Beauty standards have always been a part of people’s lives. During every epoch, there have been different perceptions of beauty. People, to this day, are pressured into believing that there is only one understanding of perfect and that “perfect” is achieved by fitting all the ridiculous standards set by society. Today, social media plays a big role in this sphere. It is very easy to manipulate or bully people into thinking and perceiving things a certain way. We can’t deny the benefits that the internet brings to people’s lives, but the damage that it does has bigger consequences than we realize. The issue of body image has intensified and the world still has to recognize the importance of the topic.
What is body image exactly? you might ask. Body image is the combination of the feelings that you have regarding your body. It's the way you perceive yourself while looking in the mirror. There are four aspects of body image:
Perceptual body image - the way you see your body. The key point here is “you see” because the way you see yourself is not always correct or close to reality.
Affective body image - the way you feel about your body. (For example, satisfied/dissatisfied, happy/unhappy, etc.)
Cognitive body image - the way you think about your body.
Behavioral body image - the way you behave as a result of your body image. (For example: if you feel dissatisfied with your body, you may isolate yourself, start a diet, take weight loss pills, get plastic surgery, and so on.)
Let’s start by defining a negative type of body image. When a person can’t accept their body, feels disgusted with the way it looks, or just has overall negative feelings towards it, it means that they are dissatisfied with their body and have overall poor body image. There is also positive body image, which means that a human accepts their looks, respects, and appreciates their body. A positive body image is connected to great mental health, higher self-esteem, a positive outlook on life, motivation, and self-acceptance. While negative body image can be associated with damaging health problems. People experiencing body dissatisfaction are inclined towards eating disorders. Their relationship with food may worsen over time. Most people who are dissatisfied with their looks set unrealistic goals for their bodies. In order to become the “perfect” version of themselves, many start taking unadvised medicine. Such acts result in excessive feelings of guilt, low self-esteem, depression, shame, and eating disorders. Most people with poor body image fight with everyday thoughts of being too skinny or too fat. They consider themselves as too ugly and unworthy of anyone’s time.
This may sound crazy but children start forming opinions about their bodies as early as the age of 3. At such a young age, parents are mostly the ones influencing child's views, thus, showing a kid how to have a healthy relationship with their body is important.
Social media affects everybody. There are dozens of unrealistic pictures of photoshopped bodies online. People look at it and think it is possible to look that way. While comparing bodies to each other, people set new unrealistic goals, and increase their chances of getting an eating disorder. Instagram and TikTok are the two leading platforms that set new standards for young females and males. People unlock new insecurities and pick new diets. It is a fact that women are more likely to develop a negative body image since they feel more socially and culturally pressured into looking a certain way.
There are several signs of poor body image, which include:
Focusing on minor flaws
Perceiving oneself as ugly, unattractive
Needing constant reassurance (“do you think I am ugly?”)
Showing the signs of perfectionism
Avoiding social events
Constantly comparing oneself to others
Pursuing an unhealthy amount of plastic surgeries and procedures
In order to overcome poor body image, one can seek help from a doctor or a therapist, however, you can start by the following steps:
Review what you are consuming on social media - if your social media profiles are filled with beautiful, thin, perfect models then consider unfollowing them or at least distancing yourself from such accounts. Try to follow more diverse accounts, where you can see different body types. This way you will learn that beauty is not only in skinny legs.
Look at your body for function not appearance - our bodies are not only something to look at but they have function. Without your body you wouldn’t be able to do everyday tasks such as cooking, exercising, walking, etc. Body is not only an accessory. Having a healthy body is important to live a life without limits, so try to appreciate it for its purpose.
Practice mindfulness, meditation, yoga - let yourself free and explore yourself outside of the frame of your body, see how much your soul has to offer. Beauty is not only external but internal as well. As much as you are worried about your looks, let your mind fill up that space with internal beauty - develop and get to know yourself, let your soul take over your worries.
Find activities that make you feel good and relaxed - activities that will let you get your mind off of things. Try reading, listening to music, drawing or anything that will keep you engaged and free from worrying.
Try to distance yourself from toxic people - people who make you feel bad, ashamed, guilty, uncomfortable.
But the most important step is to realize the value of your health and understand that there is no perfect size. Everyone is beautiful and unique in their own way.
Author: Mariam Kurdevanidze
Editor: Mariam Beshidze
Translator: Anna Kldiashvili
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