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Megan Fox is opening up about her struggles with body dysmorphia.
In her recent cover shoot for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 2023, the 37-year-old actress spoke unusually candidly about her years-long journey with the mental health condition. Fox has long been idolized (and objectified) for her stunning appearance, but due to body dysmorphia, she has “never, ever” loved her body.
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“I have body dysmorphia — I don’t ever see myself the way other people see me,” Fox told the magazine. “There’s never a point in my life where I loved my body, never, ever.”
As she recalled, her “obsession” with her appearance began at a young age: “When I was little, that was an obsession I had of, like, ‘But I should look this way.’ And why I had an awareness of my body that young, I’m not sure. It definitely wasn’t environmental because I grew up in a very religious environment where bodies weren’t even acknowledged.”
“The journey of loving myself is going to be never-ending, I think,” Fox added.
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What is body dysmorphia, anyway?
Image Credit: GC Images The symptoms Fox shared match the criteria for body dysmorphic disorder, or BDD. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, BDD affects an estimated 2.2 percent of men and 2.2 percent of women in the United States. The condition is characterized by obsessive thoughts about one’s own physical flaws — real or perceived — that affect a person’s ability to function in daily life. Some people develop compulsions to address these “flaws.”
It’s important to underscore that BDD isn’t the same as low self-esteem. This disorder is serious, and it usually requires therapy or prescription medications to treat.
People with BDD often begin experiencing symptoms at a young age, as was the case for Fox. The underlying cause of this disorder is unclear, although it has been linked to childhood trauma, cognitive malfunction, and genetic predisposition to compulsive disorders. Living in our appearance-obsessed society certainly doesn’t help, either.
Since the start of her career, Fox has been subjected to commentary on her body. It’s easy to see how years of objectification and body-shaming could have worsened her existing symptoms.
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Celebrities like Fox are speaking out to help destigmatize body dysmorphia.
Image Credit: FilmMagic Like many mental health conditions, BDD is still misunderstood by the general public. But candid comments from celebrities like Fox can go a long way toward normalizing and demystifiying body dysmorphia.
Fox joins a growing number of public figures who’ve opened up about their struggles with BDD or body-image issues. Earlier this year, British singer-songwriter Sam Smith spoke to The Sunday Times about healing from body dysmorphia and finally feeling comfortable with their body.
“I’m happier in my own skin on [my latest album],” the Grammy-winning artist shared. “I feel liberated, released from pressures I felt when I was young. My mum says that, as I’ve got older, I’ve stopped caring what people think as much. She tends to be right.”
So, yes, body dysmorphia is challenging to navigate, but it is possible to overcome with treatment.
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