熱門時事分享：容貌焦慮｜鏡子裡的自己總不夠好？你有容貌焦慮嗎？解析外貌壓力的心理議題｜20260106

歡迎收聽《HOT 用英文聊時事》。當你滑過社群媒體，看到網路上俊男美女們的精緻照片時，是否也曾對自己的外貌感到一絲不自信？根據英國心理健康學會的調查，34% 的成人對自己的身體意象感到焦慮。台灣兒福聯盟也表示，71% 的國高中生對自身外貌不滿意。隨著社群媒體普及與社會對外貌的高度關注，容貌焦慮已成為現代社會多數人的心理困擾。

Welcome to “Hot English Topics.” When you scroll through social media and see the perfect photos of handsome men and beautiful women online, have you ever felt a little insecure about your own appearance? According to a survey by the Mental Health Foundation in the UK, 34% of adults feel anxious about their body image. The Taiwan Child Welfare League Foundation also reports that 71% of junior high and high school students are dissatisfied with their appearance. With the rise of social media and society’s strong focus on looks, appearance anxiety has become a common psychological concern for most people today.

容貌焦慮又稱外貌或身體形象焦慮，指個體過度關注自己外貌上的細微缺陷，並因此感到羞愧、焦慮，甚至影響日常生活(參考來源：陪伴心理諮商體系)（參考來源：康健）。

Appearance anxiety, also called body image anxiety, refers to an individual’s excessive focus on small flaws in their appearance, which can lead to shame, worry, and even affect daily life. 

典型症狀包括：過度在意五官或身體特徵、頻繁或完全不敢照鏡子、經常與他人比較並衍生自卑，以及避免社交活動以逃避外貌評價。部分人也會藉由整形試圖改善外貌，但這類方式通常只能帶來短暫緩解，焦慮往往會再次出現（參考來源：醫師聯盟健康筆記）（參考來源：康健）。

Typical symptoms include being overly concerned about facial or body features, frequently or completely avoiding mirrors, often comparing oneself to others and feeling inferior, and avoiding social activities to escape judgment about appearance. Some people also try to improve their looks through plastic surgery, but this usually only provides temporary relief, and the anxiety often returns. 

容貌焦慮的成因相當複雜。常見風險包括：家族中有容貌焦慮或強迫症病史、曾經歷負面人生經驗，如童年曾遭嘲笑、忽視或虐待，以及腦部功能或腦內化學物質水平異常。此外，完美主義人格特質、社會對外貌的高期待，以及患有焦慮症或憂鬱症等，也可能提高發生容貌焦慮的風險（參考來源：康健）。

The causes of appearance anxiety are quite complex. Common risk factors include a family history of appearance anxiety or obsessive-compulsive disorder, experiencing negative life events such as being teased, neglected, or abused during childhood, and abnormal brain functions or chemical levels. In addition, personality traits like perfectionism, society’s high expectations of looks, and having anxiety or depression can also increase the risk of developing appearance anxiety.

研究指出，女性更常面臨容貌焦慮，但近年男性的外貌壓力也急遽上升。社群平台興起的「Looksmaxxing」成為男性提升外貌與自信的新風潮，涵蓋健身、打理儀容以及醫美等方式，指的是一連串「最大化男性外貌優勢」的行為。合理改善外貌並無大礙，但部分人追求更極端的「Hardmaxxing」，例如施打肉毒、使用類固醇增肌，甚至流傳以「敲擊臉骨」讓五官更立體等缺乏科學根據的做法。

Research shows that women more often face appearance anxiety, but in recent years, pressure on men regarding looks has also risen sharply. The rise of “Looksmaxxing” on social media has become a new trend for men to improve their appearance and confidence. This includes fitness, grooming, and even plastic surgery, and refers to a series of actions aimed at “maximizing male appearance advantages.” Improving one’s appearance reasonably is generally harmless, but some pursue more extreme “Hardmaxxing,” such as Botulinum toxin injection, steroid use for muscle gain, or even unproven methods like tapping the facial bones to make features more defined. 

而社群媒體則是造成男性外貌焦慮的重要推手。按照社會心理學家利昂．費斯廷格的社會比較理論，每個個體在缺乏客觀的情況下，會利用他人作為比較的尺度，來進行自我評價；在缺乏客觀標準的審美議題上，社群不斷推送所謂的理想身形與完美臉孔，讓使用者更容易感到自己不夠好。英國布魯內爾大學研究也證實，不論是主動互動或被動瀏覽，社群平台的推播內容都會強化男性對外貌的評價標準，進而增加壓力與焦慮（參考來源：換日線）。

Social media is an important driver of male appearance anxiety. According to social psychologist Leon Festinger’s Social Comparison Theory, individuals use others as a standard for self-evaluation when objective measures are lacking. On aesthetic topics without clear standards, social platforms continuously promote so-called ideal bodies and perfect faces, making users more likely to feel inadequate. Research from Brunel University of London also confirms that whether actively interacting or passively browsing, content on social media strengthens men’s standards for judging appearance, increasing pressure and anxiety. 

除了社群媒體上的「Looksmaxxing」風潮，容貌焦慮也開始在矽谷男性菁英中蔓延。即使擁有資金與成就，矽谷科技業男性仍湧向醫美診所，接受臉部拉提、眼皮手術等，只為維持「不顯老」的形象。在傳統觀念裡，男性的安全感多半來自於成就、職位、資歷、績效等。但如今的高科技產業重視的是員工未來能創造甚麼，而不是員工已經做過了甚麼。因此，疲勞或老態的臉不只顯示出年齡，而被視為能力下降、即將被淘汰的訊號。對這些科技菁英而言，這不是在追求美，而是一種職涯生存策略（參考來源：華爾街日報）。

Besides the “Looksmaxxing” trend on social media, appearance anxiety is also spreading among elite men in Silicon Valley. Even with money and achievements, men in the tech industry flock to aesthetic clinics for face lifts, eyelid surgery, and other procedures just to maintain a “youthful” look. In traditional views, men’s sense of security mostly comes from accomplishments, positions, experience, and performance. But today’s high-tech industry values what employees can create in the future, not what they have already done. As a result, a tired or aged face no longer just shows one’s age; it is seen as a sign of declining ability and a warning that one might be replaced. For these tech elites, this is not about pursuing beauty—it is a career survival strategy.

雖然容貌焦慮令人困擾，但仍有方法可以緩解與改善：第一，自我調適：透過深呼吸、冥想或正向自我對話，並搭配瑜珈、舞蹈等運動，改善身體形象並減輕焦慮。第二，社會支持：向理解你的家人或朋友傾訴，建立穩定社交連結。第三，專業協助：若症狀嚴重影響生活，心理治療能提供穩定且有效的幫助。最後，理解容貌焦慮，有助於更溫柔地面對自己，並逐步從比較與批判中抽離，重新看見自身價值(參考來源：陪伴心理諮商體系)。

Although appearance anxiety can be troubling, there are ways to relieve and improve it. First, self-adjustment: practice deep breathing, meditation, or positive self-talk, and combine it with yoga, dance, or other exercises to improve body image and reduce anxiety. Second, social support: talk to understanding family members or friends and build stable social connections. Third, professional help: if symptoms seriously affect life, psychological therapy can provide steady and effective support. Finally, understanding appearance anxiety can help you face yourself more gently, gradually step away from comparison and criticism, and rediscover your own value. 

本集節目由 CLN 製作播出，若你喜歡這種主題與雙語內容，歡迎追蹤我們、給我們五顆星，並分享給關注容貌焦慮、心理健康議題或對學英文有興趣的朋友。也告訴我們下次想聽的主題吧！我們下次見！

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