Self-esteem and its influence in cases of Dysmorphophobia

Self-esteem is the value we place on who we are, Meanwhile he selfconcept it refers to how we perceive ourselves.

Both are vital from our earliest childhood, in which what we believe we are to our parents, siblings and first friends is key. The early family environment will be the foundation of strong affective relationships.

The personal image: how does it develop?

After childhood, adolescence will come, another critical stage in which the personal image begins to be established and developed and romantic relationships appear. How these are lived will influence our way of dealing with couple dynamics and emotions in the future. This is a time of change for people and that these relationships are usually lived with uncertainty, with intensity, but also with great disappointments, so it will be necessary to help children and girls.

Another area in which the lack of self-esteem can play tricks on us is the work environment, every day more competitive and in which we have to feel reinforced to handle ourselves without problem. In our workplace, we face a variety of situations every day that test how we value ourselves. Some, almost always negative ones, are repeated daily, and make us question many things.

To prevent established hierarchical relationships, labor injustices or bad relationships with colleagues hurt us we have to have confidence in ourselves and be able to assume the critics.

Self-esteem and personal image

In these times in which the image has taken on a great prominence, it is impossible to speak of self-esteem without referring to it; to social networks, chats, selfies and that instagram in which many lives are exposed, not always real.

Overexposure is causing many self-esteem problems in people who do not feel good about their physique. Comparison with other people on network profiles and the social demand to show off a good body has increased their discomfort.

For those who prioritize image over other levels, the impact of not feeling good about their outward appearance will be very high in this context.

The problem occurs when this fixation on our physique is excessive, since it can generate stress, anxiety, as well as verbalizations and behaviors that pursue the objective of camouflaging or modifying the appearance physical. In these cases, psychologists talk about dysmorphophobic disorder.

This disorder can be the end point on a path full of insecurities and complexes that crystallize in beliefs of this type.

In this case, the affected person should put themselves in the hands of a professional who, in the first place, makes them understand what is causing them so much discomfort. In a second stage, the psychologist and client will work on the beliefs that are limiting them.

Is dysmorphophobia treatable?

Of course, there are effective treatments to minimize dysmorphophobia, helping the patient to significantly reduce her discomfort and make the small physical complexes increasingly bearable.

Without reaching such an extreme, the discomfort manifests itself, for example, in the obsession with shopping and in negative verbalizations in front of the mirror, the classic "I have nothing to wear" in front of a closet full of clothing. Adolescents, especially women, due to the social pressure to which they are subjected, often experience this type of insecurity problem.

We should not therefore take as a triviality the constant need to buy and wear new clothes, accessories or any other object or complement that reinforces the personal image, if not being able to do so impacts the wellness.

It is very important to monitor these behaviors in adolescence, a time when, as I have pointed out previously, a large part of how we see ourselves is shaped.

Tips to take care of self-esteem

Self-esteem is key throughout our lives and we must always take care of it and cultivate it. It must be pampered and reinforced. For this I leave you these tips.

• Value and appreciate the achievements, even small ones, that you achieve each day.
• Defend your assertive rights. You don't have to say "yes" to everyone. If someone criticizes or makes fun of you, ask what they mean and defend yourself calmly but forcefully.
• Errors are human. You also have the right to commit them.
• Do not be afraid to make a fool of yourself, you will see that, if it happens, it is not as bad as you had imagined.
• Be proud of what you have achieved in the past and in the present.
• Do not be so modest. If someone compliments you, thank them and don't underestimate yourself.
• Don't let your fears keep you from pursuing your goals.

And of course, If you think you need psychological support, do not hesitate to go to your referral center.