Selfie Dysmorphia
Selfie Dysmorphia
Selfie dysmorphia is when someone begins to see their filter-edited selfie as their ideal appearance, leading to growing dissatisfaction with how they actually look in real life.
Details
Selfie dysmorphia is a psychological state in which a person uses the appearance created by camera filters or editing apps as their standard of beauty, resulting in intense dissatisfaction with their natural appearance.
What is Selfie Dysmorphia?
Mindy is here to explore this with you. This phenomenon gained attention as plastic surgeons reported a sharp rise in patients requesting to 'look like my filtered selfie.' Researchers at Boston University School of Medicine even coined the term 'Snapchat Dysmorphia' to describe it.
Characteristics of Selfie Dysmorphia
Why is it Dangerous?
Selfie dysmorphia can develop into Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD). Obsession with appearance can interfere with daily life and lead to serious drops in self-esteem and feelings of depression. Because the appearance shown by filters is impossible to achieve in reality, it is easy to fall into a never-ending cycle of dissatisfaction.
A Warm Word from Mindy
The face behind the filter is not the real you. The crinkles around your eyes when you smile, every freckle visible in the sunlight — these are what make you uniquely beautiful. Today, try looking in the mirror without any filters and offer yourself one kind, gentle word.
💡 Real-Life Example
"After getting so used to photos where an editing app made my eyes look bigger, I felt depressed every time I looked in the mirror because my eyes seemed so much smaller in real life."
Related Terms
This content is for educational purposes and does not replace professional medical diagnosis.