The main need of the human soul for self-fulfillment is the feeling of being valued. In order to be appreciated, we want to be liked and desired. One of the things that provides this value is our perception of beauty.
With the encouragement of our physicians, especially with the effect of social media, everyone’s perception of beauty began to change in the same direction; a weak body, a thick lip, a small nose and slanting eyes, or a fit and muscular body, smooth eyebrows and beards, well-curled hair… The belief underlying this is primarily a lack of self-confidence. Instead of liking himself as he is, the person aims to make the other person like himself. When a person looks at himself through the eyes and expectations of an ‘other’, he becomes alienated from himself.
Of course, since the interaction with social media increases day by day, people influence each other, and as people adapt to a situation or behavior, a popular idea or application becomes a ‘trend’. Most of the people who want to follow this trend act with ‘herd psychology’, which is actually a cognitive distortion. This is called the ‘majority effect’, the ‘herd effect’ or, more commonly, the ‘bandcar effect’ as it is used in the consumer world and in advertising. As the number of people who believe in something in the herd psychology increases, other people also join the movement regardless of the reason for the increase in interest, in this way the audience grows.
Another problem that has increased recently is that the age of plastic surgery has decreased considerably. The great source of the underlying cause; individuals spend more than necessary time on social media and take influencers as role models. We need to raise our children to love themselves and like them for who they are. And above all, love yourself as parents so that they can take you as a role model.
In this perceived world of beauty and aesthetics, it is not only people who want to make changes and adopt a generally accepted appearance; specialists who apply it, namely doctors, estheticians, hairdressers, etc. perhaps unconsciously, they have adapted to respond to similar demands and have become accustomed to applying similar techniques without questioning their necessity.
Another reason is sexual anxiety. The feeling of wanting to be a desirable partner can feed the person’s aesthetic concerns.
But does this perceived beauty anxiety require treatment? If the person’s beauty anxiety has reached a level that will affect his daily life, social and professional functionality, the person should receive psychotherapy. In therapy, perhaps it will be a priority to discover which features you want to hide in this way, to realize the needs and personality dynamics that will cause aesthetic anxiety and to make them functional by changing them.
Let us not deny our own beauty just because others are unable or unwilling to see it. Let’s adopt ourselves. Everyone says, “How nice of you.” As we try to imitate the people he calls our souls atrophy and our desire diminishes. Love yourself as you are.
