Taking Too Many Selfies? You Are Probably Suffering From This Mental Disorder

Addicted to selfies? You may find it pretty natural to take a picture of yourself while attending an event, hanging out with your mates, or while just sitting in the cozy confines of your room. But several psychologists are of the opinion that clicking numerous selfies a day is actually a mental disorder that needs treatment. A new study has revealed that “Selfitis” is indeed a thing to be worried about. Researchers have come up with a Selfitis Behavior Scale which measures the levels of this mental disease. Well, the findings are not at all impressive.

Opinions On Selfitis

For something to be labeled as a mental disorder, the behavior should jeopardize major spheres of an individual’s life. In spite of Selfitis not being recognized as a mental illness by the American Psychiatric Association, the idea propelled a group of researchers from Nottingham Trent University and Thiagarajar School of Management to seek out the possibility that being obsessed with selfies could actually be a kind of a disorder. While the term “Selfitis” has been coined as a hoax by many, it doesn’t necessarily imply that the condition has no existence in reality. The researchers evaluated how participants respond to certain questions regarding selfies and placed their statements on the behavioral scale. The scale generally ranges from borderline to chronic. In addition to that, a renowned research associate claimed that individuals with Selfitis are devoid of self-confidence and in all probability, might exhibit behavioral disorders.

Posting manipulated and edited selfies may have adverse effects on their lives and can create a twisted impression of the real world. People who suffer from Selfitis are considered to be attention-seekers. They crave for attention every single minute and intend to improve their position in society by posting their snaps online. But, many psychiatrists have begged to differ and claimed that every complex human behavior is not a mental illness.

Potential Mental Health Benefits

A board member of the Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital at the UCLA has raised eyebrows on the efficacy of such studies. She cited quite a few mental health benefits that a selfie can bring about. When friends hit the like button on their snaps, their self-esteem is boosted, and they feel like someone has given them a pat on their back. With that being said, it’s not correct for them to rely on some external factors to increase their self-esteem.  Everything done in moderation is fine. So, selfies can actually be both beneficial and damaging as well. A psychologist argued that selfies don’t display your narcissism and can play a big role in improving an individual’s mental health, When people click snaps during moments of achievement, courage, or gratitude, their self-confidence is in an all-time high. According to her, selfies are just fabulous documentation of all the special moments in life and is part of the regular process.

Borderline, Acute, And Chronic Selfitis

If you take a minimum of three selfies each day, you possess traits of borderline Selfitis or so says the recently developed scale. The condition is considered to be severe when you begin posting them on various social networking sites for others to view, praise, and compliment. That certainly gives you immense satisfaction, doesn’t it? If someone keeps clicking selfies all throughout the day, that too incessantly, and posts at least six of them on social media every single day, the condition is termed as chronic Selfitis.

Selfitis Can Be Deadly

Though this piece of news might cause some discomfort in many an individual, over 30 people have died last year from taking selfies. Some selfie-takers have been run down by trains, while others have plummeted from extreme heights or even drowned, attempting to click the perfect selfie. One individual has even been trampled to death by an elephant. Such a disaster! Surprisingly, none of these people showed any traits of Selfitis before they died. Though it hasn’t still been proven that they suffered from this mental disorder, one thing appears certain – being obsessed to selfies can prove to be extremely hazardous and detrimental to an individual’s mental and physical health.

Every human being has little imperfections, and these flaws make them look beautiful. Your inner self is all that should matter, not how you look in your selfie uploads.