Kim Kardashian West has spoken out about her experience with body dysmorphia in a recent episode of Keeping Up With The Kardashians.
The social-media savvy star is rarely one to shy away from posting a photo of her body, regularly promoting a positive outlook on her weight and her sexuality in empowering Instagram posts. However, that doesn’t mean Kim is invincible when it comes to the cruel comments and backlash that go hand-in-hand with being in the public eye.
On last night’s episode of KUWTK, in the wake of a series of viral bikini images taken without her knowledge while she was on vacation in Mexico, the reality star admitted that the negative comments about her figure take a toll on her mental health.
“You take pictures, and if they’re not perfect, people just body shame you and criticise you,” she said. “For people to just think that’s OK is so frustrating.”
She went on to say, “I can’t have fun after seeing those pics. It’s just wild, because there’s other pics where I look so good, and it’s just from a different angle. It’s like literally giving me body dysmorphia.”
“People think I’m so confident and I’m so secure, and I’m not,” she continued. “I’m so insecure. I just can’t take it.”
The Anxiety and Depression Association Of America explains that about 2.5% of males and 2.2% of females in the United States develop Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD).
“People with BDD suffer from obsessions about their appearance that can last for hours or up to an entire day,” they explain. “They can’t control their negative thoughts and don’t believe people who tell them that they look fine. They may miss work or school, avoid social situations and isolate themselves, even from family and friends, because they fear others will notice their flaws. They may even undergo unnecessary plastic surgeries to correct perceived imperfections, never finding satisfaction with the results.”
We’re so proud of Kim for speaking out on such an important issue.
If you or someone you know needs support with eating disorders or body image issues, contact the Butterfly National Eating Disorders support line on 1800 33 4673 (1800 ED HOPE).
This article originally appeared on In Style.
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