Defining Body Image
The National Eating Disorder Association (NEDA) defines body image as “how you see yourself when you look in the mirror or when you picture yourself in your mind.” It includes:
- Your perceptions of your own appearance
- The perceived aesthetic value of your height, shape, and weight.
- How you feel inside of your body when you move about your day.
Many of us start to experience a negative self-image at a noticeably early age. Socialization and the media play a significant role in how we perceive ourselves from childhood, with magazines encouraging slim figures for women and muscular figures for men.
But did you know that a negative self-image can directly impact your mental well-being? Having a positive self-image is critical to your mental health and a necessary part of combating eating disorders.
Body Acceptance vs. Body Dissatisfaction
The idea of body acceptance or body positivity is exactly how it sounds; accepting and celebrating your body exactly as it is. Of course, this can be easier than it sounds. Our perception of ourselves is shaped by the world around us. What is the conventional and often toxic “standard of beauty” in your country? Are you too thin? Too heavy? Is your nose the wrong size? All these elements play a role in our self-image.
A negative body image is a distortion of our self-perception that tells us we are not good enough simply as we are. NEDA reports “Negative body image (or body dissatisfaction) involves feelings of shame, anxiety, and self-consciousness. People who experience high levels of body dissatisfaction are more likely to suffer from feelings of depression, isolation, low self-esteem, and eating disorders.”
There are a few aspects to body image. There is perceptual body image, which is what you perceive to be true, affective body image, which is how you feel about your self-image, cognitive body image, which is how you think about your body, and behavioral body image, which is how you act towards and within your body. All these elements play a role in how we treat ourselves.
Perceptual body image can be grossly distorted and result in extreme behaviors such as an eating disorder, while behavioral body image may cause someone to workout excessively or undergo plastic surgery. All these negative perceptions can be toxic to someone’s health if not treated.
The Body Liberation Movement
Good news is there are multiple movements fighting back against social media and the media’s portrayal of “ideal” bodies and faces. The University of Vermont defines the body liberation movement as “the freedom from social and political systems of oppression that designate certain bodies as more worthy, healthy, and desirable than others.” Examples of systems that keep people oppressed and trapped in self-hate include:
- Ableism: discrimination against people with disabilities in favor of able-bodied people.
- Fatphobia: the irrational fear of, aversion to, or discrimination against obesity or people with obesity.
- Healthism: places a moral obligation on health and insists that a person's health is entirely their responsibility.
According to The University of Vermont, “Other examples include racism, homophobia, transphobia, sexism, xenophobia, and religious discrimination. The body liberation movement says no to all of this. Social media has become a place where “body positivity” is taking over, with influencers posting photos of their “unconventional” beauty, whether that be size, height, weight, skin color, disabilities and more.
Body Image and Mental Health
According to the National Library of Medicine, there are a host of problems that can result from a negative self-image including but not limited to:
- Anxiety
- Body dysmorphia
- Depression
- Eating disorders (anorexia, bulimia)
- Feelings of shame or guilt
- Financial strain
- Guilt
- Negative self-talk
- Poor self esteem
- Preoccupation with weight or body type
More than anything, obsessive thoughts seem to be a leading cause of mental health issues when it comes to body image. But much like sleep and mental health, it is a cyclical process where obsessive thoughts can cause both anxiety and depression, and depression and/or anxiety can cause a negative self-image. Researchers, to this point, have had a tough time pinpointing which comes first. But either way, it does not feel good.
Body Dysmorphic Disorder
Body dysmorphic disorder is when an individual cannot stop obsessing over a perceived flaw or problem with their appearance. Symptoms of body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) can include an unreasonable belief that you have a physical flaw that makes you ugly or deformed, an unhealthy obsession with said perceived flaw in appearance, engaging in behaviors aimed at fixing or hiding the perceived flaw such as frequently checking the mirror, grooming or skin picking and avoiding social situations altogether.
According to the DSM-5, questions that can be asked to diagnose body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) include:
- Are you unhappy with your appearance in any way?
- What don’t you like about your appearance?
- Are you unhappy with any other aspects of your appearance, such as your face, hair, skin, nose, or the size or shape of any other body area?
- What amount of time do you spend per day thinking about your appearance if you were to add up all the time you spend?
- How much distress do these appearance concerns cause you?
- Do these appearance concerns interfere with your life or cause difficulties for you in any way?
How to Improve Your Mental Health and Body Image
In a world that is constantly flooding us with the idea that we need to improve upon ourselves cosmetically and physically, it can feel easy to fall into the traps of self-loathing. So, what can you do to improve your body image and self-esteem?
- Consume less social media: Put plainly, social media is not reality. Photoshop, face filters and more give us a perceived image of “perfection” but it is rarely the truth. According to a study conducted by the American Psychological Association, “Teens and young adults who reduced their social media use by 50% for just a few weeks saw significant improvement in how they felt about both their weight and their overall appearance compared with peers who maintained consistent levels of social media use.”
- Stop comparing yourself to others: Mark Twain said, “comparison is the death of joy” and for good reason! When we are constantly comparing ourselves to one another, especially when it comes to appearance, we will rarely find self-satisfaction. Why? Every physical body is completely individual. Our metabolism, height, weight, cultural background, and genetics are all varied and in that variance is immense beauty. If you are looking to another person for self-love, try looking inside instead.
- CBT: Cognitive behavioral therapy for body issues can help cultivate self-compassion, decrease obsessive behaviors such as grooming, help you develop a more realistic view of your body, and build up your self-esteem.
Remember, there is no such thing as the perfect face, the perfect complexion, or the perfect height and weight. If you are struggling with your mental health or self-image, seek professional care. There are steps to take to heal, and you deserve to love yourself, inside and out.
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