Body image affects mental health… focus on body function rather than appearance
input 2024.10.22 11:30
input 2024.10.22 11:30
Views 374
If you’re serious about dieting even if you’re ‘bone dry’, you should look into the mental health risks caused by poor body image. [사진=클립아트코리아]Even with slim bodies, there are quite a few people who are obsessed with dieting or trying to improve their pretty faces. Why does this happen? Thoughts about one’s body and body image are not just thoughts about appearance, but are closely related to mental health, self-identity, interpersonal relationships, and healthy behavior.
According to a recent report, more than 40% of adolescent girls and boys were dissatisfied with their bodies. Another study found that about 70% of adolescents experienced body dissatisfaction. In a large-scale study of adults, 30 to 40 percent of women and men evaluated their appearance negatively. Studies have shown that up to 90% of women are dissatisfied with their appearance.
Charlotte Maki, author of ‘For Adults: Body Image for Life’ and professor of psychology at Rutgers University, explained in a recent article in ‘U.S. News & World Report’ how eating disorders, depression, anxiety, and drug use are related to body image.
Body Dysmorphic Disorder = Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a disorder of body image. People with BDD are preoccupied with their body’s flaws and engage in compulsive behavior. They may take extreme actions such as undergoing multiple plastic surgeries. The core of BDD is the inability to see oneself like other people. People with BDD may experience self-doubt, anxiety, and depression due to their obsession with their bodies. People with BDD should be aware that body image concerns are related to mental illness and are psychological problems.
eating disorder = Body image issues can lead to eating disorders. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders criteria for anorexia include excessive influence of weight or shape on self-evaluation. Relatively thin people may be reluctant to eat certain foods because they are very concerned about their body. You can escape body image only by recognizing that it is not related to body size.
depression = Most studies examining body image and depression usually conclude that it doesn’t matter which comes first. This is because they are closely interrelated. Feeling bad can increase body dissatisfaction, and body dissatisfaction can make you feel worse.
“If there is a fear that one’s body will not be accepted or safe in society, it is natural that there is a link between depression and body image,” says Ali Sports de Lager, a psychotherapist with more than 17 years of experience treating eating disorder patients.
Recent research has found that combining treatment for body dissatisfaction and depressive symptoms may be beneficial. When adolescents focused on physical function rather than appearance, both body image concerns and depressive symptoms decreased.
anxiety = Anxiety about one’s body is related to general anxiety, the reasons for which are not clear. When people feel uncomfortable with themselves, they are most likely to feel that the world is a scarier place.
Substance Use Disorder = Some scientists say body dissatisfaction can lead to lack of self-esteem and self-care, which can lead to habits like smoking, drinking, and drug use. A direct link between drug use and body image is seen when using substances to build muscle mass. In recent years, the use of supplements and drugs such as steroids has become increasingly common. According to some studies, about 6% of the population uses steroids.
Copyrightⓒ Honest knowledge for health. Comedy.com kormedi.com / Reproduction and redistribution, AI learning and use prohibited
