Supermodel Jordan Barrett Opens Up About Mental Health Struggles
Renowned Australian supermodel Jordan Barrett, 29, has spoken with remarkable candor about his experiences with mental health conditions, including body dysmorphia. In a recent interview, the catwalk star disclosed that concerns about body image are pervasive within the modeling industry, and he 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 internal struggle many in his profession face, 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 detailed how his physique has often made it difficult to adhere to industry standards. “I’ve gone through that, I think I’ve got body dysmorphia to a sense where I always think I’m too skinny and that’s because I would be given, I think, a size 28 pair of pants and I’m a six-foot-three boy (size 32 pant),” he revealed. “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 model also shared that he took a hiatus from modeling for over two years while navigating challenges with anxiety and an Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) diagnosis. Barrett described the concentration difficulties associated with ADHD, noting he often needs to read a book multiple times, even while listening to an audiobook, to fully absorb the material.
Public Concern Over Appearance
Barrett’s recent admissions follow public concern that arose after he appeared notably gaunt at London Fashion Week in 2023. At the time, he later explained his weight loss was in preparation for another marathon. He announced his intention to participate in the Vienna Marathon to raise funds for the organization LDA Les Disparus Anonymes, aimed at recovering missing children.
Early Career and Discoveries
Discovered at the age of 13 in a grocery store on the Gold Coast by Kirk Blake of What Model Management, Barrett’s career began at a young age. He recalled in a 2013 interview that he was attempting to steal matches for cigarettes at the time, as he was underage and unable to purchase them.
Barrett has previously been linked with several high-profile figures, including Paris Hilton, Hailey Baldwin, Sofia Richie, Megan Blake Irwin, Lara Stone, and Sahara Ray.
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