I recently observed a trend among our young women, the pressure to look a certain way has become overwhelming. Everywhere we turn on social media, television, or even in our communities, we are told that to be beautiful means to be thick, curvy, or full-figured. Sadly, this belief has pushed many women into dangerous habits, including the abuse of drugs, all in the name of adding weight.
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Recently, I saw someone close to me taking dexamethasone, a steroid meant for treating serious medical conditions like asthma and inflammation. She wasn’t sick, she only wanted to gain weight quickly because people kept telling her she was “too slim.” Watching her swallow those pills day after day broke my heart. She believed that a bigger body would make her more confident and accepted, but she didn’t realize the silent damage those drugs could cause inside her body.
Many women are doing the same. Some take or mix all kinds of appetite stimulants, vitamins, and blood tonics, hoping to add weight in a few weeks. Others go as far as taking contraceptive pills or hormonal injections for the same reason. These shortcuts may bring temporary results, but they come with dangerous side effects that can last a lifetime.
And to make it worst, Friends, partners, and even family members sometimes make careless comments that hurt deeply. “You’re too skinny.” “You need to add weight.” Those words may seem small, but they can push a woman into doing desperate things just to feel accepted or loved.
But what many don’t realize is that abusing drugs for weight gain can destroy the very health they are trying to improve. Steroids like dexamethasone can cause high blood pressure, diabetes, liver damage, and hormonal imbalance. They can make the face swell, cause acne, and weaken the body’s natural strength. Mentally, they can lead to depression, low self-esteem, and body insecurity, creating a cycle of pain that is hard to break.
It hurts to see how far we’ve gone just to meet false standards of beauty. We should not have to risk our health to feel beautiful. Real beauty isn’t about size it’s about confidence, kindness, and inner peace. It’s about loving yourself the way you are and taking care of your body, not destroying it.
We must start encouraging one another to live healthy. Eat well, exercise, rest, and embrace your body at every stage. Health workers and educators should also spread awareness about the dangers of drug misuse, especially among young women. The more we talk about it, the more lives we can save.
I wish my friend, and others like her, could see that their worth is not measured by their size, but by their heart, strength, and character. True beauty begins the moment you choose to love yourself just as you are.
