The development of a negative body image is a multidimensional construct that comprises an individual's conditioning, childhood, beliefs, thoughts, perceptions, feelings, and behaviours.
There is a range of body-related behaviours indicated with body dissatisfaction that includes body-checking behaviours, such as frequent weighing, pinching of flesh, and mirror observation.[3]
A negative body image can result in numerous psychological and physiological disorders. These may include:
Depression, anxiety, and stress
Low self-esteem and self-worth
Substance use
Food addiction, anorexia, bulimia, and other eating disorders
Social isolation
Obsessive-compulsive disorder
Body preoccupation
Body avoidance
Intense fear of weight gain
Body dysmorphia
Muscle dysmorphia
Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a psychiatric disorder classified as a type of anxiety-related obsessive-compulsive disorder. More than one in twenty girls aged seventeen to nineteen in the UK may have BDD.[4] This disorder is highly distressing for the sufferer and is defined by having a preoccupation and misperception with an aspect of one's personal appearance.
Although negative body image issues are more common among females, recent research has demonstrated a growing problem among males. Muscle dysmorphia is of increasing concern within this demographic as studies indicate approximately 10% of UK male gym members experience muscle dysmorphia.[5] This disorder is characterised by a preoccupation and dissatisfaction with appearance, along with a perceived lack of muscle definition and mass.
So, how can you tackle a negative body image?
Challenge Your Misperceptions!
Negative body image can become so ingrained that, unfortunately, it is often one of the last symptoms of an eating disorder to go following treatment. Additionally, it is important to note that it may be impossible to become entirely free of body image concerns as the perfect appearance is a concept perpetuated throughout our society. That said, there are a variety of successful interventions proven to help counteract negative body image.
These interventions are numerous and widespread, so it is vital to find the ones that work best for you. You may find that one proves successful or incorporation of a few is best. Potential options include cognitive-behavioural therapy, fitness training, media literacy, self-esteem development, and gratitude.
Stop That Negative Inner Chatter
Stop engaging in negative self-criticism. By listening to that voice in your head that shames you and is hurtful and damaging, you are perpetuating a detrimental cycle. Avoid these judgements, counteract them, argue back, and change the language!
Compliment yourself each day. Choose an area of your body that you like – there is one, I assure you! It may be your skin, hair, ankles, eyes, or shoulders. Compliment yourself and take some time to enjoy that area through touch and visual appreciation. The more you do this, the more that voice will change its tone.
Once you get a handle on your inner critic—and simply being aware they are there is a sign of enormous progress—you can start to get to the nitty-gritty of change.
Challenge Avoidance and Body Checking
If you are used to body checking multiple times a day or undergo the opposite - hiding your body from yourself and others - try to make gradual steps to change this. If there are clothes that you are afraid to wear outside, start wearing those clothes indoors – wearing them in the house allows you to get used to them and build confidence. If you want to engage in body checking activities, try gratitude based intervention to act as a positive distraction.
Gratitude Interventions
Keeping a gratitude journal is a wonderfully positive daily exercise. Start each day with five things you are grateful for, and you will quickly discover that your mindset shifts. Maybe you are thankful for having a home, the sunrise, that first cup of coffee in the morning, hugging your child, or taking part in outdoor activities. There is any number of things, however small, we can be grateful for, and as you practice this exercise, it will become increasingly challenging to keep to just five.
Buy Clothes That Fit NOW
All too often, we buy clothes that do not quite fit – but we want them to! We think they will motivate us to reach that ideal weight or size; however, all they do is cause us psychological harm. Embrace your body the way it is today. Buy clothes that you love that flatter you the way you are now. This will increase your self-esteem and self-worth exponentially.
Self-Esteem Interventions
Self-esteem strategies focus on building healthy coping skills, finding resilience, and identifying your unique skills and positive traits. There are some fantastic interventions for the treatment of body dissatisfaction as it helps shift the emphasis from the body toward the person as a whole. For example, balancing core beliefs, making adjustments to unhealthy rules and assumptions, and tackling automatic negative thoughts.
Move More
Exercise is known to boost our endorphins and make us feel energised and optimistic. Improving fitness can also improve body image by encouraging individuals to focus more on their overall health and energy levels and less on their appearance.
There's Only One 'You'
It goes without saying that the way we see ourselves and how we feel within our own skin has an enormous bearing on our health, mental health, and relationships.
For want of a better phrase, we are stuck with ourselves, and it is an excruciating position if our inner critic is one of contempt. However, the good news is that change is possible.
A healthy, positive body image involves having an objective perception of one's appearance and an ability to separate one's value as a person from the way one looks.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dr Bunmi Aboaba is a Food Addiction Coach and leading authority on food addiction, helping clients achieve a healthy relationship with food to meet long-term health goals. Dr Bunmi’s work covers the full spectrum of disordered eating, including overeating, compulsive eating, emotional eating, and other associated patterns. Dr Bunmi is the creator of the R4 Method, a Food Addiction Certification to support nutritionists, nurses, teachers, health and fitness professionals, dieticians and medical clinicians to help their clients achieve long-lasting results. Dr Bunmi runs 7-day self-care retreats for clients suffering from food addiction and is the author of ‘Craving Freedom’, a new book for those wanting to build a healthy relationship with food.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bunmiaboaba/
Twitter: @FoodAddicti2
Instagram @thefoodaddictioncoach
Sources:
[1] Quittkat, Hannah L. et al. "Body Dissatisfaction, Importance Of Appearance, And Body Appreciation In Men And Women Over The Lifespan". Frontiers In Psychiatry, vol 10, 2019. Frontiers Media SA, doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00864. Accessed 3 Aug 2021.
[2] Kearney‐Cooke, A., & Tieger, D. (2015). Body image disturbance and the development of eating disorders. In L. Smolak & M. D. Levine (Eds.), The Wiley Handbook of Eating Disorders (pp. 283-296). West Sussex, UK: Wiley
[3] Quittkat, Hannah L. et al. "Body Dissatisfaction, Importance Of Appearance, And Body Appreciation In Men And Women Over The Lifespan". Frontiers In Psychiatry, vol 10, 2019. Frontiers Media SA, doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00864. Accessed 3 Aug 2021.
[4] "England's First Estimates Of Body Dysmorphic Disorder Prevalence In Children And Young People". Natcen.Ac.Uk, 2018, https://www.natcen.ac.uk/blog/englands-first-estimates-of-body-dysmorphic-disorder-prevalence-in-children-and-young-people.
[5] Tod, David et al. "Muscle Dysmorphia: Current Insights". Psychology Research And Behavior Management, Volume 9, 2016, pp. 179-188. Informa UK Limited, doi:10.2147/prbm.s97404. Accessed 4 Aug 2021.