Body Image Issues: Signs, Factors, and Strategies to Overcome

Body image is the way you perceive yourself and how you feel about your body. It is a subjective picture of yourself that may or may not be accurate, and that strongly influences your behavior and the way you treat yourself. Inaccurate thoughts about your body can lead to dissatisfaction and distress and have a major impact on your physical and mental health, self-esteem, and overall emotional well-being.

In its most severe form, poor body image is known as body dysmorphic disorder, which is a condition where you become severely obsessed over a perceived flaw that is barely detectable, if at all, and that may not even be noticeable to anyone else. Body image issues are often viewed as a predominantly women’s problem, but men suffer from them as well.

Common signs of body image issues.

• Excessive focus on minor flaws or on certain parts of your body.
• Viewing yourself as ugly or unattractive and calling yourself derogatory names.
• Feeling ashamed or embarrassed about your body shape or size and trying to cover it up by wearing baggy or layered clothing.
• Being unable to accept a compliment.
• Constantly checking your body in the mirror and/or measuring or weighing yourself.
• Never being satisfied with your appearance and always thinking something about your body needs fixing.
• Constantly comparing your appearance with other people’s.
• Avoiding activities such as swimming where others might notice what your body looks like.
• Seeking constant reassurance from others that you look okay.
• Your mood depends on how you perceive yourself in the mirror.
• You let your physical appearance determine your self-worth.

Factors that can lead to body image issues.

• Social media portrayals of idealized body types that have been airbrushed and edited, that promote unrealistic standards.
• Prevalent beauty ideals promoted by society.
• Pressure to conform to cultural expectations surrounding appearance.
• Negative childhood experiences such as bullying, teasing, or being criticized about your appearance.

Strategies for overcoming body image issues.

• Take a break from social media.
• Don’t compare yourself to other people. You are a unique being created in God’s image.
• Challenge your negative thoughts and make a list of things you like about yourself. They don’t all have to be physical. Your physical appearance is only one small part of who you are.
• Talk about what you are feeling with someone who cares about you, like a trusted friend or loved one.
• Notice the nice things people say about you and write them down so you have a reminder to go back to when you are having a down day.
• Practice self-compassion and positive self-talk. Replace disparaging thoughts you have about yourself with truths from God’s Word,
• Focus on the things your body enables you to do that you are grateful for rather than on how it looks.
• Consider counseling. A trained mental health professional can help you unpack what’s at the root of your issues, improve self-awareness, challenge negative self-talk, and develop a kinder, more realistic, and positive view of your body.

What God’s word says about your body.

So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. – Genesis 1:27, NIV

You were created in God’s image.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. – Psalm 139:14, NIV

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. – Ephesians 2:10, NIV

You are fearfully and wonderfully made and were created for a special purpose no one else can fulfill.

Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. – 1 Peter 3:3-4, NIV

But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heat.” – 1 Samuel 16:7, NIV

Every culture has its own definition of beauty, and those definitions are subject to change, but what God considers beautiful does not change, and it has nothing to do with your outward appearance. What God considers beautiful is the beauty within you. Your heart is what matters in His eyes.

If you are struggling with body image issues and need more help than this article can provide, please don’t hesitate to give us a call today at Little Elm Christian Counseling in Texas.