With how the societal standard of beauty is shaping the concept of what is acceptable and not, celebrities are not spared, especially that social media has become a convenient tool in disseminating contents. The latest to take the brunt of this is reality TV show "Keeping Up With the Kardashian" star Kim Kardashian West.
The 36-year-old recently confessed that she is suffering from body dysmorphia, a condition in which a person feels, most of the time, insecure about his/her body. Even though the mother of two has been constantly shutting haters, a recent episode of "Keeping Up With the Kardashian" revealed that body shamers actually affect her perception of herself. The wife of rapper Kanye West also disclosed that the media's remarks and critique have an impact on her.
"You take pictures and people just body shame you," Kardashian West said. The reason behind the admission are the viral bikini photos taken by paparazzi at her sister Kourtney Kardashian's birthday party in Mexico. The actress is known for being bold, posting photos of almost being naked, or, sometimes, of being completely bare, and championing body positivity. Her popular selfies of her voluptuous body garnered mixed reactions from fans as well.
Body dysmorphia is described by the National Health Service as a disorder that will make one have a "distorted view of how they look and to spend a lot of time worrying about their appearance." A person with this kind of condition oftentimes has the urge to compare himself to other people, avoids mirrors or spends a lot of time in the mirror, and asks for medical help in an act of desperation toward a perceived defect, among others. The root of this disorder is not established, but people who have experienced bullying, abuse or excessive teasing are more likely to develop body dysmorphia.
