The flourishing trend of selfies is not going anywhere. We all know that it has become the habit associated with teens and kids, these days. And, we know this too that the addiction of Smartphone selfies is being connected to mental health conditions that makes the person obsessive of his looks. What we forget, ignore or deny to notice is that these selfies are leading people around the world to death.
Dr. David Veal, the renowned psychiatrist, regarding the selfie obsession stated that;
“Two out of three of all the patients who come to see me with Body Dysmorphic Disorder since the rise of camera phones have a compulsion to repeatedly take and post selfies on social media sites.
“Cognitive behavioural therapy is used to help a patient to recognise the reasons for his or her compulsive behaviour and then to learn how to moderate it.”
The obsession and the urge to look perfect and to snap perfect has led people towards psychopathic capabilities which make them do things which normal people wouldn’t do, otherwise. As per the latest news, a British male teenager tried to kill himself because he couldn’t take a perfect selfie.
Danny Bowman, a 19-year-old teenager, became so hooked up to the selfies that he used to spend around 10 hours a day taking up to 200 selfies. He lost about 30 pounds, dropped out of school and did not leave the house for six months to get his picture on-point. It has been revealed that Bowman used to take about 10 pictures soon after waking up. When he couldn’t take the one picture he was holding on for his dear life, Bowman tried to kill himself through harmful drug over-dosage, but was saved by his mother on time.
In his conversation with the international magazine, Bowman stated;
“I was constantly in search of taking the perfect selfie and when I realized I couldn’t, I wanted to die. I lost my friends, my education, my health and almost my life.”
The specified teenager is only the first and a mere case of selfie addiction. Fortunately, he got the therapy on time to get over his technology addiction along with OCD and Body Dysmorphic Disorder.
The digital narcissism is making it staunch for the people to get the best out of themselves or to become what they always wanted to be. Few things are destructive and self-destructive, such addictions and obsessions need to be halted before they become a menace for the society. People become more prone to such habits if they see others’ being appreciated for the same thing. Its better to look after your health and life than to run after a fad!
