Body Image

Body image compares our bodies to others, via our thoughts, feelings, memories, assumptions, and perceptions of our body’s aesthetics (height, shape, weight) or sexual attractiveness. A spectrum from body positivity (perceiving ourselves clearly and correctly, appreciating our bodies, and understanding appearance doesn’t reflect character or worth) to body negativity is affected by social/cultural ideals (via media/social media) and influenced by family dynamics, mental illness, biology predispositions, and external reasons (obesity, malnutrition). Societal expectations, constantly updating, can contribute to body shaming and result in low self-esteem, yo-yo dieting, plastic surgery, eating disorders, or long term, body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).