What Causes Teenage Depression
Q: I watched a TV show this morning about 3 young women who had body dysmorphic
disorder. They looked attractive and pretty to me, but each thought they had
physical defects and "weren't perfect enough". They felt so badly about
their appearance that they tended to stay away from other people. One of
them spent several hours per day staring into a mirror to observe her
perceived imperfections. Another had 5 plastic surgeries even though she was
still a teen.
A:A common theme in all 3 women was perceived imperfections in their body,
obsessing, worry, anxiety, and depression and sadness. And marked
interference with their functioning. All they could focus on was their
symptoms. Which got me to thinking about what was really going on in their
minds underneath all those symptoms.
Likewise, I got to thinking about what is really going on under all the
symptoms of those with anxiety disorders.
What do you think the real issues are in people with anxiety disorders? What
is really going on in us, hidden under all our symptoms?
image is a pshychological disorder similar to anorexia distortions except
the symptoms and outcome are not the same. Where the focus is on looks, I
think its a profound distortion, an exagerration and obsession of having to
look perfect which would lead to loss of self esteem and self image because
they don't think they are perfect enough and no matter what they do to look
better it is never good enough. I think it could leave to physical illness
eventually if its not treated successfully. Its like those women you see on
TV who constantly have plastic surgery even when it becomes dangerous to
their health. I also think it involves a self hatred due to something that
happened to them or whatever. They need a psychiatrist who is skilled in
that kind of disorder and seems to be hard to treat. When someone is
constantly worried how they look, and has so much self criticism, much
anxiety and depression and sadness would surely follow and definitely
interfere a great deal with their functioning in life. How could it not? I
used to know a girl who was pretty and very nice but she criticized her
looks noticeably often. I was always amazed when she said this. She went to
another job and a couple of years later, I heard she died of breast cancer.
She was only around 45.
I can only speak for me. I believe that such things as perfectionistic
expectations came from living with someone who expected more of me
than I could give.. perfect feelings toward her. (My mom).. she
shunned any emotions I had that she would label "bad" - if I was angry
with her, I would be shamed - so I kind of fell into the habit of
disallowing my own true feelings and stuffing them. That's my current
theory anyway. I'm learning to search myself now and to at least
uncover what lead me to this point of fear. Anxiety is fear - and fear
is the flight in fight or flight.. and there must be a cause for
wanting the flight. In digging through my own feelings, I've found
that both my anxiety and other problems stem from other people sick as
well..people I love, but people that were ill and