Body Image
Mind Matters - Body Image, It's Not What You See in the Mirror
Everyone has a body image—a set of beliefs, perceptions, and feelings related to their body. Surprisingly, body image is not necessarily related to objective measures and does not refer to what you actually look like. Not liking your body makes it difficult to accept yourself and is associated with depression, anxiety and withdrawal. Research shows that many patients experience an improved body image within the first year after weight loss surgery. However, some patients continue to perceive themselves inaccurately and negatively, or change their focus from their body size to sagging skin. It sometimes takes your mind time to “catch up” with your rapid and dramatic body changes.
How to improve your body image
1. How are you talking to yourself? Often, you feel bad about your body because of your thoughts. Try to avoid inaccurate, negative terms like “my disgusting fat hips” or “the elephant skin under my arm.” Rather, use more descriptive and neutral terms (e.g., “round hips” or “the way my underarm skin sags and has wrinkles”). When you feel particularly bad about your body, write down your thoughts and see if you can alter them to be more accurate and neutral. It may help to ask yourself if the thought is helpful or hurtful. If it’s hurtful, then restructuring it to be neutral may make a big difference....Read more.
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