What is tanorexia, or the obsession with tanning

There is a form of psychological dependence on tanning, which in medical terms is defined as tanorexia: here's what it is and how it manifests itself.

In the summer, we all dream of having skin that is amber and, for some, even more than tanned. There are those who are luckier and, in a few days at sea, take on a golden complexion, perhaps without even a small burn, and those who instead spend hours and hours under the sun, with poor results.
The problem is when the spasmodic search for a tan goes beyond normal limits, turning into a real disease.
Having the so-called obsession with tanning is in fact a problem that really exists and which takes the name of tanorexia.

What is tanorexia

This medical term indicates a pathological addiction which in the most common jargon is called "hunger for a tan". Although it is not a particularly known problem, several surveys have revealed that as many as 11 million people suffer from tanorexia in Italy alone, or just under 20% of the population. In short, it is not a simple desire to keep a tan all year round , but an addiction that should not be underestimated and for which those who suffer from it are willing to do everything, including putting their own health at risk. skin.

In short, it is a situation that should not be underestimated which has led, over time, to the need to deepen this psychological disorder .
The obsession with tanning can in fact have dangerous consequences for your health, both mentally and physically. But what, then, are the causes and symptoms of this dependence on the sun's rays ?

Tanorexia: causes and symptoms

At the root of this disorder, according to some psychological experts, there are problems such as low self-esteem , inability to accept one's image and emotional deficiencies. In fact, tanorexia can manifest itself as a form of self-gratification , which prevents those who suffer from it from truly understanding what are the risks they are facing.

In fact, tanning addiction pushes a person to never be satisfied with their physical appearance , always desiring a darker color for their skin. Among the main symptoms with which this obsession manifests itself we can include the aversion to any form of sunscreen and the anxiety that arises when those suffering from tanorexia cannot sunbathe.

The consequences of tanorexia

Like any form of addiction, even the obsession with tanning has significant psychological consequences . As mentioned above, sufferers initially experience severe anxiety about not feeling tanned enough. Subsequently, every time the person cannot expose himself to the sun or go to the solarium, an increasingly strong form of nervousness develops. The risk is to then move on to another addiction.

On a physical level, the consequences are all too clear: excessive exposure to sunlight can cause annoying burns, rashes and dermatitis in the first place. In the long run, this increases the risk of skin blemishes and melanoma .

Above all for this reason, when faced with a problem of tanorexia, it is essential to intervene with psychotherapy. In this way, in fact, it will be possible to grasp the exact origins of the problem and work on them in order to no longer feel the obsessive need to have golden skin.

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