Beauty And Mental Health — Interview w/ Ray Sadoun, Mental Health And Addiction Recovery Specialist
Ray Sadoun is a London-based mental health and addiction recovery specialist with more than fifteen years experience. He currently works for OK Rehab, a UK-based addiction and mental health treatment provider.
In this interview, he shares the perspective of a concerned mental health therapist to discuss how strict beauty standards can put us under pressure, how our self-worth can be tied to our appearance, and how we can stop prioritising our looks over everything else. Overall, he would argue that beauty is only a form of self-care if it’s something you genuinely enjoy and something you are doing for yourself. He knows: “As soon as you start to feel pressured, it crosses over into an unhealthy practice.”
What is the role of beauty in life?
We are all wired to enjoy things that are beautiful and to make things as beautiful as we can. I believe we do this as a way of appreciating our lives; we know that life is short and full of tragedy, so we need to find as much beauty as we can in order to counteract the negativity. There is also a biological need for beauty; we seek partners that are physically attractive in order to pass on these traits to our children. Though this is not always a conscious process, it is true that we value appearance when it comes to settling down with someone.
What are common misconceptions about beauty today?
The main misconception about beauty is that it is purely centred around looks. Appearance is not the only thing that makes someone beautiful — intelligence, wit, talent, and kindness can all bring out the beauty in a person. Another misconception is that it’s easy to be beautiful. While I would agree that beauty has its benefits, some of the most attractive people struggle to be taken seriously. They are also often taken advantage of as people believe they have nothing to offer apart from their looks.
How does a child perceive beauty?
Children perceive beauty as they perceive all things; with pure innocence. It’s easier for children to see people’s inner beauty as they haven’t yet been conditioned to judge others for their appearance. Having said that, children can also be brutally honest when it comes to beauty. They may voice when they find someone unattractive, which tells us that there is a certain universal standard of attractiveness that we all hold (though the specific standards vary for each person).
How can beauty/self-care practices empower mental health? Please give an example.
When we focus on our beauty, we often feel more confident in ourselves which can boost our mental health. For example, one of my clients is a single mother who has always felt as though she has nothing to offer except being a good parent. I have encouraged her to lean into self-care over the past few months and she is more empowered than ever. Part of the self-care includes having a skincare routine and doing affirmations, two things that are strongly linked to beauty. When my client practises these things, she feels as though she’s gifting her future self with confidence.
How can beauty standards affect mental health?
It’s no secret that we are plagued with strict beauty standards, mainly coming from the media. This puts unnecessary pressure on us to always look good and to prioritise our appearance over everything else. It goes without saying that this pressure often gets too much for people and starts to have an impact on their mental health. In extreme cases, people can develop body dysmorphia, which is when they view themselves in a distorted way and they obsess over perceived flaws in their appearance. Another complication that can arise from strict beauty standards is eating disorders. We can obsessively compare our weight to the weight of people we see in the media, which can perpetuate a dangerous cycle of starvation or binging and purging.
What is a healthy way to approach beauty?
As a mental health therapist, I would argue the healthiest way to approach beauty is to see it as one of your many assets. You may value your intelligence but you realise it isn’t the basis of your identity. The same should be true of your beauty. It’s great to bask in your beauty and to enjoy things like makeup and fashion, but as soon as you begin to feel pressured into living up to other people’s expectations, you should reconsider your approach to beauty.
What are trends in beauty that you find healthy, which are trends that are unhealthy?
One beauty trend that I find healthy is creating a skincare routine. This is something that your future self will thank you for as it makes the aging process less harsh. If you incorporate a skincare routine into your self-care activities, you will feel proud that you’re taking care of your skin as a preventative measure.
Conversely, something I don’t find to be healthy is the fixation on covering up our natural appearance. Makeup should be used to enhance natural features rather than to create the illusion that we are flawless. I believe we are being influenced by advertisements that show models with perfect skin and toned bodies, when the reality is that most of these images have been touched up.
What needs to change to create a healthier image of beauty?
We need to talk more about body acceptance. This is a healthy movement that encourages us to accept our bodies without fixating on them. It also creates room for people with all body types to feel confident in their appearance. This means that young children can see people of all shapes and sizes embracing their bodies and realise that there is no one body type they have to chase after.
What do you wish people knew about beauty?
I wish people knew that beauty is more than appearance. When we talk of the most beautiful people, we almost always discuss people who have made a difference in our lives with their wonderful personalities. As much as we may admire physically attractive people, it means nothing without an beautiful character to go with it.
THANK YOU!
Demee Koch about the MEDIUM interview series on Beauty And Mental Health:
Hello! I am a serial entrepreneur with more than 2 decades of experience in the health & beauty industry. This interview series is about the effects of beauty, self-care and the beauty industry on mental health.
For me, beauty is a way to love — it is about self-care, art, nutrition, exercise, life, self-love. With this interview series, I invite experts to become part of a movement that re-defines beauty with its trends, standards and practices. Let’s empower beautiful minds.
Thank you for being the change. I’m looking forward to learn from each one of you. Reach out to me via LinkedIn.
Demee ❤︎
