What is body image?

Everyone has a body image. It is a combination of the way that we perceive other people as seeing us, as well as our own feelings about our bodies. Body image doesn’t just refer to whether we like or dislike certain parts of our bodies; instead, it encapsulates a perception of our entire body and is often fused with our sense of self-esteem. 
Your body image plays a large role in the way you treat your body. If you see yourself in a largely negative frame of mind, thus having a negative body image, you are far more likely to treat your body poorly. This could range from self-abuse to ignoring self-care practices, having reduced self-confidence and often little motivation to change. 

What are the traits of a negative body image?

People with a negative body image often have a pessimistic mindset regarding how they view themselves and how other people see them too. Not only are they likely to have distorted images of specific parts of their body, but they are likely to have negative feelings surrounding their overall body size and shape.

Common signs of a negative body image include:
Feeling ashamed about your body, and being unwilling to show parts of your body in public. 
Believing that your body is not good enough in some respect, whether in terms of beauty, weight or size.
Linking your psychological mindset and own internal perception of yourself with your self-worth.
Having little motivation to make positive changes to improve your psychological condition.

Why is it important to improve the way you see yourself?

Achieving a healthy body image isn’t easy, but it comes with a whole range of benefits.
First and foremost, it helps prevent the desire to ‘fix’ or ‘change’ your body to meet certain conditions. Often, this impulse is merely a means of projecting your anxieties onto something else and is a way of distracting you from other issues in your life that you may feel you have no control over, such as low self-confidence, dissatisfaction with your current situation or relationships, and even unresolved traumatic experiences. 

If you can tackle the root cause of your poor body image, it means you will be freer to focus on cultivating aspects of your life that make you happy. Equally, feeling confident in your body will translate into other areas of your life, which will have a positive impact on your career, personal relationships, your confidence and more. 

In my clinic, my goal is to help my clients to make positive behavioural changes which have direct impacts on their lives. From helping to improve self-confidence to the psychology of weight management, I have experience to deal with any and all problems. If you would like to chat about body image and self-confidence please get in touch.