Week 4 - Medicine, Technology, and Art

Body modification taken to the extreme

Medicine is an ever expanding field, and with the recent increase in body modifications, the realm of medical technology and art is continuing to grow. The particulars of body modification can range from implants, to injections, to removing sections of tissue, and everything in between. The human art modification I'll be looking into is the recent trend in physique modification; particularly with the use of drugs. Media has done a great job at promoting a pristine and statuesque model for what the perfect male and female body should look like. Aside from mental insecurities for anyone outside of this 1% of model humans, this often drives people to desperate measures to attain these glorified physiques.

Cartoon exhibiting body dysmorphia

From an artistic perspective, we can view someone trying to change their body as a type of art; with the person as the artist and the artwork at the same time. For example, we can look at a bodybuilder as a sculptor; with their body as their own living and ever changing sculpture. They are using their own body to represent the way they wish to be viewed by any given audience. In this sense, the person has changed their physiology to be interpreted by others in a brand new way. Sounds like art to me. However, the scary side to this type of body modification comes with the diseases and medicine associated with extreme cases of body modification.

Statistics on body dysmorphia

Diseases like bulimia, anorexia, and body dysmorphia are more prevalent than ever in children, teenagers, and young adults. During these critical periods in life, people learn how to form friendships and how to fit in with their respective crowds. However, social broadcasting hinders people from thinking of themselves with utmost confidence. This lack of self confidence or a sense of ones' self lacking value can push people to the extreme and experiment with drugs to help obtain results.

Drugs like metabolism boosters, fat burners, and hormonal therapies are coincidentally trending higher in usage along with the increase in dysmorphic diseases. Which shows that these people are seeking out extreme methods to "cure" themselves from originality to become another idolized extreme physique in society.

These drugs ruin a person's internal homeostasis, and can have serious long term effects on health. But despite the risk, there is still a huge draw to having one of these extreme body types, and people will stop at nothing to make it their reality.


Sources

 Brooks, Peter. "Pumping Iron Documentary - Arnold Schwarzenegger." YouTube. YouTube, 31 Dec. 2012. Web. 24 Apr. 2016.

Carvajal, Andres. "Body Dysmorphic Disorder." PositiveMed. 16 May 2014. Web. 24 Apr. 2016.

 Diaz, Jesus. "Woman With Most Extreme Body Modifications Just Got Even More Extreme." Gizmodo. Allure Media, 4 Feb. 2015. Web. 24 Apr. 2016.

Retina, Melinda, M.D. "Diet Pills, Prescription Weight Loss Drugs, Appetite Suppressants." WebMD. WebMD, 04 Apr. 2016. Web. 24 Apr. 2016. 

 University of California, Los Angeles. "Why the Mirror Lies: Individuals with Body Dysmorphic Disorder See Their Own Faces Differently." Phys.org. 1 Feb. 2010. Web. 24 Apr. 2016.

UConlineprogram. "Medicine Pt3." YouTube. 22 Apr. 2012. Web. 24 Apr. 2016.