What do we mean by Body Image?
Body image is about the relationship we have with our body, and how this impacts on how we feel, act and behave.
Our thoughts and feelings together provide us with a sense of ourselves when it comes to how view ourselves through our body. It’s not always negative of course, although interestingly it is often referenced negatively.
Social and other media tend to strongly focus on how we can improve our bodies, which for some people indicates that their own bodies are somehow deficient or “wanting”.
Body Image may be extremely positive, depending on our life experiences, our view of the world, the views and comments from others, and so on. Many factors influence our Body Image and we can of course move between positive or negative or a combination of both at different times.
How is our Body Image formed?
It’s a combination of internal influences ( how we feel about ourselves, our personality, and so on) and external influences (e.g. social environment- our families, friends, job, social media, etc).
What are the elements of Body Image?
There are four main components of Body Image.
- Your AFFECTIVE body image is how you FEEL about your body. You might feel confident and happy, or feel a degree of shame and disgust, or anything in between, but in essence, it’s about how happy or satisfied you are with weight, shape, size, or even specific parts of your body.
- Your PERCEPTUAL body image is how you SEE your body. (That doesn’t mean that what you see is true-what you “see” isn’t always the reality. In more severe cases this can develop into something called body dysmorphia )
- Your COGNITIVE body image is how you THINK about your body. Thinking about your body and focusing on it, whether it’s about how you can change it/ improve it/ make it smaller etc can lead to preoccupation with weight, shape and size that can become increasingly negative over time.
- Your BEHAVIOURAL body image is all about your behaviour around your body. This might include adopting unhealthy behaviours to change one’s body- including surgery, constant dieting, cosmetic procedures, or socially in terms of isolating oneself from others due to your feelings about your body; being too ashamed to join in, eat out, meet with others, and so on.
So, what does a POSITIVE Body Image look like? Feel like?
Someone who is accepting of their body, appreciating their body for what it is and what it does for us, and treats it with respect, could be considered to have a positive Body Image. That doesn’t mean that you must think that your body is perfect to be in that space, as it’s not the same as body confidence or body acceptance (and what is “perfect” anyway?) as you can still be dissatisfied with aspects of your body, yet still be able to accept it for all its limitations.
A positive Body Image is important as it can provide a supportive and protective “cushion” making the chances of developing disordered eating less likely. A poor body image, is more often associated with behaviours and actions (dieting, social isolation, restricting, purging etc).
A positive Body Image is also associated with higher self-esteem and being able to confidently navigate through more challenging issues in life in general, and contributes to an overall feeling of well-being. Images in the media and from other external sources are less likely to negatively influence when the person is happy and accepting of the way they look. Food intake, including social occasions, and exercise are positive enhancements rather than “punishers”.
I think I might need help with my Body Image.
If you are worried about your own Body Image and feel that it is impacting you, and / or have related eating and behavioural concerns, seek professional help, as this can guide you to change harmful beliefs and behaviours, and establish greater acceptance of your body. I can work with you using a number of approaches depending on the nature of your Body Image concerns.
Contact me here for a confidential initial FREE call.
