by Katie Mercogliano ’14

To tell which day of the week it is, one no longer needs a calendar; he/she can simply check the “hashtags” of Instagram, from #mirrorpicmonday to #throwbackthursday, and the most sacred of all days, #selfiesunday. Many see selfies, the act of taking a photograph of yourself most commonly with an iPhone, as a harmless and innocent act.

Recent studies have revealed that posting a selfie on social networking outlets is more detrimental to both physical and emotional health than previously thought. Several elaborate scientific studies have been conducted recently focusing on the drastically damaging effects that taking selfies can have on teenage Americans.

One costly disorder that can result from constant selfie-taking is DFPD, or Duck Face Permanence Disorder. This life-changing disorder supposedly branches from one too many selfies with the very popular “duck face” pose. The duck face is where people pout and stick out their lips to an extreme to obtain an Angelina Jolie-esque effect. This disorder causes the face to paralyze in the pose of the duck face.

“DFPD is much more common in girls than boys … but since there is no known treatment or cure, anyone can become victim to this dreadful disorder,” warned Dr. Jules Cruggins, a plastic surgeon renowned for innovations in repairing facial disfigurements.

The social effects of this cultural teen phenomenon also are concerning experts. Behavioral psychologists have recently found a trend of increased drug use in the “selfie” youth of America. “The risk of drug use increases at least 61.7 percent when a teen posts selfies weekly. That rate rises even more if the teen is taking a selfie of herself actually abusing drugs,” explained Megan Osenbocker, a psychologist of adolescent development at the University of Illinois.

Parents are urged to be on alert for warning signs of possible selfie-taking addiction. Signals that a child could be taking selfies are constant phone use, Instagram use and Snap Chat use. (For more signs, visit the website posted below). With iPhones becoming more and more popular, this problem is only going to increase. Experts and public health advocates are pleading with parents and educators to treat this issue seriously.

If you or anyone you know could be showing warning signs of possible selfie abuse, please contact 1-800-SELFIES or visit www.helpyourselfie.org for assistance in stopping it before it’s too late. Remember, you can save a life with just one simple call.