Negatrive Body Image - the gift that keeps on giving.

This is an interesting website - www.naturaltherapyforall.com - worth taking a look.  Here is a recent article in which they talk about the societal and personal pressures that lead to body dislike, or even hatred.  If we can only love our bodies if they are perfect, that means we can never love our bodies.  They will never be perfect...or good enough.  It is often the case that when a person goes through a life or death crisis (illness, accident etc.) they modify their attitudes and are less judging of their appearance.  They now value themselves more in an overall sense.  Perhaps we can try and get this great insight without the crisis.

Enjoy, Christina

Why Do Many Women Dislike Their Bodies?

By Lisa Franchi on January 18, 2013

 Obesity in Europe is on the rise. Scotland for instance, has the highest obesity rate in Europe and top 10 in the world. For years, the severe implications of obesity in health and economy have been underestimated which resulted to the increasing number of people developing serious illnesses such as heart disease and diabetes. But other than these life-threatening effects, obesity also hares a big portion in the rising depression rate in European countries. That’s because many people, especially women, are starting to hate their bodies.

Unrealistic Societal Norms

There are lots reasons why many women tend to dislike their body so much. First off, we can put a big blame to the media. Videos and photos of celebrities and models flaunting their ‘extreme figures’ give many women a reason to hate their bodies. Unknowingly, these women seen on screens and on magazines already meet the criteria needed to establish a chronic health condition called anorexia. Because of their big desire to achieve this ‘ideal’ fitness, a lot of girls, especially the teenagers’ are engaging in ‘diet at all cost’ schemes that feature harmful (even deadly) ways of losing weight. What is more alarming is that despite the intense awareness campaigns against such kinds of eating disorder, many women are risking their lives to achieve the unrealistic figure that the media has portrayed.

And because everybody thinks being thin is what defines beauty, ladies are being pressurised by their peers, colleagues and society to hate their bodies and strive to lose excessive weight.  

Negative Thinking

Psychologists also believe that the negative thoughts women aim at their bodies may also have something to do with the unpleasant events they experience in life. It’s not just the ‘fats’ on their belly, but the dissatisfying relationships they’ve had, the careers they’ve lost, the failures and rejections they’ve encountered, and so on. All these things greatly contribute to poor body image, self-hatred, and dissatisfaction in life. Studies also found that negative feelings such as boredom, stress and loneliness make women start berating their looks.

You are beautiful as you are

Hating our bodies is not going to help us achieve the image that we want. Every one of us can break the cycle of self-criticism and learn the art of self-appreciation. This does not mean that we should stop caring for our body, eat as much as we can, and spoil our health. I guess the real message here is – we’ve got to accept who and what we are first before trying to create changes. Don’t ever think that just because you don’t have that ‘stick figure’ like those women in the magazines, you are no longer beautiful. Our body is not really the problem here. It is our negative perceptions – all those worries, fears, concerns and similar emotions that we fail to confront. And when we couldn’t beat them, we shift our attention to our bodies and we start to hate even the slightest flaw or imperfection that we have. Remember, even the most confident women have doubts on their looks. I think we all have to appreciate our body primarily for what it does, and not only for how it looks.