Have you ever questioned your worth because of your appearance? I have definitely been there. Body image, or your perception of how you look, greatly impacts your self-esteem and mental health. While a positive body image can lead to self-acceptance and confidence, an unrealistic or negative body image can drag you down into a spiral of anxiety, depression, and other mental health challenges.
I have been on the skinnier side my whole life, and comments like “You need to eat more” or “Please put on some weight” made me feel so small in those moments. And I’m willing to bet anyone of any body type can relate to people making unhelpful comments about their bodies. It’s like, “Thanks for the unsolicited advice, I guess.”
In fact, according to a 2019 report by the Mental Health Foundation, one in five adults felt shame, over a third felt down, and 19% were totally disgusted by their own bodies. Those stats speak volumes about how damaging unrealistic body image can be.
With that in mind, here’s a rundown of 13 possible ways that a toxic mindset around body image can take a toll on your mental health.
1. Crushing Self-Esteem
Unrealistic beauty standards can greatly damage self-esteem. You start feeling unworthy when you compare yourself to the airbrushed and filtered images on your Instagram. Scrolling through social media, even briefly, can make most people unhappy with their appearance.
This dissatisfaction can lead to bigger mental health problems. When people think they don’t measure up, their self-esteem can suffer, feeding into other issues like anxiety and depression.
2. Depression
Feeling like you will never measure up to beauty ideals can add to existing feelings of sadness, hopelessness, loss of interest in activities you enjoy, and even clinical depression.
Psychologists have found a link between body image dissatisfaction and depressive symptoms among adolescents. Those struggling with negative body image were found to be 3.7 times more likely to experience depressive symptoms.
3. Anxiety
A negative body image can also cause you to fear social situations, which is called social anxiety. In some cases, such concerns often cause panic attacks.
Recently published research showed that there is a strong relationship between body image, BMI, and social physique anxiety. Individuals with higher BMI had reduced body esteem and greater social physique anxiety.
4. Eating Disorders
Being dissatisfied with your body may sometimes cause you to take extreme measures to achieve your ideal weight or clothing size, leading to eating disorders. It is a serious mental health condition characterized by abnormal or disturbed eating habits.
Body dissatisfaction poses a significant risk factor for conditions like anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. Research suggests that body dissatisfaction plays a crucial role in the development, persistence, and recurrence of these disorders.
5. Body Dysmorphic Disorder
Imagine spending hours in front of the mirror, scrutinizing every tiny flaw that nobody else can see—this is life for someone with Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD). BDD goes beyond the everyday struggle with body image issues. It is a tiring and consuming focus on perceived imperfections that often aren’t even real.
Research shows that people with BDD symptoms are more likely to spend time and energy taking photos and manipulating them to try and improve body image. Still, this behavior can be counterintuitive and make symptoms worse.
6. Self-Harm
Social media is the root cause of many problems, including creating body image issues, which can lead to self-harm in severe situations. Some people might turn to self-harming behavior to manufacture a sense of control over their bodies when they feel powerless.
Teens and young adults are particularly at risk as they figure out who they are in a visually-driven world. This vulnerable age group tends to withdraw from social activities and engage in self-harm in extreme instances where they feel embarrassed about their appearance.
7. Suicidal Thoughts
Did you know that suicide is one of the top causes of death in the U.S.? One person dies by suicide every 11 minutes, with body image issues being a leading cause of mental health deterioration, especially in younger people.
One of the main reasons behind this is eating disorders. People suffering from eating disorders believe that there’s no way out. This feeling of hopelessness can lead to suicidal ideation.
8. Reduced Quality of Life
Chasing impossible beauty standards can cramp your style. When you try to morph into something unrealistic, you can be caught in a cycle of never feeling “good enough.” It’s a total drain of time and energy and keeps you from truly enjoying life and connecting with others.
You might withdraw and skip social events out of fear of judgment, leading to isolation and feeling left out. But, the best way to enhance your quality of life is to embrace the fact that everybody is different and you are perfect the way you are.
9. Relationship Difficulties
A negative body image can also affect personal relationships, creating emotional distance and even reduced physical intimacy with a partner.
Feelings of self-consciousness may cause you to avoid close interactions, as you think your partner may also perceive you as unworthy or unattractive. This distance can create misunderstandings, leaving your partner feeling rejected or confused.
10. Burnout
Overexertion is one reason people may experience burnout if they aren’t happy with their appearance, and in some cases, it may also cause injuries associated with over-exercising and undereating.
Men aren’t immune from body image issues, although this is a common misconception. Men are also concerned with their physics, particularly their muscularity. This consciousness may lead to risky behavior like anabolic steroids use to build muscle.
11. Financial Strain
In some cases, unrealistic body image can also cause financial strain, especially when you feel pressured to meet societal beauty standards. The beauty business is a billion-dollar industry, and marketing campaigns are designed to make people feel bad about how they look in order to sell products.
This pressure causes spending large amounts of money on skincare products or treatments, fitness programs, weight-loss supplements, or even medical procedures. These financial issues can also put strain on your mental health.
12. Sleep Disturbances
Constant worrying about your appearance can lead to difficulty falling asleep and adversely affect sleep quality.
Being sleep-deprived can make you emotionally sensitive and irritable and make it difficult to concentrate. As a result of sleep problems, the hormones that regulate appetite can be affected, potentially leading to eating disorders.
13. Reduced Productivity
Constant mental chatter can drain energy and hinder productivity at work, school, or other areas of life.
It’s like trying to work with a constant noise blaring in the background. This takes up mental space and siphons your energy, leaving you less focused on the task at hand.
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Aqsa is a passionate writer who loves spending her free time jotting down her thoughts. But that’s not all. She is a devoted mom to two boys and a skilled pharmacist specializing in hematology. When she’s not running after her energetic kids, you can find her lost in a good book or writing beautiful words. A nature lover at heart, she enjoys exploring the outdoors, staying active, and always seeking ways to learn new things.
