Body positivity, what is it? - Written by Karen Helmes

The Cambridge Dictionary defines body positivity as “…the fact of feeling good about your body and the way it looks: Body positivity is rooted in loving your body and gaining self-confidence.” This might be a new term and considered a radical act of self-care but the roots of the movement date back to the 1960s when individuals were trying to gain a deeper sense of self and fighting against mainstream society with the discrimination being faced by women. Today both males and females are greatly affected by low self-esteem and are trying to learn ways of first eliminating negative inner dialogue and then taking steps to gain a positive view. According to the American Psychological Association, 40% of US adults have experienced weight or size stigma. 

Many mental health challenges including depression and anxiety symptoms can be related to the experiences of bullying or shaming by providers, family members, and friends, as well as our society at large. This can be considered a marathon, not a sprint since the negative view of oneself rarely occurs overnight we likewise will not change that view overnight. The use of first committing that you are valuable and important enough to engage in self-care is a first step. Exploration of current views of self and deconstructing the thoughts, feelings, and actions process are important secondary steps. 

What are some thoughts that come to mind when you think of your appearance and/or weight? Do you find that you are avoiding looking at full-length mirrors? Do you avoid socializing with coworkers, friends, or family members because you are afraid of what they might think? Help is available. Therapeutic modalities including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Narrative Therapy are very empowering and effective in addressing negative thought patterns.

If you are struggling with being body positive, there is help. Working with therapists that specialize in self esteem, body positivity and health at every size is a great first step to your journey towards healing and acceptance. It can be powerful to  increase self esteem, gain emotional wellness and break your habit of negative inner criticisms.

Sources Cited: 

Abrams, Z. (2022, March 1). The burden of weight stigma: Weight gain is on the rise, but shaming people won’t reverse the trend. Monitor on Psychology. https://www.apa.org/monitor/2022/03/news-weight-stigma 

Body positivity. BODY POSITIVITY definition | Cambridge English Dictionary. (n.d.). https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/body-positivity 

The different aspects that contribute to body image?

Did you know that body image has more than one contributor?? There are four aspects that contribute to body image. We use different senses including how we see our body, how we feel about our body, how we think about our body and how we react to these senses. 

Perceptual body image is how we see our body. Often times we do not accurately view our body correctly. Body dysmorphia or dysmorphic thinking affects “…1.7% to 2.4% of the population..1 in 50 individuals…” (Anxiety and Depression Association of America, 2023). One does not have to be clinically diagnosed to find themselves not viewing their image with the correct lens. 

What we think about our body is our cognitive body image. Oftentimes due to the image being faulty our thoughts are filtered through a lens that causes negative thinking. That is not to say that some might feel confident about their image but statistically we find that there is a higher risk of negative thought processes being the outcome. 

How we feel about our body is our affective body image. Just as in the cognitive processing chain described in cognitive behavioral therapy (thoughts- feelings-actions) our feelings are directly linked to what we are thinking of our body. Our thoughts dictate our feelings and our feelings affect our actions. 

Lastly our behavioral body image is the outcome of our thoughts, feelings, and perceptions being processed. If you are dissatisfied with how you look you might not engage socially, with family or limit employment options. 

Cognitive behavioral therapy is a form of therapy that is recommended to be used to address challenges including low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, disordered eating, eating disorders and additional mental health challenges. 

As you read this take a moment and ask yourself: 

• Do I like how I look?

• What do others see when they look at me? Are the two similar or not similar? 

• How do I feel about how I look? What can allow me to think about myself more positively? 

A technique to start to change a negative thought to a positive is to provide specific praise for ourselves that start and end our day. For example…”I really like the outfit that I picked out for myself today” or “I like how my hair was done”. Additional positive praise can include general gratitude’s such as “I appreciate that the humidity is down today” if a focus on oneself takes some time to adjust to utilizing. Both techniques have a great amount of impact on setting the tone for the day and preparing for the next.

Sources Cited:

Anxiety and Depression Association of America. (2023) Retrieved on 8/1/2023 from: https://adaa.org/understanding-anxiety/body-dysmorphic-disorder