I've been struggling with body dysmorphia, and it’s led to a lot of disordered eating. Is there anything I can do to see my body as it is?
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Body Dysmorphia makes it challenging to see our body as it actually is, beautifully imperfect. Instead, we begin to nitpick at small flaws and imperfections, often leading to unhealthy eating habits, excessive exercise, or constant negative thoughts and feelings about our appearance.
It can be hard to shift these thoughts, feelings, and behaviors towards a more positive self-image but all you have to do is begin. You don’t have to be perfect while you try the suggestions below to see what works for you:
Challenge Your Negative Thoughts with an Opposite Affirming Truth: When you notice a negative thought about your body or appearance, pause your thinking and present an opposite affirming truth to this negative thought. For example, if you begin thinking, “I am ugly and need to fix it,” you can say something like, “My body is beautiful because it is doing its best to support me.” I encourage you to come up with your own script so that these sayings come more naturally to you over time.
Hang Up Positive Notes in your Living Area: Whether you spend a lot of time looking at yourself in the mirror in your bathroom or bedroom or both, create positive affirmation signs to put next to these mirrors. “I am beautiful, I am strong, I am enough, I am worthy, I love myself,” etc. Try putting these reminders in your bag, purse, wallet, and in your Notes app! Use them as powerful reminders to remind yourself that you are enough and flaws do not diminish you.
Limit Mirror Time and Social Media: We spend way too much time comparing ourselves to influences, IG models, and society’s beauty ideals. This can send us into a negative thought spiral that can be difficult to get out of. Track how much time you spend looking at yourself in the mirror and/or comparing yourself to others on social media and cut this time by 25%. Once that feels manageable, you can reduce the time again. Don’t forget to unfollow or block accounts that contribute to your negative thoughts so that you can make space for healthier thoughts to grow!
Seek Support: Odds are, you’re not alone in this struggle. Talking to a trusted family member, friend, or mental health professional can help ground you and bring you back to the present moment. It can also help you to continue to challenge these beliefs, give your mind a break, and sew seeds of positivity.
Small shifts and small steps are the key. All you have to do is begin.
Ingrid Camacho
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