Online dating dysmorphia

Battling the Shadows of Online Dating Dysmorphia – A Personal Journey

Have you ever looked at your own reflection and wondered, “Is this really me?” Let’s unpack my personal journey on the twists and turns of “Online dating dysmorphia.” If I had a dime for every time someone said, “you’re so photogenic!” or, “you look better in pictures,” I could probably afford a professional photoshoot right now. But would that solve anything? Not quite.

Online dating dysmorphia—a term baffling enough to create myriad waves in one’s thoughts. It implies a condition where individuals perceive themselves differently based on their online images versus their real-life appearance – a mirror paradox if you will! Yes, it encapsulates the inner tempest fueled by unrealistic beauty standards amplified through digital platforms and glossy filters.

As an avid online dater myself, I have been both the perpetrator and victim of these skewed perceptions. My obsession with taking ‘perfect’ profile pictures became an unhealthy fixation to morph into my perfected online image—hence battling Online dating dysmorphia.

Denial: The Initial Phase

Like slipping into quicksand unawares, my encounter with digital dysmorphia initiated subtly too—with innocent filters sprucing up our realities. We justify it in small ways—”a little enhancement” here or there never hurts anyone right? But gradually these minor tweaks snowball into something bigger- provoking self-doubt about reality vs perception; resulting in distorted self-image.

Manipulation Enigma

Lindsay Lohan once famously said in Mean Girls “The only person you should want to be better than is who you were yesterday.” Quite ironic given that social media almost mirrors its entirety! From dazzling filters on Snapchat drowning us under ‘beauty’, Instagram’s no-flaw policy – we’re constantly manipulated into wanting more- igniting mass discontent!

As our digital doppelgängers get addicted to likes and swipes, we begin neglecting the person in the mirror. This manipulated virtual reality triggers an identity crisis as we struggle daily to reconcile with our actual selves.

Breaking Free

Natural beauty is about being comfortable in your own skin—it’s what makes us human. Wasn’t it Audrey Hepburn who once said that “Happy girls are the most beautiful”? I’ve found this to be true—as I fought against my Online dating dysmorphia, healing began when I accepted this truth: that our attractiveness indeed lies beyond digitally furbished cyberspace.

Taking baby steps, disconnecting sporadically from digital platforms helped self-introspect and realign perspective: measuring self-worth by internal accomplishments rather than external validation. It wasn’t easy mind you—battles rarely are!

Turning Tables

It was during a soulful conversation with a dear friend battling similar issues when he pointed out Online dating dysmorphia’s shadow on his life too. By sharing experiences, we provided solace—realizing that strength truly lay shared numbers!

Like plants needing sunlight, change required exposure—to accept shadows of doubt fostered by Online dating dysmorphia fogging personal perceptions! And only through acceptance could we initiate change.

By treating photos as ‘fun extras,’ not goal-oriented benchmarks; resorting to genuine conversations steering clear of rampant hedonic treadmill – enabled potential matches’ connect honestly leading to fruitful associations!

Embracing Reality

In the end – overcoming Online dating dysmorphia became a rewarding journey characterised by embracing true self- worth detached from digital-virtual props dictating conventional standards; freeing oneself from imprisoning walls of demoralising self-comparison!

Breaking free from such societal shackles marks one joyous occasion deserving celebration! It never hurts reminding yourself – celebrations need no special dates or events – but simply liberating consciousness acknowledging ‘You’re enough!’

So next time you pause in front of the mirror contemplating ‘real versus digital’ – remember, the power lies with you. Embrace your flaws – it’s part of what makes us human. After all, which story would make the better read? The filtered fairy tale or one that’s raw and uniquely beautiful?