Countering Negative Body Image

According to the National Eating Disorders Association, roughly 69% to 84% of women are unhappy with their bodies, wishing that they weighed less than they do. Not only does weight play a factor, but women are also dissatisfied with other aspects of their appearance, including body shape and size, as well as hair and skin. Additionally, an estimated 10% to 30% of men experience dissatisfaction with their bodies.

Negative body image plays a huge role in how we perceive ourselves and can affect our mental health.

How Negative Body Image Affects Mental Health

Negative body image can do a number on your self-esteem, confidence, and how you perceive the world. You may feel as if others are judging you or making fun of you. You feel self-conscious, especially in situations that require exposure, such as at the pool and in the bedroom. You have trouble exposing yourself to your spouse, even years after marriage, because you are embarrassed.

Negative body image can develop in people of all shapes, sizes, and weights, and of every nationality. Men and women both suffer from some degree of poor body image. The problem is that many people are unable to move forward; their self-perception holds them back from accepting new opportunities, taking risks, and taking initiative.

Negative body image can lead to depression, anxiety disorders, social anxiety, eating disorders, and lower sex drive. If you suffer from a poor body image, you may engage in harmful behaviors to change your appearance, including extreme diets, excessive cosmetic surgeries, overspending on products and services, and overexercising.

Tips for Countering Negative Body Image

Changing your perception of your body takes a mindset shift and practice. You must learn to identify the negative thoughts associated with your appearance and explore the root of the problem. Rarely is the problem of negative body image about your appearance, but rather on a deeper level.

For example, you are a woman in the later perimenopausal stages. You’ve gained a significant amount of weight around your abdomen, and you feel sluggish and unattractive. These emotions can spill over into the bedroom and affect your relationship with your husband.

You stop volunteering for services at church and work because you feel like everyone is staring at you. You stare at yourself in the mirror in the morning with hatred as if your body has betrayed you, then you refuse to look at your reflection for the rest of the day.

At first glance, you may view this as just a negative body image. But what is spurring this emotion? The truth could be that you feel powerless in this season. No one prepared you for perimenopause and menopause. You are angry and hurt. Your hormone levels are fluctuating and slowly dropping. You cannot control the process. Other mental conditions are developing, such as depression, mood swings, and brain fog.

Now that you have identified the real culprit, you can work with a mental health professional and your doctor to ease the transition into menopause. You make lifestyle changes to relieve the symptoms and realize that you do love and accept your body.

Be willing to tackle the work to counter poor body image, and you will emerge stronger on the other side, full of self-love and acceptance.

The following are several tips for countering negative body image.

Stop comparing yourself to others

Comparison is the thief of joy, especially when comparing our appearances to others. Whether that is how someone is dressed, their muscle mass, their level of thinness, or how much they must spend to achieve that look, we often compare ourselves to others.

When we compare ourselves to others, we often lose sight of what makes us unique and special. God could have created us all as cookie-cutter worshippers. Instead, He endowed each one of us with unique flaws and beauty. You are not Joe next door. Nor are you Sally at work. You are just as God created. Our bodies and appearances change as we age or life happens to us, but comparison will rob us of our peace.

Limit social media influences

Social media is wonderful for keeping up to date with friends, family, classmates, and colleagues. However, social media also exposes us to filtered and airbrushed images of “perfect” lives and bodies. It feeds into the comparison trap.

You don’t need to avoid social media entirely, but be discerning about who you follow. Choose people who promote healthier body images or whose pages are about other interests. If you find that you feel sad and depressed after scrolling, consider a social media sabbatical. Take a few days or weeks away, and take note of your mental health. If you feel better, think about limiting your social media exposure.

Don’t “diet” – make healthier choices

If your negative body image has to do with weight or size, you may feel out of control. We often make rash decisions to lose weight. Perhaps we joined a weight loss plan or researched online for quick weight loss trends. But extreme diets only lead to rebound weight and depression, intensifying negative body image.

Instead of opting for “diets” that will only cause you to crash and burn, adopt healthier choices as part of your lifestyle. Don’t try to overhaul your complete diet (diet, as in the way you eat) all at once. For example, choose healthier options for breakfast for one week. In the second week, choose more nutritious options for breakfast and lunch. When you feel you have a good grasp on this, begin replacing snacks or dinners with healthier options for a few weeks.

Process your thoughts and emotions

Negative body image is rarely about your body itself, but a symptom of unresolved emotions and thoughts. Often, there is a deeply rooted belief or emotion fueling negative body image. This might be the result of rejection, neglect, abandonment, abuse, trauma, bullying, insecurity, or other factors.

You may need the help of a counselor to learn how to identify negative body image thoughts and uncover the thoughts and emotions at the center of those. Evidence-based psychological methods can teach you the strategies and skills you need to overcome poor body image by addressing those issues.

Acknowledge that you’re made in God’s image and likeness

God does not make mistakes. We are all created uniquely, but in His image and likeness. We possess God’s qualities and strive to adopt Christ’s character. Yet, we forget this fact when we look at ourselves in the mirror. Whether it’s a specific body part, body shape, or size, we are our own worst critics.

Acknowledge that you are the way God made you for His purpose and glory. Your body is a temple for the Holy Spirit. Treating your body with reverence is not arrogance or selfishness; it is acknowledging that God only gave you one body for your time on this Earth, and you need to care for it. Accept your body as it is and work to improve your health.

Exercise for the right reasons

Exercise boosts mental health, body confidence, and self-esteem. However, ensure you are working out for the right reasons. Don’t exercise for the sole purpose of looking like a specific person or to counter bad eating habits. Exercise for better health, a stronger body, more flexibility and balance, and to fight the effects of aging.

You want your body prepared for whatever purpose God has in mind for you. Speak with your physician before starting a new exercise regimen.

Next Steps

If negative body image is affecting your mental health in the form of depression, anxiety, isolation, fear of judgment, eating disorders, or self-harm, seek help immediately. Contact our office today to speak to a representative who will connect you to a Christian counselor. You can break free from negative body image. Call us today to get started.