Have you ever stood in front of a mirror and felt a flurry of mixed emotions about what you see? Well, you’re not alone. This feeling is part of something much bigger, something we call body image. In simple terms, body image is how we see ourselves when we look in the mirror or when we picture ourselves in our minds. It encompasses what we believe about our appearance including our memories, assumptions, and generalisations. Teenagers often feel like they are sailing through a stormy sea when it comes to body image.
...Well the camera doesn’t, but filters and editing do!
In today’s world, where social media and advertisements are filled with images of seemingly perfect people, it can be easy to feel like you don’t measure up. Many teens find themselves comparing their bodies to the ‘ideal’ body types they see online, on TV, or in magazines. This can lead to negative feelings about their own bodies and even harm their self-esteem. That’s where body positivity comes in.
This is how parents can help kids feel comfortable in their bodies.
By Charlotte Markey Ph.D.
By Dr Jake Linardon
Young women navigating the complex world of body image on social media are the focus of a new project launched this week.
By Tilda Gladwell
Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), or body dysmorphia, is a mental health condition where a person spends a lot of time worrying about flaws in their appearance. These flaws are often unnoticeable to others.
By Edward Herbert
Warning: this blog contains discussions of mental health, self-harm, eating disorders and body issues in children which may cause distress.
By Nichola Hunter-Warburton
How comfortable are children and young people with their bodies?
Studies have shown that the majority of men display signs of some form of body dysmorphia, while hyper-jacked actors such as Channing Tatum and Zac Efron have expressed regret over their unhealthy workout regimes. Are we in the midst of a male body-image crisis, asks Matthew Neale
By Ellie House
Your body image creates the relationship you have with your body.
By Monica Johnson Psy.D.
By Jacob Hawley
A new review, social media tragedies, and tips to protect you and your family.
By Alli Spotts-De Lazzer, MA, LMFT, LPCC, CEDS-C
Six in ten Britons think the media are promoting unattainable body image expectations, and eight in ten say the fashion industry has harmed appearance perceptions.
By Milan Dinic
Men are taught to be masculine, strong and to uphold the image of ‘the perfect man’. Why?
The development of your body image begins from birth. Many unconscious and conscious messages become woven into your psyche, these then influencing your beliefs and perceptions about your body.
By Harriet Frew, MSc; MBACP Accred
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