Love Island Australia 2022’s Maddy Gillbanks has revealed how she struggled with feeling “fat” and experiencing “body dysmorphia” while comparing herself to other girls in the villa.
Speaking to So Dramatic!, the 26-year-old explained that she struggled with self-esteem while walking around in a bikini all day.
Maddy recalled that none of the boys described her as their ideal type when she arrived as a bomb and the repeated “criticism” impacted her confidence.
“I just felt so fat compared to the other petite, skinny girls,” Maddy explained. “Every time I would introduce myself to a guy, they would say that their type is ‘petite, skinny and brunette’ and I was like, ‘OK, that’s everything that I am not, great.’ And there are only so many times you can keep taking the criticism before it does take a bit of a blow to the ego.”
She continued: “So after the first few days, I was just like, ‘Okay, great. I feel like shit.’ It’s really hard to keep putting yourself out there and being your best most confident self when you feel like you’re the ugly duckling of the group.”
Maddy explained that she became more aware of how her body looked because she was “one of the larger women there.”
“My stomach was so sore from sucking it in all day, every day,” she confessed.
But looking back at the final cut of Love Island Australia 2022, Maddy questioned whether she had been experiencing “body dysmorphia”.
“Looking back on it now. I’m just like, ‘oh my god, why was I so mean to myself in that environment?’ I should not have been like that. I didn’t deserve to treat myself like that in that situation,” Maddy said.
And no, girl, you did not!
The reality star then said that she’s now thankfully come to realise her self-worth and has learnt not to be so critical of herself.
“I know that now because looking back, I’m like, ‘you’re so hot.” I am so hot. Why did I waste so much time being insecure? It was honestly, not a good move by me,” she admitted. “I think when I feel uncomfortable or I’m doing something new, my default is to second guess myself and second guess my worth.”
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