Body image is just that; the thoughts, attitudes, beliefs, and perception of an individual's own body. Perception is reality when it comes to body image, and what an individual sees when they look in the mirror or think about how their body may differ from their actual physical appearance. It will come as no surprise that women and men vary in many aspects, including their perspective on body image.
Women and Body Image
Typically society depicts women as needing to have the ideal feminine body. This idea is often perpetuated in the media and all the marketing of products we see every day, as it seems that we can't get enough of "bikini bodies" or "post-baby bodies" in the news and on TV. We also seem to live in a diet-centric culture that pressures women (and girls) to be slim, exercise constantly, and go on diets. From the moment they are born, women are told how they look - consider how many times you have heard, and maybe even said yourself, how beautiful a baby girl is. Social media and pop culture focus on women who are thin, attractive, and ageless, and many images are heavily edited which results in women and girls attempting to achieve beauty standards that are not even real.
Men and Body Image
Men, on the other hand, are expected to be perfectly muscular and masculine. Being strong, brave, and tough are cultural pressures that we put on men from a young age. They grow up thinking that the ideal man is athletic and lean with muscle. Besides muscle, men also deal with concerns regarding hair loss, height, and skincare. Studies show that people consider taller men as affable, intelligent, trustworthy, and successful and if they are tall with a full head of hair? Then they've hit the masculine jackpot.
How to Get Help
Regardless of gender, poor body image and low self-esteem can be linked with unhealthy eating patterns, over-exercising, depression, and anxiety. The reality is that changing a negative body image can take substantial time and effort if it is going to happen at all. A good place to start is to consider all that your body does for you that has nothing to do with the way it looks; it allows you to breathe and live each day! And, no one can see your feelings and how you interact with your friends and loved ones. Take a minute to consider all the positive aspects of you and your body and appreciate them! If you find that your mood or quality of life is greatly affected by how you feel about your body we encourage you to reach out to your doctor or another professional who will be able to help you and offer support.