Many of you might see harming yourself as the only escape from your Body Image issues. This is not true! You may feel that you are the only one who cares, or is on your side, but this is not the case. There are many who are willing to help. If you are considering harming yourself, or others, please consult these resources:
http://www.sadag.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=11&Itemid=114
https://afsp.org
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Suicide/Pages/Getting-help.aspx
You do not have to fight this war alone. There are people who are willing to listen. Harming yourself won't fix your Body Image problems. They will only perpetuate pain and suffering. You do not need to harm yourself to get help. Even though it may not seem so, there will always be people willing to listen. Talk to your friends and family. Visit your school psychologist. Consult the links above.
Some may be pressuring you to harm yourself. Do not listen to them! They do not understand what they are saying.
Sunday, 9 October 2016
Beauty Magazines Will Only Make You Feel Ugly
Beauty is a very subjective thing. Throughout the ages, cultures and societies have had different ideas of beauty. Some cultures have valued fuller figures, while others have valued those who are thin. Some value tans, while others have valued extremely pale skin.
Beauty standards have changed throughout the ages. In one culture, I am beautiful. In another, I am ugly. This serves to prove that beauty is not a science, and that nobody can truly portray perfect beauty. Sadly, many have still tried. Many companies in the beauty industry stand to benefit from skewing the public's perception of beauty. They apply elephantine amounts of makeup on their models, and they Photoshop them beyond the point of recognition. One cannot think that these artificial images of men and women could reflect anything more than an artificial sense of beauty.
Friday, 7 October 2016
The Negativity Bias
The human mind often does things that seem illogical and counter-productive. One of these is our 'Negativity Bias.' We will always focus on what is wrong with a situation — why do you think we never hear positive news stories? We are incredibly gifted creatures. Despite all of one's successes, one will still focus on one's faults. This is why so many talented people here this world feel inadequate.
If I am fit, wealthy, smart and all all round nice guy, I will still feel inadequate. I will forget a compliment within a week. An insult will stay in my head forever. This is also why, according to an article from Psychology Today, marriages survive only when the positive acts occur more frequently than negative or hateful ones.
Read more here.
While you will never be able to get rid of this bias, acknowledging its existence will help you manage it. By recognising the existence of a 'Negativity Bias,' we will know when we are being influenced by it. By recognising it, you can come closer to ending your body image problems.
Once I realised the effects of the negativity bias, my outlook on life changed. Whenever I feel down or not good enough, I remind myself of this bias' impact on my mind. I am a much better person than my negative mind tells me I am.
If I am fit, wealthy, smart and all all round nice guy, I will still feel inadequate. I will forget a compliment within a week. An insult will stay in my head forever. This is also why, according to an article from Psychology Today, marriages survive only when the positive acts occur more frequently than negative or hateful ones.
Read more here.
While you will never be able to get rid of this bias, acknowledging its existence will help you manage it. By recognising the existence of a 'Negativity Bias,' we will know when we are being influenced by it. By recognising it, you can come closer to ending your body image problems.
Once I realised the effects of the negativity bias, my outlook on life changed. Whenever I feel down or not good enough, I remind myself of this bias' impact on my mind. I am a much better person than my negative mind tells me I am.
Thursday, 6 October 2016
Recognise That You Are More Than Your Body!
Recognise that you are more than your body:
You are more than your outward appearance! Regardless of wether you are underweight or overweight, you are still a human being. You still matter. You are still loved by others. When others treat you like a dog, you do not become a dog. You are a human being with human thoughts, passions and desires. Nobody can take that away from you. Shakespeare, in The Merchant of Venice, said it perfectly:
Are we not “ fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer?” (Act III, 1)
Your abilities extend beyond your physical boundaries. Just because you are not the fittest or the quickest does not mean that you cannot be great. When life throws you to the curb, do not loiter around and wait for the next blow. Stand up! Fight to be the person that you want to be! There will always be the haters and the naysayers. Prove them wrong! Not being strong or thin does not prevent you from being great. Be the person that you were born to be. Being your best possible self does not involve conforming to the standards of others.
You are more than your outward appearance! Regardless of wether you are underweight or overweight, you are still a human being. You still matter. You are still loved by others. When others treat you like a dog, you do not become a dog. You are a human being with human thoughts, passions and desires. Nobody can take that away from you. Shakespeare, in The Merchant of Venice, said it perfectly:
Are we not “ fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer?” (Act III, 1)
Your abilities extend beyond your physical boundaries. Just because you are not the fittest or the quickest does not mean that you cannot be great. When life throws you to the curb, do not loiter around and wait for the next blow. Stand up! Fight to be the person that you want to be! There will always be the haters and the naysayers. Prove them wrong! Not being strong or thin does not prevent you from being great. Be the person that you were born to be. Being your best possible self does not involve conforming to the standards of others.
Introduction
Dear reader,
I am not an expert, a teacher or a mentor. I am concerned global citizen, and a high school student. While this piece is for a school project, I truly believe what I am saying in this blog. I have no qualifications. Everything I'm saying might be right, or wrong. Please recognise that this advice may not be for you.
I am not an expert, a teacher or a mentor. I am concerned global citizen, and a high school student. While this piece is for a school project, I truly believe what I am saying in this blog. I have no qualifications. Everything I'm saying might be right, or wrong. Please recognise that this advice may not be for you.
However, there is one thing that applies to all of us. There is one thing that we can all agree on:
You do not have to live in misery!
Throughout this blog, I will reveal the methods that I use to overcome my own body image problems. If you take one thing away from here, let it be this: you are not alone!
If your Body Image truly impacts your quality of life, please use these resources:
https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/10-steps-positive-body-image
South African Depression And Anxiety Group
South African Depression And Anxiety Group
This blog will focus on the following key points:
-Recognise that you are more than your body.
-Recognise the human negativity bias.
-Recognise that beauty magazines will only make you feel ugly
-Recognise that harming yourself is not the answer to your body image issues
Yourse sincerely,
Matt
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