In the former life as a clinical psychologist, Dr. Phil often evaluated
patients considering plastic surgery to see whether they would be good
candidates. Although he doesn’t expect you to substitute his judgment
for your own, Dr. Phil does want you to be clear about why you want
surgery:
You need to ask yourself the hard questions because you are ultimately
accountable to yourself. If you’ve had multiple procedures ask yourself
if you have an addiction problem. Are you trying to fix some
psychological problem with a physical solution? You want to fix the
psychological problem, if it exists, and then if you want the surgery,
do it for the right reasons, and be prepared to live with the result.
Plastic surgery is not what is going to make your mark in this world.
Being a good parent, or friend, for example, is how you leave a legacy
and impact the world.
Ask yourself if you really have a problem. If you’re healthy and have
good genes, do you really have a problem that needs to be fixed with a
surgical solution?
What messages are you giving yourself that make you think you need
surgery? Are you negating your positive qualities (honesty, loyalty,
intelligence, humor, etc.) and hoping that plastic surgery can give you
what you feel you lack?
How do you expect to feel about yourself if you go ahead and get the
procedure? Are you looking for a different body, or are you really
hoping to attain self-esteem?
The only person who can give you what you want is you. Nobody else can
give you the self-esteem you need to have a healthy body image. A
surgeon can’t. the only thing that can “fix” you for you comes from the
inside-not the outside.
Remember that in the history of the entire world, there has never been
another you. And there never will be. God made you uniquely you. And
for you to reject that and say “I’m not good enough for me is not OK.”
If you want to get cosmetic surgery, get real with yourself first. Get
in touch with your authentic self so that you know who you truly are and
what you truly want.