Lying Eyes - distorted body image

"I wish that I could see me how you see me, even if it is only for a moment."
The term body image describes a person's inner sense of satisfaction or dissatisfaction with the physical appearance of her/his body. This usually is true for an individual who is struggling with an eating disorder; they tend to see their bodies as being larger than they truly are.
"My mirror image sometimes agrees with what I'm feeling, and sometimes it differs greatly." "It is clear to me that this distortion is the result of my own self-hatred, my own longing to be something and someone that I am not." "It is the illusory manifestation of my own sense of inferiority." "It is a rebellion of my inner self, against the unrealistic ideals I place on myself, and against the unrealistic ideals that society places on me." Wings For The Heart.
Our Society places so much emphasis on being thin, young, and beautiful -- negative body image can and has become a serious difficulty for countless women, men, and even children. Dissatisfaction with your body can:

• Cause low self-esteem
• Contribute to clinical depression

Experiences and emotions from your past helped to make what your body image is today; whether it is through things that others have said to you, or have done to you. The critical period occurs during the adolescent years. So many changes are occurring, and hormones are out of whack. A little girl can suddenly blossom into a young woman within a matter of months. Her once boyish figure is now forming hips, and breasts - her body fat is doubling in order to prepare her for bearing children one day. The body knows what it is doing, but for a little girl - all of this change can be devastating.

The following is a questionnaire taken from the Eating Disorder Referral Organization website. For more information regarding body image see: Body Image

1. Have you avoided sports or working out because you didn't want to be seen in gym clothes? Yes______ No ________

2. Does eating even a small amount of food make you feel fat? Yes_______ No______

3. Do you worry or obsess about your body not being small, thin or good enough? Yes____ No ______

4. Are you concerned your body is not muscular or strong enough? Yes_____ No_____

5. Do you avoid wearing certain clothes because they make you feel fat? Yes _____ No_____

6. Do you feel badly about yourself because you don't like your body? Yes _____ No_____

7. Have you ever disliked your body? Yes ______ No ________

8. Do you want to change something about your body? Yes _____ No ________

9. Do you compare yourself to others and "come up short?" Yes______ No_______

If you answered "Yes" to 3 or more questions, you may have a negative body image.

If negative body image is a problem for you, print out a copy of the questionnaire above, and take it with you to your medical doctor to use as a guide in order to receive proper help.

Go to Eating Disorders for related articles.