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When We Body Shame Ourselves It Hurts Everyone Around Us
When we use slurs about our own bodies we encourage others to do the same.
Body Image issues are on the rise. An online survey conducted by the Mental Health Foundation and YouGov in March 2019 found that one in five adults felt shame about their bodies. 34% felt down or low, and 19% felt disgusted because of their body image. Worryingly, one in eight adults felt suicidal because of their body image.
We tend to think of body image issues as a problem that only affects women and teenage girls. The online survey found that more women experienced body image issues than men (1 in 10 compared to 1 in 20) and that body image issues are prevalent amongst teenage girls. However, 1 in 5 men have reported they dressed in ways that hide their bodies. 1 in 10 have experienced suicidal thoughts, with 4% of respondents reporting that they have deliberately hurt themselves because of their body image.
Body image issues are everyone’s problem. Sadly, many people hide their struggles so although these statistics have shed light on the growing problem, there are most likely more people who are struggling than what has been reported.
The main factors that contribute to body image issues are criticism, incorrect evidence, and the media. If our…
