Supermodel Jordan Barrett Discusses Mental Health Struggles
Australian supermodel Jordan Barrett has recently shared candid details about his ongoing struggles with mental health, specifically addressing body dysmorphia. The 29-year-old catwalk star revealed in a recent interview that concerns surrounding body image are pervasive within the modeling industry, and he himself is not immune to these pressures.
Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is characterized by an obsessive preoccupation with perceived flaws in one’s appearance. Barrett explained the intense environment he works in, stating, “I’m around some of the most beautiful people in the world and they all think that they’re horrific looking.”
Challenges with Sample Sizes and Body Image
Barrett elaborated on his personal experience with BDD, noting, “I’ve gone through that, I think I’ve got body dysmorphia to a sense where I always think I’m too skinny.” He attributed this perception partly to the difficulties he faced with sample sizes throughout his career. “I’ve never been able to fit a sample size my entire career. I wasn’t sample size when I was given number one model status that would fit these clothes that were sample size so I was always having to hide my height… but whatever it took for the booking.”
Extended Break and ADHD Diagnosis
The supermodel also disclosed that he took a hiatus from modeling for over two years while managing anxiety and an Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) diagnosis. Barrett described the concentration challenges posed by his ADHD, admitting, “I have to read a book four or five times while listening to an audiobook to get through it.”
Public Concern Over Appearance
Barrett’s recent comments follow public concern over his noticeably gaunt appearance. He drew attention at London Fashion Week in 2023, where his significantly thinner frame sparked worry among fans. At the time, he later explained his weight loss was due to training for another marathon, specifically the Vienna Marathon, to raise funds for the organization LDA Les Disparus Anonymes, dedicated to recovering missing children.
Early Career and Industry Beginnings
Discovered at the age of 13 in a grocery store on the Gold Coast, Barrett’s modeling career began with Kirk Blake of What Model Management. He recounted in a past interview, “I was scouted in my local grocery store on the Gold Coast by a man named Kirk Blake, who has been in the industry for years.” He also shared a recollection from a New York magazine interview about attempting to steal matches for cigarettes at the time, as he was underage.
Barrett has been publicly linked with various notable figures, including Paris Hilton, Hailey Baldwin, Sofia Richie, Megan Blake Irwin, Lara Stone, and Sahara Ray.
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