Published Feb 02, 2026 | 7:53 AM ⚊ Updated Feb 02, 2026 | 7:53 AM
Body image issues. Representative image. (iStock)
Synopsis: The recent death of a teenager in Tamil Nadu points to a pattern that doctors and psychologists say is becoming increasingly common — young people risking serious harm in pursuit of rapid body transformation. Psychologists said teenagers and young adults today grow up under relentless pressure to conform to narrow beauty ideals, amplified through films, television, advertisements and social media platforms.
When an 18-year-old college student from Madurai in Tamil Nadu consumed a substance which she found recommended in a YouTube video to reduce weight, she likely believed she was choosing a harmless, “natural” shortcut. Within hours, she fell severely ill.
Blood appeared in her stool. Her abdomen hurt unbearably. By the time neighbours helped rush her to Government Rajaji Hospital in Madurai, it was too late. Doctors declared her dead on arrival.
The death of Kalaiarasi, a first-year undergraduate student, shook her family and neighbourhood. It also drew attention to a pattern that doctors and psychologists say is becoming increasingly common — young people risking serious harm in pursuit of rapid body transformation.
Her father’s warning, spoken through tears, carries a weight that goes beyond one family’s loss. “No parent should lose a child like this,” he said, urging others not to trust medicines promoted on social media without medical advice.
Psychologists said teenagers and young adults today grow up under relentless pressure to conform to narrow beauty ideals.
These ideals are shaped and amplified through films, television, advertisements and, most intensely, social media platforms that reward appearance with validation.
“This constant exposure leads to what we call thin-ideal internalisation,” said Dr Manoj Kumar Sharma, Professor of Clinical Psychology and Coordinator of the SHUT Clinic at NIMHANS, Bengaluru.
“Young people begin to believe that thinness is not just desirable but necessary to belong, to be liked, or to feel worthy,” he told South First.
When such beliefs take root, Dr Sharma said, individuals become more likely to engage in risky behaviours — from extreme dieting to consuming unverified substances — in search of quick results rather than sustainable health.
Social media does more than promote an ideal body type; it reshapes how decisions are made. Platforms are filled with before-and-after images, transformation reels and influencer endorsements that promise dramatic results with minimal effort.
“Influencers are perceived as trustworthy and relatable because they share personal stories,” explained Soumya Sardana, Research Scholar at the SHUT Clinic, NIMHANS.
“When they endorse products, people focus more on the influencer’s popularity or attractiveness rather than on the safety or contents of what is being promoted,” she told South First.
According to the Elaboration Likelihood Model of persuasion, she said, users often rely on emotional cues rather than critical thinking when they lack technical knowledge. “The product becomes secondary; the personality selling it becomes the message.”
Body dissatisfaction, experts said, is not uncommon during adolescence and young adulthood. It becomes dangerous when appearance begins to dominate self-worth and everyday functioning.
Warning signs include obsessive mirror-checking, constant comparison with others, fear of being judged, and rigid beliefs such as “I must be thin to be loved,” Dr Sharma said.
Mood fluctuations tied closely to appearance and engagement in extreme measures — restrictive diets, excessive exercise, or unregulated supplements — signal deeper distress.
These behaviours are often intensified by bullying, perceived rejection, and excessive social media exposure, creating a cycle where vulnerability meets misinformation.
Doctors warn that over-the-counter and unregulated weight loss products can cause severe and sometimes fatal complications.
“These substances often lead to nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and abdominal pain,” said Dr Sarika N Holla, Consultant General Physician at Kinder Hospitals, Bengaluru.
Speaking to South First, she said, more serious consequences include inflammation of the pancreas, liver and kidneys, dangerously low blood sugar levels, and cardiovascular complications such as abnormal heart rhythms, heart failure and even heart attacks.
“Many of these products are not FDA-approved and may contain hidden or banned ingredients,” Dr Holla added.
“Without medical supervision, they can lead to hormonal imbalance, liver or kidney failure, gallbladder disease, thyroid dysfunction and long-term nutritional deficiencies.”
Experts agreed that preventing such deaths requires intervention at multiple levels. Medical gatekeeping is crucial to control access to harmful substances, while stricter regulation of online content can reduce the spread of misinformation.
Parental monitoring, particularly for adolescents, can limit access to dangerous products, but experts caution that it cannot work in isolation. “Awareness and open conversations are essential,” Sardana said.
For lasting change, doctors and psychologists stressed the need for school-based education that teaches media literacy, body acceptance and critical thinking — so that young people learn to question what they see online before it costs them their health or their lives.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
