Personal opinions are supposed to be the only opinions that matter. However the media, comments from friends, and everyday conversations can warp a persons security of self. The constant focus on how we look as humans can effect personal body image. For some this means doing something as unnoticeable as fixing their appearance more often. Other people will go to extreme lengths to become satisfied once again. An article from hugobruggeman.com, Body Image Psychology Study, goes into detail about this very subject.
In the article Admin discusses different studies done about body image. In one study overweight individuals were more likely to have low self esteem while anorexic patients had a hard time with expressing emotion (Admin). Both focused on their weight and were unhappy. Another study shows that teenagers start getting upset about their body when their appearance is compared with peers (Admin). He also talks about how just because some body issues don't end up fueling a disorder doesn't mean they aren't worth trying to change.
Admin finishes his article by making a statement: "Psychology studies regarding body image identifies why and how people react but don't necessarily devise ways to improve circumstances." More research has to be done on the topic of body image issues in order to move forward and help individuals with these problems. Only then can psychologists make effective treatment plans.
An important message of this article is that society is sick in imagery. Almost all pictures in the media to promote anything and everything have pictures of size two models. Then they are modified to correct body "flaws". The distortion shown to us in forms of pictures changes the common ideas of what body image is beautiful. Lately, "beautiful" means being stick skinny with perfect or no curves (for girls) and being above average height and muscular (for guys). Everyday our psyche gets subconsciously disturbed until one day we wake up to find we hate the person staring at us through the mirror. This unhealthy distortion can be lessened, though. If we make a conscious effort to remember that the media doesn't always depict health, we can curve some of the self hate that comes with thinking the opposite is true. When we put aside the media and self hatred, we put our personal opinions first again which also helps with not having so many body image issues.
Also, our own brain can trick us. When we look in the mirror we may see exactly what is there. Or we may focus on the media-made flaws. Or we may actually see things that aren't there. The brain isn't a perfectly crafted instrument, so sometimes it can make us perceive things that aren't reality. Body dysmorphic disorder could be the cause in more serious situations. When this happens it may be a good idea to get professional help to retrain your brain.
Furthermore, a greater number of different treatment plans should be made. There are a great number of resources to find out the negative effects of a psyche when life hits a bump in the road. All that information can be taken into account when finding new ways to solve body image issues. However, that initiative isn't readily being taken. Everyone thinks differently therefore there should be many different options when trying to change any psychological abnormality.
What we see is not always reality. We don't have to pay attention to everything thing we think. Ignore the media, others opinions, and learn to love oneself to help disregard body image problems. Everyone is beautiful in some way. We as humans have to have the strength to let go of negativity towards our outwards appearance and have the will to discover the beauty inside.
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