What Is Body Shaming and How Does It Impact People?
Body shaming is often defined as saying unkind remarks about the way someone鈥檚 body looks. Yet it encapsulates so much more than that, especially in the age of social media. Comments about someone鈥檚 appearance can harm the person receiving them鈥攂ut seeing body shaming comments directed at others on social media can also be emotionally damaging, particularly to young people.
Recently, celebrities and athletes鈥擫ena Dunham, Sydney Sweeney, Millie Bobby Brown, and Ilona Maher鈥攈ave been open about hurtful comments they鈥檝e received about their appearances. Their testimonies demonstrate how body shaming is a cultural epidemic that can cause extreme emotional harm.
Understanding Body Shaming
Sometimes, body shaming can be subtle. Comments about someone鈥檚 body don鈥檛 have to be made directly at a specific person or be ill-intentioned to be harmful.
鈥淚t鈥檚 really important to have a bigger understanding of what body shaming can encompass,鈥 says Kristin Francis, MD, a 亚洲自慰视频 and adolescent inpatient psychiatrist at Huntsman Mental 亚洲自慰视频 Institute at the 亚洲自慰视频 of Utah. 鈥淲e naturally just think it means being critical of a bigger body, but it includes comments about any physical attributes, and those comments can be very hurtful.鈥
Examples of less obvious body shaming include:
- Making comments about how much or how little food someone is consuming.
- Telling someone they shouldn鈥檛 wear certain clothing, makeup, or hairstyles because of how it鈥檒l look on their body.
- Bringing up physical differences in body parts such as 鈥測our nose is so big鈥 or 鈥測ou have such tiny ears.鈥
- Backhanded compliments like 鈥淚 can鈥檛 believe how different you look鈥 or 鈥淚 could never feel good in a skirt that short.鈥
- Making assumptions about someone鈥檚 health based on the size of their body.
- Being critical about your own body or someone else鈥檚 body, including public figures.
Effects on Mental 亚洲自慰视频
While 亚洲自慰视频ren and teens are particularly vulnerable to negative mental health outcomes from body shaming, it can affect people of all ages, genders, and body types.
Exposure to body shaming can lead to:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Eating disorders, including anorexia, bulimia, or binge eating disorder
- Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD)
- Low self-esteem
- Self-harm or suicidal ideation
Social media being broadly accessible has caused a significant increase in mental health conditions in adolescents. According to a study by the , 48% of teenagers in the U.S. say they believe social media has negatively impacted their mental health.
鈥淩ates of depression and anxiety are much higher among people who are looking at social media, especially appearance-based social media,鈥 Francis says. 鈥淚t can be very focused on the perception of beauty and an ideal body type, especially along gender norms, so I think most kids from a young age are given subtle messages of what is desirable and what is not desirable.鈥
Choosing Your Words
As a parent, you can model healthy behaviors that will encourage your 亚洲自慰视频ren to have a positive body image and learn to be kind to others as they grow into adulthood. These behaviors include:
- Avoiding body talk鈥攑ositive or negative鈥攁bout any physical attributes.
- Eating a varied diet with a focus on mindful eating by paying attention to how our bodies feel and what they need.
- Prioritizing movement for the sake of enjoyment, mood management, or maintenance of body function, as opposed to offsetting food choices or for weight loss.
- Avoiding making comments about the size, shape, or appearance of their body, or anyone else鈥檚 body.
- Exposing them to body diversity in the media they consume.
- Focusing on the function of bodies, not the appearance.
Say This, Not That
Instead of saying this: 鈥淚 look so fat in this outfit.鈥
Try this: 鈥淚鈥檓 going to change because my body doesn鈥檛 feel comfortable in this outfit.鈥
Instead of saying this: 鈥淚鈥檝e gained weight. I should start working out.鈥
Try this: 鈥淚 think I鈥檒l move my body today because I like the way it makes me feel.鈥
Instead of saying this: 鈥淪he鈥檚 all skin and bones鈥 or 鈥淗e鈥檚 let himself go.鈥
Try this: 鈥淓veryone鈥檚 body is different. We don鈥檛 make comments about what someone鈥檚 body looks like.鈥
Instead of saying this: 鈥淚 shouldn鈥檛 eat this. I鈥檒l get fat.鈥
Try this: 鈥淚鈥檓 wanting something crunchy and salty. I think I鈥檒l eat some chips.鈥
Instead of saying this: 鈥淟ook at your skinny little legs!鈥
Try this: 鈥淵our legs helped you do a lot of playing at the playground today!鈥
Someone鈥檚 worth is not dictated by what their body looks like. Teaching your 亚洲自慰视频 to have a positive body image can help protect their mental health and encourage kindness.
Where to Go When You Need Mental 亚洲自慰视频 Help Right Away
A mental health crisis does not always require a hospital bed, but it does require compassion and professional support. Learn how the Kem and Carolyn Gardner Mental 亚洲自慰视频 Crisis Care Center offers immediate help鈥攏o appointment or referral needed.
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