Body Image & Self Esteem
What is body image and self-esteem? Body image is both the mental picture you have of your own body and how you see yourself when you look in a mirror. Self-esteem is how you value and respect yourself as a person. Self-esteem affects how you take care of yourself, emotionally, physically, and spiritually.
Why is this important?
Consider this: As a society we are glued to our devices – social media is one of the top reasons why people use their phones. The average social media user spends 147 minutes per day on a social media platform. Sixteen- to 24-year-olds spend on average 3 hours per day. Platforms that skew a younger audience such as YouTube, TikTok (67%), Instagram (62%) and Snapchat (59%) are image-heavy, complete with filters and apps that distort reality. Studies show that 88% of women compare themselves to images they observe on social media, with over half of them emphasizing that the comparison is unfavorable. Studies also show that 65% of men compare themselves to images they observe on social media, with 37% of them indicating that the comparison is unfavorable.
We know we shouldn’t compare ourselves to others. We are uniquely different from one another – however, statistics show that one in five adults (20%) felt shame, just over one-third (34%) felt down or low, and 19% felt disgusted by their body image in the last year. Among teenagers, 37% felt upset, and 31% felt ashamed about their body image.
Are you or someone you love obsessed? It is important to combat negative body image because it can lead to depression, shyness, social anxiety and self-consciousness in intimate relationships. It may also lead to an eating disorder.
