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Hyderabad: Selfie addicts report anxiety

Youngsters in the age group of 15 to 25 years were found to be spending at least five to six hours per day taking and re-taking selfies.

Hyderabad: Anxiety levels in 59 per cent of men and 60 per cent of women in Hyderabad were found to increase after they habitually took selfies and posted these on social media sites, according to a study of 300 respondents who had reported to mental health clinics and cosmetologists.

Youngsters in the age group of 15 to 25 years were found to be spending at least five to six hours per day taking and re-taking selfies. Most made use of filters that are available in smartphones, to enhance their physical appearance so that they get the maximum 'likes' for their selfies.

Those that did not use filters suffered from bouts of anxiety and low self-esteem because of the negative comments that they got, the study found. This made them work harder to improve their looks.

On the other hand, those who used selfie filters were not confident about meeting friends or relatives personally because they would not look so physically attractive.

They were found to suffer from mood swings, loneliness and extremely low self-esteem, says the study.

Dr Debraj Shome, senior plastic and cosmetic surgeon, explained, “The study was conducted in four cities and Hyderabad was chosen as there were cases reported in the city. While evaluating the data we found that cosmetologists were being approached to change their physical appearance and make them attractive.”

“The reason was that they wanted the selfies to look good. The inadequacy over looks is creating a strong desire to change looks through cosmetic surgery and procedures. This is a dangerous trend. Family members need to check on teenagers and others if their children are into too much of selfie-taking craze," Dr Debraj added.

( Source : Deccan Chronicle. )
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