Body Image Issues
- Do you spend too much time worrying about your looks?
- Do you depend on clothes or makeup to cover up your "flaws"
- Are you too embarrassed by your looks to do certain activities?
- Do you feel disgusted by your appearance?
If you agree with any of these questions, you may have a poor body image. Body image is less about how we look than how we see and feel about our bodies. If we dislike our body, it's hard to like the person who lives there. In fact, individuals with a poor body image are more likely to have depression, anxiety disorders, eating disorders and low self-esteem.
If you don't like your appearance, you may focus on trying to change your looks. In fact, millions continue to do just that through pursuing fad diets, exercise, cosmetics, or plastic surgery. But, as research shows, such remedies can be very ineffective or even harmful. In determining body image, our outward appearance is less important than our internal attitudes and beliefs. If we learn to let go of unrealistic standards regarding beauty, for example, our body image will significantly improve.
What You Can Do
At Pathways Center for Counseling, our psychotherapist, Heather Kitchen, MSW, LCSW, successfully helps numerous individuals improve how they feel about their appearance and themselves. Learn to challenge negative self-talk and see your appearance in a more realistic, positive way. Gain skills to appreciate the wide variety of qualities that make you attractive, including your inner strengths and attributes. Feeling positive about your body is critical to feeling better about your life. If you have a poor body image, consider giving us a call. It's time to make peace with your body and yourself.
