Katya Karlova Sheds Light On Her Personal Journey Through Battling With Body Dysmorphia
Jan. 13 2023, Published 1:45 p.m. ET
How we consume content today makes it easy to fall into the trap of constantly comparing yourself with others. Especially since most of what we see online is set to present the best version of a person’s life professionally, LinkedIn posts from your peers show off their success. Personally, there is a danger lurking behind most fashion and modeling posts you come across on your social media.
It’s not a secret that many people struggle with how they look. And it’s always a touchy subject – simply because it’s correlated with several mental hardships people deal with because of it. Body dysmorphic disorder, or BDD, is one diagnosed condition that affects more people yearly.
Katya Karlova, now a successful Instagram influencer and model, has struggled with BDD and is strongly advocating for it to gain as much media space as possible.
As the 2000s dawned, a slim silhouette became not just fashionable - but essential. Young women felt increasingly pressured to achieve perfection. Growing up in the early 2000s, the ‘skinny model’ BDD era took off, especially with young women. Katya was one of those that were influenced by the things that were portrayed as beautiful at the time. She says that “for too long, only one body type has been seen as beautiful.”
For her and many others, this limited vision of beauty excluded a vast range of shapes and sizes - creating feelings of inadequacy or exclusion for those who don't fit the skinny standard. Katya says that “by failing to recognize different types of bodies, we disempower people with diverse figures and contribute to negative self-esteem issues across all genders.” According to Katya, challenging this toxic view by celebrating our unique forms and promoting inclusivity is a must. After all, there’s no such thing as 'one size fits all' when it comes to beauty.
Understanding BDD
Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is when people think they look bad even when they don't. People with BDD might spend much time looking at themselves, comparing themselves to others, or trying to cover up their perceived flaws.
According to Katya, BDD can bring up feelings of anxiety, despair, and a lack of social interaction. Because BDD may be exceedingly upsetting and negatively impact a person's quality of life, sometimes therapy can help, but the key is self-love.
Just imagine that, according to research conducted by IPSOS in 2018, over 80% percent of women are unhappy with their physical appearance. With men the numbers are also high with men, with over 70% reporting they’re unhappy with some part of their body. As a mental health advocate with personal experience struggling with body dysmorphia, Katya strives to impact the lives of her online community members positively. It was a large part of what motivated Katya to take up modeling and inspired her to use her platform to speak out about this common issue suffered across many cultures worldwide.
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Staying positive and finding self-love is key
Like herself, she recommends seeking out professional help. Katya says, “We can deal with many things, but we often lack the tools. Being steered in the right direction can make all the difference.” Katya points out that struggling with body image issues can be overwhelming. However, a mental health professional has the skills to help people discover their inner strength and conquer any worries about appearance. After all, as Katya says, it’s all about self-discovery.
For her, modeling helped her cope and conquer hard times. On top of finding more self-love over time, she has also decided to embrace the curvier side of herself. It’s like she says: “I'm all about being healthy, but with my height, I'm 5 foot 10, I'm always going to be curvy. And I love it now.” She’s also certified as a nutritional therapist and has been shaping her diet, which, as she says, “works amazing for me, as it’s not as strict, and I enjoy life while taking care of my health. That should be a primary concern for everyone – staying active and healthy.”
Fueling her endeavors by following a balanced Mediterranean diet, Katya remains focused on tackling BDD head-on, leveraging her platform to bolster body positivity.
