In 2015, a British psychiatric study (which studies body image in 6,000 children until they reached the age of 14) found that body discontent for both boys and girls can take hold as early as age eight (Johnson). It is sufficient to say that body image issues are a big problem. Fortunately, there are truly successful methods of managing self esteem and body image issues, and psychological help is key. This concerns everyone, as everyone had dealt with negative thoughts about themselves before, but primarily concerns teens seeing as how they have the most pressure on them to be accepted by society and conform. In 1998, a poll was conducted which found that in 5th through 12th grade, 47% of females reported they wanted to lose weight because
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Not only that, but nearly a quarter of them would seriously consider undergoing plastic surgery. This alone should be enough to convince someone that if they feel negatively about themselves in some way, they are definitely not alone. Many people, girls and boys alike, suffer from some form of negative body image, although it tends to affect males to a lesser extent than females because of the beauty standards girls feel they must live up to. For example, 7 in 10 girls believe they are not good enough in some manner including their physical appearance, performance in school and/or relationships (Armstrong). As there are so many people who suffer from poor self esteem and body image, it is only natural that people have worked hard in finding the best methods to address the …show more content…
The first step, as cheesy as it may seem, is learning to accept and love yourself. If you can recognize that everyone is unique and that it is unhealthy for you to think that way about yourself, then you should be able to muster enough willpower to fight through. The second step that should be taken is to develop a good support system. Surround yourself with people that love you, not people who tear you down. Some examples of people to support you could be your parents, your friends, your co-workers, et cetera. Finally, getting psychological help. Set up an appointment to go in and talk to a therapist about your problems, and they will try their best to help you work through your issue (Teen Health and Wellness). However, think on this: Could you go up to someone right now, anyone really, and list all of their faults directly to them? Could you go up to someone you may or may not have spoken to before and tell them that their nose is too crooked, their teeth too yellowed, or their skin too blemished, or would you even notice to begin with? Chances are not. Well then, why would you do this to
Not only that, but nearly a quarter of them would seriously consider undergoing plastic surgery. This alone should be enough to convince someone that if they feel negatively about themselves in some way, they are definitely not alone. Many people, girls and boys alike, suffer from some form of negative body image, although it tends to affect males to a lesser extent than females because of the beauty standards girls feel they must live up to. For example, 7 in 10 girls believe they are not good enough in some manner including their physical appearance, performance in school and/or relationships (Armstrong). As there are so many people who suffer from poor self esteem and body image, it is only natural that people have worked hard in finding the best methods to address the …show more content…
The first step, as cheesy as it may seem, is learning to accept and love yourself. If you can recognize that everyone is unique and that it is unhealthy for you to think that way about yourself, then you should be able to muster enough willpower to fight through. The second step that should be taken is to develop a good support system. Surround yourself with people that love you, not people who tear you down. Some examples of people to support you could be your parents, your friends, your co-workers, et cetera. Finally, getting psychological help. Set up an appointment to go in and talk to a therapist about your problems, and they will try their best to help you work through your issue (Teen Health and Wellness). However, think on this: Could you go up to someone right now, anyone really, and list all of their faults directly to them? Could you go up to someone you may or may not have spoken to before and tell them that their nose is too crooked, their teeth too yellowed, or their skin too blemished, or would you even notice to begin with? Chances are not. Well then, why would you do this to