Bob Morley recently opened up about his lifelong struggle with body dysmorphia during a revealing conversation on Tommy DiDario’s I’ve Never Said This Before podcast. The 100 star shared his personal journey with the mental health disorder.
“There’s something I have never really talked about,” said Morley, 39. “I think my entire life I’ve struggled with a form of body dysmorphia. Exercise is a significant part of my mental health routine, but sometimes it can be too much. I often find myself battling conflicting thoughts about my appearance. In the morning, after working out, I might feel great, but by lunchtime, I can feel like a slob and avoid looking at myself.”
Morley described the constant struggle of comparing himself to others and the relentless pressure to meet certain appearance standards. “It’s brutal. The back and forth of this kind of body dysmorphia and the comparisons to other people,” he continued. “It’s incessant, this idea of what I'm supposed to look like.”
Body dysmorphia, as defined by the Mayo Clinic, is a mental health disorder where an individual is obsessively concerned with perceived flaws in their appearance. This can lead to significant anxiety and difficulty in daily life and social interactions.
Morley also shared that his issues began during his teenage years with an eating disorder and continue to be an everyday challenge. “I don’t know the answer to it,” he admitted. “It’s something that I’ll have to work on and learn to be kind to myself. It comes in many different forms, and finding peace within yourself is key.”
Initially, Morley thought his struggles might be due to the pressures of the entertainment industry, but he realized that many people experience similar issues. “I think a lot of people go through this on a day-to-day basis, and it’s unrelenting — this kind of perception of self,” he said. “I think we’re all going through that struggle, and it’d be nice to give ourselves some grace.”
During the podcast, which is currently ranked #2 on the Apple Podcast Charts in entertainment news, Morley’s wife and former The 100 co-star Eliza Taylor spoke about witnessing his challenges over the years. “He’ll look in the mirror and see something that isn’t there. I’ll say, ‘What are you talking about? You’re so fit and beautiful,’” said Taylor, who also opened up about her own battle with postpartum depression.
Morley emphasized the importance of self-compassion, saying he often has to remind himself: “You can be gentle to yourself.”
The Quran - Chapter Al-Hadid : 28
O people of faith! Fear Allah and believe in His Messenger. ˹And˺ He will grant you a double share of His mercy, provide you with a light to walk in ˹on Judgment Day˺, and forgive you. For Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
