Please verify your email address to receive email notifications.

Enter your email address

We have sent you a verification email. Please check your inbox and spam folder.

Unable to send verification, please refresh and try again later.

  • Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners

    What causes plastic surgery obsession?

    Related Topic
    Plastic Surgery
    • 1 answer
    • Anthony Berrick
    answer this question

  • Find a professional to answer your question

  • 2

    Thanks

    Anthony Berrick

    Psychologist

    Doing something that makes us feel better, by taking away pain or distress, gets strongly ‘reinforced’ in our brains. This means that the next time we experience the same distressing thoughts or feelings, our brains will tell us to repeat the behaviour which previously provided relief. This is often how addictions originate.

    If you feel anxious or have upsetting thoughts about your physical appearance, then having plastic surgery could well provide a powerful temporary relief from this distress. This behaviour could then become a way of ‘coping’ with emotional distress. Unfortunately, if the underlying emotional issues weren't addressed, then the obsession with plastic surgery would probably persist.

    Hope that makes sense!

    Reply to this post
     · 
    Report
answer this question

You must be a Health Professional to answer this question. Log in or Sign up .

You may also like these related questions

Related Fact Sheets
Related Questions

Empowering Australians to make better health choices