Adolescent Body Image, Mental Health and Evolution

We all want our children to be healthy, happy and successful, but our number one priority is to keep our children safe. In an ever changing world, this can be very challenging. 

Today one of the biggest challenges is safeguarding their mental health

Mental health is vital to our wellbeing, happiness, success and our safety . 

One of the silent, yet most destructive influences on our mental health and wellbeing is body image dissatisfaction. It is difficult to get a true indication of the numbers affected as many (especially boys) do not speak out about their body image challenges, but on average at least 80% of children today are dissatisfied with their body.

This dissatisfaction with their bodies can start as young as 4 years old and often develops into a lifetime of struggles with their body, disordered eating and sadly anxiety, depression and in some cases severe eating disorders and suicide.

We are led to believe by the media and society that the definition of wellbeing and happiness is defined by how we look.

Today, with instant access to social media, we are exposed to this ‘distortional myth’  more than ever before &  it is harder than ever to escape these so-called ‘perfect’ bodies. Even though most of them are filtered and adjusted. 

The adolescent brain is not developed enough to think critically about these images.

They are naturally driven by biology and evolution to want to ‘fit in, to be accepted and to find their ‘tribe’ 

They feel they need to conform. When they do not think they measure up to these images, they think that something is wrong with them and seek out any behaviour that may help them ‘fit in'. 

Many think body image struggles and eating disorders only affect girls.

'It's just as hard to be Ken, as it is Barbie'

What is Body Image?

Body image refers to the subjective perception we have of our physical selves and the subjective and judgmental way we think others perceive us and how we see them

Body image is not just what we think of ourselves, but how we think others see us

It is what we believe, how we feel and how we behave in relationship with ourselves, our bodies and the outside world. 

What this is saying is that our view of our body is based on ‘perception’ and not facts. 

What we see and believe about our bodies is conditioned and influenced by; History, Society, media, family, friends, the culture we live in and our own personal experiences 

What is Mental Health 

“Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood.”

HOW does body image affect our mental health?

Blame it on evolution, biology and society…

We are all human beings who fundamentally at our very core need love.  With all the science and technology today, this is one thing they struggle to measure, yet it is the factor that drives our every thought, belief, behavior and indirectly who we attract, what we do and how we function in the world. 

Without love, it’s difficult to see how the human species could have evolved..

Sounds wishy washy for some, but please bear with me…. 

Evolution has a role to play, we are complex yet simple beings whose main purpose in life is to survive and procreate. 

We are driven by evolution and biology to survive and thrive and to do both of these we need others. We are hardwired for connection and naturally are motivated to seek approval and find our own tribe. 

This is especially strong during adolescence. 

The desire to seek approval and ‘fit in’ is a subconscious behaviour, which pushes us to seek others that have similar ‘looks’ to what we are being exposed to most of the time.  

If most of what you saw was people with no hair, no eyebrows then that would be the norm and that is what you would seek out and strive to look like so that you could ‘fit’ in.  This is your brain's survival mechanism kicking in to keep you safe, it thinks it is helping you to ‘fit in’ .

In some more isolated countries, such as parts of Africa where it is considered a sign of wealth to be ‘fat’ and having elongated ear lobs and lips are a sign of beauty. 

Keep in mind that only a few 100’s years ago we did not travel or have access to the internet and therefore all we would see were others of a similar appearance, i,e. Race, size, colour and culture. 

However today we are exposed to so many different varying races, mixes, cultures and with it different appearances. 

Though there are such differences between one culture and the other, one thing unites all this, every one of them has its rules to determine beauty

Therefore body image is complex and not just about vanity but survival

Besides being influenced subconsciously to seek their tribe and fit in, adolescent brains are not yet fully developed (only around 25 years old) and are unable to fully control thoughts, feelings and behaviors.

We have spoken about ‘why’ body image is at its core not about vanity, however here comes the paradox.

When we think we do not ‘fit in’ we start to doubt ourselves and there is a billion dollar wellness industry profiting from our insecurities, telling us we are not ‘good enough’ as we are and that we ‘need’ them. 

 For decades society has placed a great value on the beauty of the human body, each decade having its own unique look and shape . 

See how body types change through history

The effects of having body image dissatisfaction

How we see, feel and believe about ourselves will reflect in every area of our lives; our happiness, wellbeing, relationships and our paths to success. 

Our perception of our bodies is a reflection of our self worth

Our ideal of what we want our bodies to look like can leave us suffering and dissatisfied. Always seeking ways to improve.

This mindset strongly influences our behaviour and wellbeing and this can have negative effects both mentally and physically. 

The effects & impact of having a poor body image can vary from person to person

There are many however, here are some of the main ones.  

• Self worth / esteem
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Lack of motivation
• Eating disorders
• Withdrawal
• Obsessive behaviors 
• Substance abuse
• Reduced cognitive functions

Each of these are connected with each other and the impact on an adolescent is often not so obvious until it is a serious problem. 

So many will not even realize they are struggling, especially as our society today praises so many of the behaviors that are problematic such as eating ‘healthy’ and an obsession with exercise. However, left unchecked, this struggle with one's body can lead to a destructive struggle in so many areas of their lives, not just now but also in the future. 

Summary

Body image is an important part of mental health. It affects how we feel about ourselves, our self-esteem, and our overall well being. It can also have an impact on our relationships with others.

Body image at its core is less about vanity and more about our fundamental core behaviors to survive, connect and thrive and if we can understand this, it may help us to see it with a different perspective and shift how we think, talk and behave around it. 

All that being said, body image dissatisfaction is very real and can be very destructive.

The distorted negative feelings, thoughts and beliefs around our body can have an effect on our lives psychologically, physically and socially

Having a child is one of life's most wonderful experiences.  There is an overwhelming sense of love and at the same time fear. As a parent myself I know that I was over the moon in love with my children but with that elevated feeling came a strong need to protect them which elicits a lifetime of worry.

I got hit in the face when my daughter of 18 got an eating disorder which almost always is followed by terrible anxiety and depression.  As a parent, there is nothing harder than watching your child suffer and know that there is very little you can do to help. 

My story

I do not think the connection between body image and mental health struggles is strong enough.  You do not have to experience what I did and so many do.  

With awareness and knowledge you can start to change how you view and behave in your own body and start the conversation with your kids. 

Be the change you want to see

You can find out more about how to have body image resilience and heal your relationship with your body, food and eating for yourself and your children on my website.

www.mibodiwellness.com