Body Image
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Social media is flooded with pictures of celebrities, fitness trainers, and influencers identifying the perfect body. Women and men all over the world feel compelled to adhere to this body image and try their best efforts to reach this “perfect body.” This standardization of what a body should look like leaves many individuals with a negative body image. Individuals with negative body image tend to have a distorted image of their bodies, feel ashamed and self-conscious. They believe that their body is a sign of their failure and that others won’t be attracted to them.
The signs of negative body image include:
- A distorted perception of one’s shape, the body is perceived differently than its reality.
- Individuals are convinced that only other people are attractive and that their body size and shape is a sign of personal failure.
- Some people experience feelings of shame, self-consciousness and anxiety about their bodies.
- Feelings of discomfort and awkwardness within the body are also associated with a negative body image.
The importance of maintaining a healthy body image is that it affects how individuals treat themselves and their bodies. Steps towards a healthy body image include:
- Celebrate all the amazing things the body can do, keep a list of things you like about yourself that doesn’t include looks.
- Make a conscious effort to shut the voices that say that your body is not “right,” overpower those negative thoughts with positive ones.
- Become a critical viewer of social and media content.
- Do something nice for yourself and your body, something that lets your body know that you appreciate it.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
If you discovered some signs of a negative body image in yourself, we recommend to visit a psychologist to get professional eating disorder treatment in Dubai.
