2023-05-20 08:03:35
“Mirror Mirror, who is the most beautiful in the kingdom?“, the evil queen asked her magic mirror every day. It was magical because a spirit inhabited it that possessed the gift of wisdom and always telling the truth. “It is you, my queen, the most beautiful woman in the kingdom” , he always answered. Until one day his answer changed: “It’s your stepdaughter, Snow Whitethe most beautiful woman in the kingdom”. The evil queen, before the response of the wise and sincere mirror, became enraged and consumed in an abyss of envy, jealousy and rage, making it his sole purpose to destroy Snow White.
The Snow White folk tale published in 1812 is one of the best known of the collection of 210 tales written by the Grimm brothers. Later, in 1937 Walt Disney adapted it and created his first animated film. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfsa fictional story also known for representing one of the most malevolent, egotistical and cruel characters in the Disney classics, the wicked queen stepmother of Snow White. But have you ever wondered why the queen is so cruel and why she is so obsessed with her physical image?
If we analyze the emotions of the queen and her feeling of unsafety, we can agree that they are very human and as real as life itself. While some people may feel a degree of insecurity when looking in the mirror regarding some aspect of their body, they can often go regarding their daily activities without being constrained. However, for other people this process is not so simple as they live in a permanent state of anguish every time they are in front of one. They criticize, compare and lash out at their body harshly every time they look in the mirror or see themselves in a reflection, until the dagger of the self-loathing ends up destroying any loophole of self-esteem. These people, who in our society are not few, often suffer from a emotional disorder associated with the constant and obsessive search for defects in their body when they look in the mirror, known as the mirror syndrome.
People who suffer from mirror syndrome are characterized by developing a harmful and unhealthy emotional relationship with their body and their physical image. They often develop a body dysmorphic disorder, known for creating a distorted mental image of his body, similar to when we look in a distorted mirror at fairs or circuses. Are women and men of any age who want to be physically perfect; an idealized and non-existent perfection. they feel ashamed of her bodyisolate themselves and abuse each other verbally and physically until they fall into a deep depression. Their suffering is so intense that if they might, they would let themselves be eaten by the ferocious wolf of the story of little Red Riding Hoodin order to stop suffering. For them there are no words of comfort and they often need help from a specialized professional.
The role of beauty in our life
The role of beauty is present from the moment we are aware of our existence and throughout life. Not only is it linked to the history of humanity, but it is one of the most desired virtues. Being and being handsome is something that worries and that occupies a lot of time and effort in the day to day of many people. Beauty is a subjective concept; what may seem beautiful to some, is not to others. However, in our society there are certain canons of beauty that influence our perspective on it. Therefore, whether we like it or not, image and physical beauty play a significant role not only in the self-esteem and in the form of relate to ourselvesbut it influences behavior, and the way of walking and interacting.
According to the psychiatrist Jesus of the Gandara in his work The mirror syndromeat present we are continuously being harassed by messages that transmit that beauty is a priority, and even a need to be happy and successful. It is often associated with four main concepts: pleasure, goodness, power, and health. Concepts that are not only permanently in the conscious and unconscious mind of people, but are always present in the “hypermirrors of image and desire” or “magic mirrors” of our current world (digital platforms, and the media ). As a result, many people live in a state of stress, frustration and confusion between what is real and what is fiction by “creating an imaginative and pleasant environment (mirage), where what matters is not the object or its function, but creating an ideal, perfect and happy halo around it, a magical world in which wishes and desires become reality.”
Because? Because the magic mirror builds a parallel reality, which not only confuses fiction and non-fiction, but also creates a conflict between wants and needs and between “the reality of life with its imperfections and an ideal and perfect reality”. In other words, a distorted visual effect similar to fireworks is created, which following a moment of beauty and illusion, the lights disappear to leave us in the dark with “hypersincere mirrors” that disappoint us by showing us the truth regarding the harsh reality, as It happened to the queen in Snow White.
What to do to manage our bodily insecurities?
To develop a healthy relationship with our physical imageyou can help us carry out a self reflection work with a trustworthy person who does not judge us and transmits serenity to us. As long as we respect our own rhythm, it is recommended to review the meaning and power that beauty has in our lives and our personal relationships. Subsequently, it is convenient to analyze our past and ask ourselves, what comments did the people around us make regarding our bodies during childhood and adolescence? Who was making the comments and how did it affect us emotionally?
When we analyze the role that beauty has played in our family and friendship environment, it is easier to understand certain fears associated with our self-esteem, to the sense of belonging and the search for validation by others. Finally, it will help us to question these beliefs and establish objective, flexible and kinder self-assessment criteria that adapt to our personality. The key is in learn to look at ourselves in a kinder way to be able to build a healthier relationship with ourselves. In the words of Gándara “your mirror is as smart as you are. Learn to look at yourself intelligently, and your mirror will be fair and wise with you.”
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