What Is Filter Dysmorphia, and Why Is It Alarming?

"Since the advent of social media, it has always shaped how others see us. But more recently, it has begun to shape how we view ourselves-and how we want to be seen. Filters no longer simply brighten a photo or soften lighting. They now reshape faces, narrow noses, enlarge eyes, lift cheekbones, soften skin, and so much more. And the image staring back at us isn't a wholly unfamiliar face. It feels familiar-just slightly improved."

"Some of us have started to believe those filtered images are our true selves, even more than what we see in the mirror, while others begin to wonder what's even real. Filter dysmorphia, also known as " Snapchat dysmorphia," occurs when the edited version of your face starts to feel more familiar than the real one. It's a slow-burning version of body dysmorphia that comes from within, reshaping your sense of normal, beauty, and self-acceptance."

"While it isn't yet officially classified as a diagnosis, many mental health professionals see its impact in therapy sessions, especially among teens and young adults who have grown up in a digitally altered world. It's not a concern about vanity; it's a concern of perception. When filtered images dominate our feeds, they quietly reset our understanding of what a "normal" face looks like."

Social media now shapes not only how others see people but also how individuals view themselves and how they want to be seen. Filters can reshape faces by narrowing noses, enlarging eyes, lifting cheekbones, and softening skin. Repeated exposure to edited self-images can make those versions feel more familiar than the unedited face. Filter dysmorphia describes when the edited image becomes the internal standard, producing a slow-burning form of body dysmorphia that alters standards of normal and beauty. Mental health professionals report seeing its effects in therapy, particularly among teens and young adults raised with pervasive digital alteration. Increased realism and AI-driven filters exacerbate perception confusion.

Read at Psychology Today