Tanorexia, or tanning addiction, predominantly affects young women between 16 and 35 years old. This perception disorder is related to a cognitive bias that leads sufferers to see their pale skin in a distorted way.
Psychologist Luis Antón, director of the Institute of Advanced Psychotherapies, interviewed by EFE Salud, highlights how social pressure and public image play a crucial role in this addiction. He highlights that men “are not exempt, especially in contexts where the body is part of social identity,” as is the case with athletes or influencers.
The search for validation through tanning is associated with the perception of attractiveness, a notion rooted in certain cultures, especially Mediterranean ones.
Health consequences
The Spanish Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (AEDV) warns about the increased risk of melanoma, the most lethal type of skin cancer. Excessive sun exposure is cumulative and causes damage that manifests over time, such as spots and wrinkles.
This in a context where the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared skin cancer the most common.
Dermatologist Lourdes Rodríguez, president of the AEDV, suggests the use of self-tanning products as a safe option to achieve a desired tone without risk to health. In addition, it emphasizes the importance of using sun protection and remembering that tanning should not be associated with health.
Other addictions related to personal image
In addition to vigorexia (or Adonis syndrome) and anorexia/bulimia, which are the best known, there are several addictions or psychological disorders focused on personal image:
Body dysmorphia (BDD). Body dysmorphic disorder involves an obsession with a part of the body perceived as defective, even if the defect is slight or nonexistent. People spend hours thinking about this “defect”, constantly look in the mirror, question others about their appearance and repeatedly resort to cosmetic surgery without achieving improvement.
Cosmeticorexia. It is an addiction not officially recognized, but increasingly common in clinical practice. It consists of an obsessive cult of beauty and aesthetic improvement, which leads to repeated cosmetic interventions, excessive use of products and an endless search for physical perfection.
Megarexia. It is used to describe a distorted perception in which the person appears much thinner than they really are. Unlike anorexia (where one looks larger), someone with megarexia underestimates their size and may neglect their health. Although it is not an official diagnosis, it is linked to body dysmorphic disorder.
Recent behavioral addictions
Photorexia. It is an unhealthy obsession with taking selfies and photographs of yourself. It is associated with body dysmorphia, the need for external validation and addiction to social networks.
Selfitis (selfie addiction). Some researchers propose this term to describe an obsessive-compulsive desire to take photos and post them on social networks as a way to compensate for a lack of self-esteem.
Captotrophilia. It is an obsessive-compulsive mania that arises from the search for physical perfection. It is characterized by constantly looking in the mirror in search of defects, linked to perfectionism, self-demand and self-valuation based on image. It causes anguish and self-punishment.
Addiction to beauty filters. Increasingly clinically, it is observed in people who depend on filters to feel comfortable with their image, and who experience anxiety or rejection towards their “unedited” appearance.
What do they have in common?
These addictions usually share:
Many of these conditions are not officially recognized in diagnostic manuals, but are addressed in psychological practice due to their real impact on daily life.
