In a society surrounded by filtered pictures, videos, and social media that we idolize, body shaming concerns continue to be on the rise. 96% of people worldwide want to change their body in some way which shows this is not an individual problem of low self-esteem but rather a collective disconnect with how we see our body image. Girls and women are especially bombarded with images of so-called ‘perfect bodies’.
Failure to achieve perfect body standards can cause low self-esteem, feelings of unworthiness, eating disorders, and body dysmorphia, and affect the mental and emotional well-being of an individual by causing anxiety, or even depression.
Even in a joking manner, remarks about what you eat or how much food you consume constitute body shaming. Giving someone advice about dieting or praising weight loss is also considered body shaming, whether intentional or not. Often, your friends and family members don’t want to hurt your feelings, but their comments can still be critical.
How To Deal With Body Shaming
In our society, it is a challenge to love your body without effort, and it can take many years of work to get there. There are many challenges to face before one feels compassion, acceptance, and ultimately love for body. There is a societal body-shaming that is so ingrained that it can feel like the truth. But it’s not the truth. You don’t have to change your body to be deserving of showing it off how everybody else likes.
In her efforts to address and combat body shaming, Vidya Balan, a prominent Indian actress has taken proactive steps. She has participated in a video highlighting the detrimental effects of body shaming, emphasizing that everyone is unique and deserving of respect. She asserted, “Stop body shaming, everyone is special.”
The following tips will help you in your journey toward overcoming shameful feelings about your body:
- Choose your messages on social media platforms
Intentionally surround yourself with messages that promote body acceptance and self-love. Doing this gives you power over the influx of overt and covert messages coming at you. Follow body-positive Instagram feeds, Facebook pages, and Twitter feeds. - Believe you can love your body
When you deny that you can feel better about yourself as you are and insist that nothing can work for you, and therapy won’t help either, and so on, you ensure that you’re right. When you can recognize that you’re condemning yourself to being stuck, you can start to have a choice as to whether or not you want to be. Believing in yourself is one way—perhaps the biggest way—to get out of your way. - Create an inner-supporter
Once you’re aware of your critical thoughts and how deeply you’re harming yourself with them, you might want to stop doing this to yourself. One way to stop doing this is to create an inner-supportive part of yourself to step in when your inner bully is trying to steal the show. Stand in front of the mirror and speak out loud what you want to believe about yourself. Use “I” statements. You might say something like, “I am beautiful,” or “I am strong,” or “I love myself as I am.” - Practice thanking your body
It’s hard to be grateful to your body when you’re ashamed of it, and you wish it were different. However, there are always things about your body to be thankful for. Your body keeps you alive, your body carries you every day, and your body protects you in many ways. Your body has survived a lifetime of events so far. Think about what your body does for you, instead of what you wish it did for you. Practice taking time to thank your body for all that it does.
Steps to Overcome Body Shaming
Following these basic steps can help you overcome body shaming and build body positivity:
- Cultivate self-love.
- Replace negative self-talk.
- Manage your time spent on social media.
- Make friends with food.
- Reach out to someone you trust for guidance and support.
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