Have you ever wanted to lose a few pounds? Would you like to have the body of a model or athlete? Many people are unsatisfied with their bodies and believe that getting a more fit body can make them more attractive.
Although in some cases, losing weight might be necessary, even people who are not diagnosed with obesity often feel bad in their own skin. Even though their weight doesn’t affect their health or limit their capabilities, they don’t like their appearance and don’t feel comfortable in their bodies.
A negative body image is a common sign of low self-esteem. In turn, low self-esteem may stop you from living a fulfilling life and contribute to the development of various mental health issues.
Let’s consider the connection between body image and self-esteem in more detail.
Why Do We Hate Our Bodies?
Body insecurity is very common, and it’s impossible to name the single reason why people are dissatisfied with the way they look. However, the media is probably the main factor that affects our perception of our bodies. Social media and TV shows constantly show us examples of “perfect” bodies, and even though not everyone can be a fitness model, we see these images so often that we may start to perceive them as a standard.
People want to be accepted and liked by others, and if your body is different from that of fitness influencers and celebrities, you may start to see your appearance as a roadblock on your way to active social life and success.
The truth is that all people are different, and these are the differences that make us unique. However, societal expectations can have a negative impact on our self-esteem and relationships. Moreover, if a person faces body shaming and critique from others, self-acceptance may look like something impossible to achieve.
If you want to learn how to feel better about yourself, the best solution might be to consider therapy. A licensed therapist can help you figure out why you don’t accept your body as it is and provide the necessary emotional support.
Body Image vs. Self-Esteem
The main thing you should know about body image is that it’s not the way you look but the way you see yourself. Both your self-esteem and body image are in your mind, and they have a big impact on how much value you put on yourself, therefore being able to affect many areas of your life.
Body image is a psychological and emotional concept. On the one hand, it’s the way you see your body in a mirror. On the other hand, it’s the way you feel when you see the reflection. A healthy body image means not just tolerating your appearance but accepting and liking it. It means that you don’t want to change your body to make it meet someone else’s or even your own unrealistic expectations.
When a person has a healthy body image, they recognize their unique traits and strengths and don’t pursue the unrealistic “perfect body” because they’ve already satisfied with the way they look. In other words, they feel comfortable in their skin. While body image and self-esteem are connected, self-esteem is a much broader term.
Self-esteem reflects how you value yourself as a person so this concept includes both your physical appearance and personal qualities. High self-esteem is associated with self-compassion and encourages effective self-care.
It’s about not only celebrating your strengths but also accepting your weaknesses, mistakes, and failures. People with good self-esteem know that they deserve respect from themselves and others, even if they’re in a difficult situation.
Dr. Nathaniel Branden described the key elements of self-esteem in his book The Six Pillars of Self-Esteem. According to Branden, to build strong and healthy self-esteem, a person should practice conscious living, self-acceptance, self-responsibility, self-assertiveness, living with purpose, and personal integrity. Obviously, self-acceptance and personal integrity are difficult to achieve without having a healthy body image.
Body image directly impacts self-esteem because when we constantly compare ourselves to others, it becomes impossible to reach contentment. A negative body image and an inability to reach the widely accepted standards of beauty often have a significant negative impact on one’s self-esteem because a person feels disappointed with themselves and insecure.
Self-esteem and a positive body image
A positive body image enables a person to build realistic expectations and therefore avoid the frustration associated with the way they look. Besides, a positive body image breaks the link between your appearance and your self-worthiness. Your self-esteem improves because you respect yourself and care about yourself regardless of any standards and other people’s opinions.
Self-esteem and a negative body image
In contrast, a negative body image creates a lot of room for insecurities and self-doubt. As a result, a person may develop low self-esteem and various mental health issues, including depression. In some cases, a negative body image can lead to eating disorders, like bulimia or anorexia, which have a severe negative impact on one’s overall health.
Body Image, Age, and Gender
Although body image and self-esteem issues affect people of all ages, research data shows that such problems are particularly common among adolescents. Children and teenagers are just developing their self-image so a negative attitude toward their body can have a significant negative impact on their self-esteem.
Along with being exposed to unrealistic beauty standards, young people may also need to overcome body shaming and bullying, which make building a healthy self-image a very difficult task. Therefore, it’s particularly important to help children and teenagers withstand possible pressure and practice self-acceptance.
Research data also shows that men, in general, and adolescent males, in particular, have higher self-esteem and a better body image. Women tend to be more conscious about their weight and appearance and therefore are more likely to have a negative body image.
Popular beauty standards and unrealistic expectations, along with self-criticism, are among the main reasons why women have low self-esteem. Despite being popularized by social media influencers, diets, exhausting workout schedules, and plastic surgery can be signs of low self-esteem in a woman who struggles with accepting the way she looks.
How to Feel Better About Yourself
Although improving your body image may take some time and effort, it’s still possible. Here are a few simple tips that can help you.
Accept your body as it is
Many people want to be accepted by others but forget that acceptance begins with themselves. Problems with self-acceptance can impact your relationships and self-esteem, therefore creating difficulties for your social life.
Surround yourself with people who like you for who you are. Don’t make self-deprecating jokes about your appearance and avoid self-shaming.
Focus on what you like about yourself
When you’re not satisfied with some of your physical features, it’s easy to forget about the things you like about yourself. Look in the mirror and focus on the things that you like about your body. For instance, you may realize that you have beautiful eyes or hands.
Remind yourself of the things you like about yourself whenever you have bad thoughts about your body. You may also ask your friends or relatives what they like about your appearance, and you might be surprised by how many things people find attractive. This will help you boost your self-confidence.
Adopt a healthy lifestyle
Many people who deal with body insecurity tend to stick with exhausting diets or intense workout routines in an attempt to obtain a perfect body. The truth is that health is not about beauty standards or other people’s opinions but about feeling good. Healthy habits can help you take care of your body and practice self-love.
Instead of pursuing an unrealistic body image, accept your body the way it is and show it some love. Healthy food and physical activity can improve your physical health and self-confidence. Don’t compare yourself to others but recognize every small accomplishment and praise yourself for it.
Try therapy
Body image and self-esteem issues can be difficult to handle alone. As we’ve already mentioned above, body image issues can also lead to depression and eating disorders. So, if you want to learn self-acceptance and overcome any problems associated with your body image, the best solution is to get professional help.
A licensed therapist can help you deal with the sources of your insecurity and provide the necessary emotional support on your way to self-love. If you’re not sure whether or not you need therapy, you can learn more about its benefits.
While commuting to a therapist’s office can be too time-consuming for busy people, online therapy platforms like Calmerry allow you to get help from virtually everywhere and talk to your therapist remotely.
Wrapping Up
Body insecurity can negatively affect one’s self-esteem and overall quality of life. Unrealistic expectations and popular beauty standards make many people hate what they see in the mirror and stop them from building healthy relationships and enjoying a fulfilling life.
Body image issues are particularly common among adolescents and women, often leading to low self-esteem and various mental and physical problems, including depression and eating disorders.
To improve your self-esteem, you should practice self-acceptance and focus on the things that you like about yourself. Improving one’s self-esteem can take a lot of time and work so don’t hesitate to seek professional help.
Therapy can help you address your insecurities and improve your self-esteem so that you can feel comfortable in your skin and enjoy your life.
