-to-face due to a feeling of reduced social constraints and anonymity.
Kids have discovered that networks forged online through common challenges like body dysmorphia are helpful because of the safety of self-disclosure, sharing personal experiences, and seeking help in online communities. This is especially helpful when individuals may hesitate to do so in face-to-face interactions due to social anxieties or stigma. Evidence suggests that the positive aspects of increased self-disclosure and supportive behavior in anonymous online environments help individuals feel supported.
Like any method, these strategies may not always work for everyone. Students, like adults, respond differently to various approaches. Consider a menu of options and be willing to try and try again. The health and wellness of our students depend on it. Schools are orbits where children can lean on trusted adults and strategies to help them manage their body dysmorphia or tendency toward feeling not good enough. Educators should be mindful and ready to tap these and other strategies to help children with their emotional development so that they can grow and thrive in the same academic achievement is emphasized.
Opinions expressed by SmartBrief contributors are their own.
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