Body image distortion among the youth
We all are well aware of the latest trends in fashion and in the world around us. Every now and then and from time to time, we very often end up being confused about what is acceptable, what is the most fashionable trend and even what is absolutely passé. Trends and customs are continually being reinvented from one day to the next. Things are changing drastically and today enough and more teenagers are obsessed with this concept of being waif like and acceptable to their peers. Often they end up doing drastic measures to change how they look from body piercing, to laser and even surgery.
Self esteem and body image
Children develop a body image and feelings of self esteem at a very young age. It is important not to consider yourself as being too skinny, fat, and unattractive based what you see in magazines and on Television. It is important to have healthy habits that will inspire others to take pride in their appearance and allow people to live healthy lives. It is important to cultivate habits and practices that will allow every child to be comfortable in their own skin and also allow them to grow into confident individuals. Being confident should have nothing to do with being reed thin and a spotless skin.
Reasons for wrong Body Image
Today kids are ridiculed for just about anything. Bullying and peer pressure are two great stressors kids have to deal with and phase every single day of their lives. The sooner you realize that you do not deserve to be made to feel anything, the better it is. Body image stems from your recognition of abilities. You must be able to believe in your uniqueness and also in the fact that being healthy is more important than anything else.
In addition to issues such as this, there may also be occasions when a much deeper root is there such as abuse of some kind. Kids who have unhealthy eating habits or are constantly trying to lose weight must be given attention and provided with psychological help if so required.
Here are some ways to encourage healthy habits :
Make sure you eat small meals 5 to six times a day. It is far better than bingeing on food that will simply make you gain a lot of weight and takes away your interest from your daily activities. The sooner you learn to do this, the better you will feel.
Don’t die to fit in. There is nothing that you will gain from losing out on your good health. Going on a starvation diet may have immediate results but it will irreparably cause damage to your internal system and mess with your immunity, your skin, hair, eyes and more. The sooner you realize it is important to simply eat right and exercise right, the better you will fare.
Stress and trouble are problems which every youngster encounters. If you want to be able to cope with situations and wish to recover you need to be able to have the right support systems in place. The sooner you do that, the better you will feel on the whole. Talk to friends, family or your school counselor if there are concerns you have about your body shape and physique.
Decide on what is more important. Would you rather be skinny and unhealthy or be healthy and strong in both body and mind. Prioritize and figure out what will be the best alternative for you and remember, your body is like any other well oiled machine, misusing it will lead to dire consequences. The rising numbers who have problems like Bulimia, Anorexia Nervosa and other eating disorders indicate that this is a grave concern indeed.
