The Price of Anxiety

Apart from mental health consequences, appearance anxiety can have a series of negative effects on physical state, since the roots of this type of anxiety are very often closely related to dissatisfaction with one's body or the need to fit the demands of beauty according to social standard. Therein, profound psychological and physical exhaustion over time may be the consequence of such influences.

1) Psychological impact: It is mostly accompanied by feelings of inferiority, self-denial, and social anxiety. On a long scale, engagement in negative assessment of physical appearance may result in the development of low self-esteem, self-hatred, and depression and anxiety. Many studies show that persons who are dissatisfied with their body are more likely to feel unwell and unhappy and, in extreme conditions, become socially phobic, avoiding contact with people and gradually narrowing their circles.

 2) Eating disorders: The anxiety of pursuing the "perfect" body often causes eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia. To meet the standards of certain bodies, many people use extreme diets, like excessive dieting, vomiting, or resorting to diet pills. These unhealthy eating habits not only destroy physical health but also further increase the psychological burden, forming a vicious circle.

 3) Plastic surgery addiction: Anxiety about appearance in many individuals acts as a driving agent for plastic surgery to change one's appearance. Even though the logic herein is fleetingly relieving anxiety, it often bounces back with greater expectation, and addiction to the change of appearance. The more operations undergone, the more physical health risks increase and lead to surgical complications and postoperative psychological problems, such as chronic anxiety induced by discontentment with the results of the procedure.

        The price of appearance anxiety goes way beyond the issue of an appearance that turns into "war of attrition" on body and mind. It is only when you become aware of these multiple influences of anxiety that you learn to accept yourself for who you are, and you start, gradually, to emerge from the shadow of appearance anxiety into a much healthier life.