What most have an issue with is their body, that they’re never satisfied with it somehow. This mainly because of the media, as what’s constantly broadcasted are the unrealistic physical standards of what a body should look like. What most will then do is base their self-worth on those standards.
Once people are told that they don’t fit in, they don’t sculpt into the precise cultural ideals of what their bodies should look like, then they’ll begin to suffer negative consequences such as feeling appearance anxiety and shame.
What this then blends into are eating disorders along with relationship angst. Many will go on a quest attempting to meet these idealizations, usually through unhealthy and haphazard means, such as starving themselves, or going on extreme crash diets or fasts.
What they’ll also do is overexert themselves physically by exercising too much, begin abusing weight loss supplements, or do drastic cosmetic surgery.
Ultimately, what they end up having is a poor negative body image of themselves, which damages both their mental and physical health. So instead, what’s recommended is just feel better about yourself, know who you are, what you’ve got, and just accept it.
Falling To Peer Pressure
Realize who you hang out with, as you’ll naturally begin competing against each other on how you look. You’ll have body image issues if you don’t fit in or look similar to how your friends look.
So realize if you are too short or a bit too plump, while all of your friends are tall and slender. Avoid those who are constantly focused on their physical appearance, those who meets these physical standards.
It’s found that direct interaction with family, friends, or even strangers can also negatively affect your body image. The things people speak of regarding our bodies, or their own bodies, affects our own self-evaluations.
Hearing the media critique about the appearance of others leads us to believe that we too are judged. Those who constantly talk about their weight, how much they workout, their diet or cosmetic procedures, influences us greatly.
So distance yourself from these people, and practice assertive techniques that can help you to ignore these comments and conversations. Cultivate relationships with those who practices realistic healthy body ideals.
Avoiding Media Idealization
Reduce or avoid your exposure when it comes to media imagery of all the idealized, unrealistic bodies, and avoid comparing yourself to them, as you most likely can’t live up to their perfection.
Social comparison experts believe that what the media does is it contributes to the majority of the body image issues that many have, this once we compare ourselves to those unrealistic profiles, and most likely fall short.
The media is completely obsessed with perfection, beautiful thin toned skinny women, or the perfect v-shaped muscular men. Research supports that looking at these media constructed portrayals greatly leads to our body image dissatisfaction.
Recognize Your Body Deficiencies
Identify and then challenge all of the irrational absolutist thoughts when it comes to your body image. Continue to do so until you’ve finally eliminated these damaging thoughts from your mind.
There are certain behavioral approaches when it comes to our body image issues. We should be identifying all of the extreme thoughts which aggravates us the most.
We should be countering these issues, such as writing down all of your most extreme thoughts which makes you feel bad about your body. Solve why you have these thought patterns, and what the reasonable arguments against them are.
Use this therapy to counteract all of your negative body image thoughts, this by catching yourself once you start feeling bad about your body. Begin by writing down on a piece of paper all of the extreme things that you’re saying to yourself.
Write down those thoughts in one column, and then in the second column, write down all of the rational along with the healthy alternate solutions which you can do to counter them.
Every time that you begin to self berate yourself with your degrading thoughts of poor body image, then silently begin to chant your healthy counter thoughts, this much like a mantra.
Write A Letter To Your Younger Self
Write a letter to your younger more ideal self, or this could be to a younger person such as your son or daughter, which outlines the costs and the strain of pursuing the perfect idealized body, this along with the benefits of having a healthy body.
By attempting this dissonance approach will help you in cementing your commitment to a healthier body image, this because you’ll begin to feel hypocritical if you continue to pursue the cultural or media influenced ideal body, this at the cost of your mental and physical health.
Realize The Benefits
Alter your thinking from what your current body image is, your diet, and your exercise habits in terms of not how it’ll make you look, but instead in terms of how it’ll benefit your health instead.
Commit and aspire yourself to the healthiest body that you can realistically achieve, this rather than ridiculously wanting that flat six-pack stomach with no body fat.
Attempting to get that tiny waistline of a model or that muscular profile of a body builder, are usually only attainable by making extreme unrealistic sacrifices, which can cause more damage.
Know Your Body Image Profile
While most are able to accurately address what their body image issues are, and the dissatisfaction that’s usually associated with them, there are some who may need professional consultation.
Depending on the history along with the severity of what your situation is, you may benefit from “outside” help, this from someone who specializes in the treatment, along with the eating issues which are associated.