It has always been said that the most important thing is inside. Experiences, intelligence, emotions… these are the details that make each person who they are. However, there are few lucky people who can claim not to have any. physical complexes.
Characteristics such as height, weight, face shape, skin tone, lack of hair or signs of aging torment more and more people every day. Physical complexes, moreover, begin to manifest themselves at an increasingly earlier age.
But what exactly are they? The Royal Spanish Academy defines complexes as a «set of ideas, emotions and tendencies that are generally repressed and associated with experiences of the subject, which disturb his behavior.»
From a psychological perspective, we could define complexes as small traumas that influence people's perception of themselves and which lead to a deterioration in self-esteem.
Sometimes, complexes affect those who suffer from them so much that they require psychological attention to overcome them. In addition, there are certain factors that can determine whether they have more or less physical complexes.
Who is more likely to have body complexes?
- Women. Although society imposes physical standards on everyone that they should fit into, the truth is that women are under greater pressure than men. Not for nothing, the female gender has always been the focus of the beauty ideal. In addition, products such as makeup or services such as cosmetic touch-ups are usually focused on the female gender. As if that were not enough, the pressure to find a partner and bear children also falls more heavily on women and, if this does not happen, many people point to physical appearance as the main culprit.
- Teenagers. Adolescence is a key stage in personality development, when each person is expected to discover who they are, what they like, and where they fit in. It is precisely the pressure to fit in that makes teenagers become obsessed with their physical appearance. Add to this the effect of social media, and the result is a generation obsessed with achieving perfection.
- People who suffer excessive pressure due to their physical appearance. The environment and personal experiences also have a significant influence on the development of physical complexes. For example, a model who needs to be a certain size to keep her job is likely to be more critical of her physique than anyone else.
Where do physical complexes arise from?
There is no single explanation that can determine the origin of physical complexes. However, there are certain patterns that are repeated in the vast majority of people with physical complexes:
- Suffering physical harassment or humiliation
The moments lived during the early life are key to the subsequent formation of personality.
That is why, if a person receives humiliation during childhood and adolescence Due to a certain physical trait, you may develop a complex.
Since our perception of our own body does not always match reality, the passing of the years and the corresponding physical changes often fail to completely eliminate the complex. For example, if as a child you were bullied and called «fat», you may be unable to see yourself as thin no matter your weight, or you may end up developing an obsession out of fear of giving in to those who bullied you.
The bases of the self-esteem They sit in the most tender childhood, through the bond that is established with the parents and that in psychology is known as attachment.
If as a child your parents' presence was inconsistent, or if they simply ignored you, you will most likely reach adulthood feeling that you are not enough.
The lack of confidence in yourself you may exaggerate the perception of traits that you consider negative.
Moreover, many people who have not received enough affection throughout their lives become obsessed with finding the reason and sometimes come to the conclusion that they are not attractive enough.
- Obsessing over a particular trait
The image we have of ourselves does not always coincide with what others perceive.
People tend to exaggerate our defects We no longer worry about them excessively. In this way, we do not see our physical appearance as a whole, but rather we focus only on what we would like to improve.
For example, the fact of having a broad forehead often goes unnoticed by others. However, a person who is self-conscious about this feature, when looking in the mirror, will tend to pay more attention to his forehead than to the color of his eyes or the size of his lips.
- Having been present when other people with a similar physique were humiliated
Imagine that, during your childhood, one of your parents criticized the other for his or her weight. Because children absorb everything they experience during their early years, you may grow up believing that being too fat or too thin is an unforgivable flaw.
This can condition your self-esteem into adulthood, especially if you share that trait with the person receiving the criticism.
- Obsessing over the beauty ideal imposed by society
What we see in the advertisingin the movies of Hollywood and, in particular, in the social networksinfluences what we consider a desirable physique.
There are many people who are obsessed with looking like celebrities, with having a model's body or with having their face look like an Instagram filter. These types of attitudes often generate tremendous dissatisfaction.
For example, constantly consuming retouched images through Instagram can increase the frustration of the spectators, who will never be able to achieve that body naturally.
What is body dysmorphic disorder?
When a physical complex becomes disabling, we can talk about body dysmorphic disorder.
Patients with this disorder have an idistorted image of his own physique. That feature that they see as excessively ugly becomes the center of their concerns. Sometimes, it even prevents them from living a normal life, or leads them to develop compulsive behaviors.
It is a mental illness that affects approximately 100% of people. 2% of the world's populationIn most cases, it is a problem that arises in adolescence. However, as it is a little-known disorder, many people suffer from it in silence, without knowing that it can (and should) be treated.
People with body dysmorphic disorder have the following symptoms:
- Extreme discomfort caused by the physical.
- Distorted image of one's own body.
- Avoidance of certain activitiesFor example, a person who is highly self-conscious about their weight will avoid going to the beach or going out to dinner with friends. In the most extreme cases, they might even go so far as to isolate.
- Feeling of inferiority.
- Feeling of incomprehension, because other people do not share the image he has of himself.
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How to manage physical complexes?
Sometimes it is possible to overcome complexes without the help of a psychologist.
A relatively simple way to overcome certain complexes is to change the trait that torments us. For example, being overweight can be solved with a healthy diet and a healthy amount of exercise.
However, not all complexes correspond to reality, nor can all traits be changed. In these cases, psychological therapy may be one of the best solutions.
In therapy you will learn to see your own body from another perspective, to value yourself as a whole, with defects and virtues, no longer fleeing from your own body.
Remember that at we have been experts in online therapy since 2012. Our professionals can help you overcome your physical complexes through psychological therapy.