Have you ever experienced that moment when you look at your reflection in the mirror and groan in dismay? It’s natural to have the occasional bad day, but when you struggle with body image issues regularly, and it starts to cause you anxiety and a low mood, then there may be some deeper issues. So, how can body image problems affect your life?
Damage to self-confidence
There is a vicious cycle that is easy to get stuck in when you feel bad about your appearance. Insecurities in the way you look can cause your self-confidence and self-esteem to plummet. In turn, that can cause you to feel even worse about your physical attributes. The longer the cycle goes on, the harder it becomes to break free of it. However, by visiting a health psychologist, you could break free from these destructive thoughts, find a more positive outlook, and restore your confidence.
Negative effects on intimate relationships
When you have consistently negative thoughts about your body image, it may have an extremely negative impact on your relationship with your spouse or partner. Not only can these negative thoughts cause you to distance yourself from your loved one subconsciously, but your low mood and anxiety could also cause conflict in your relationship, leading to tensions between the two of you.
Potential eating disorders
Poor body image is often linked to eating disorders, such as anorexia and bulimia. These dangerous illnesses can be severe. If you have issues with your body image and they impact your food intake or behaviours surrounding foods, it is essential to seek help as early as possible before it can spiral out of control.
Do not struggle without help
When you are at your lowest ebb, trying to manage your body image issues on your own, the world can seek like a dark place. But there is help out there. Reaching out to an empathetic, compassionate and experienced health psychologist is the first step to transforming your life from a sea of insecurity into an ocean of possibility.
