Three Steps to Overcoming a Negative Body Image

 

Women (and men) are bombarded by messages from the media that they aren’t thin or pretty enough. These unrealistic standards of beauty, combined with a number of other biological, social, and psychological influences, have resulted in millions of men and women developing eating disorders.

 

Even women who don’t have eating disorders have body image issues brought on, at least in part, by negative media messages. “We have been socialized to have normative discontent with ourselves and our bodies,” says Anna Treacy, MPH, NCHES, the transition program coordinator at Center for Hope of the Sierras, an eating disorder treatment center in Reno, Nevada. “By making us believe we need to change ourselves physically, the diet and beauty industries have made millions.”

 

How do we combat these negative media messages? By giving ourselves the opportunity to fall short of outside definitions of perfection, says Treacy. “As a society, we need to arrive at the point of normative content, where most of the time we feel good about ourselves rather than always feeling bad about who we are,” she says.

 

The foundation for being comfortable with our bodies, says Treacy, stems from knowing, accepting, and loving who we are.

 

Step one in overcoming a negative self-image involves owning who you are, not only physically but also mentally, socially, emotionally, and spiritually, says Treacy. Which influences, both positive and negative, have made you feel not good enough? Take some time to think about the magazines, television shows, movies, and music videos you watch that leave you feeling less-than-positive about yourself. Have you received negative feedback from prominent people in your life, such as parents, siblings, friends, spouses, sports coaches, or teachers?

 

As you begin to identify the sources of your negative self-perceptions, start working simultaneously to identify any distortions you may have about body size, shape, or attractiveness. Practice exercises that reignite the mind-body connection, such as yoga, meditation, and mindfulness training to help you identify and respond to internal cues, and begin to develop personal boundaries and a sense of self. Treacy also recommends writing letters between mind and body and sharing self-perceptions and rituals with others in recovery to become more familiar with your particular emotional needs and patterns.

 

 

After evaluating the ways negative messages have impacted your self-image, consider the following ways to avoid being affected by these messages in the future:

 

·        Refrain from buying fashion and beauty magazines. Instead, spend time reading educational materials or magazines with positive messages. Remember that the majority of women (96%) do not match up to the images presented in the media. For example, the average model is 5'10" and weighs 110 pounds, whereas the average women is 5'4" and weighs 142 pounds.

 

·        Repeat out loud or write down positive affirmations about yourself and your body.

 

·        Understand the difference between a healthy body and an eating disordered body, realizing that many magazine images are airbrushed and unrealistic. Your genetic and environmental history at least partially determines your body type and size.

 

·        Give yourself permission to thrive in your own individuality by letting go of comparisons to other people. Try to catch negative thoughts early and question their purpose and validity.

 

·        Surround yourself with supportive spouses, partners, friends, and family members who share your mindset of acceptance, instead of people who encourage you to change your body to fit the unrealistic media image.

 

Treacy also recommends exerting your energy on the most important parts of life, such as enjoying visits with family and friends or committing to a favorite pastime, rather than pursuing the “perfect” body. “The next time you’re hanging out with your circle of friends, make a conscious effort to talk about things other than diet and exercise,” says Treacy. “See what happens when you stop dissecting yourself or others and divert that energy in more positive ways.”

 

 

One step beyond accepting your body is learning to love and appreciate it. After all, what would our lives be without our bodies? Through our bodies, we are able to enjoy the pleasures of life and take an active part in the world around us. Our bodies fight to function well despite the abuse of an unhealthy diet, sedentary lifestyle, and eating disordered behaviors. The least we can do is appreciate and honor all of that hard work.

 

By questioning negative societal messages and focusing on your positive attributes, and seeking professional eating disorder treatment if necessary, you will gradually grow to appreciate your body’s inherent value.

 

“By discovering who we are at core – our beliefs, values, and what we bring to the world – we can begin to challenge the judgments we’ve been socialized to have about ourselves and other people,” explains Treacy. “Over time, the women being treated at Center for Hope develop humility and compassion for themselves and others, and learn to provide their own positive validation or find it in healthy ways, as they work to achieve their own personal best self. Once you develop a solid core of knowing and loving who you are, it gets easier and easier to get back to a healthy mindset when negative thought processes take hold.”

 

Learning to love your body is particularly important for pregnant women, who frequently struggle with body image issues during and post-pregnancy. Rather than obsessing over stretch marks or lamenting the loss of the body of your 20s, focus your thoughts on the incredible cycles of womanhood and your ability to bring life into the world, says Treacy. “It seems so simple, but it is really quite complicated,” she says. “Let yourself marvel over this miraculous time of growth and renewal rather than being disgusted with what your body is doing.”

 

For many anorexics receiving eating disorder treatment, one of the ultimate goals is restoring the body’s ability to conceive. Because anorexia can cause amenorrhea (the absence of menstrual periods), women must return to a healthy weight in order to become fertile. In her many years of experience, Treacy rarely sees a body that cannot restore itself when given the basic necessities for survival. “Women have been given an amazing gift – for many, the ability to bring life into this world, alone, is reason enough to love and appreciate the body you’ve been given.”

While correcting a negative body image and healing from an eating disorder are generally more complex than following a few simple guidelines, these steps can help an individual with disordered eating patterns begin to identify and address the underlying issues. Depending on each individual’s background and the severity of their eating disorder, these issues may be best explored at a residential eating disorder treatment center under the care of a team of eating disorder specialists.

 

Center for Hope of the Sierras offers residential treatment and Partial Hospital Program (PHP) levels of care for the treatment of anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and related disorders. In two large, yet cozy Victorian-Country style neighboring homes, patients receive highly individualized care from a team of licensed clinicians, registered nurses, a dietician, chef, psychiatrist, and physician who specialize in treating eating disorder sufferers with compassion, dignity, and a commitment to each person’s unique healing process.