Body Image in Eating Disorders, Part II

The last post focused on the changes in brain processing which affect body image and the perception of one’s own body differently from others. Another equally important aspect of body image distortion is the emotional connection.

The underlying feeling behind body image thoughts is shame. Thoughts about body always revolve around never being enough: not thin enough, not shapely enough, not attractive enough. The list is endless.

Typically, these thoughts about one’s body starts around puberty when bodies change quickly and suddenly. The development of identity and self-perception occurs at the same time and often in lasting ways.

Adolescents, especially girls, still grow up with the message that their changing bodies are a source of deep shame. That shame may begin in how they are perceived with a developing body, how they dress, how they develop curves or fat in typical places for women or in the deep discomfort others, typically family, have during their development. Sometimes, the shame begins at home and other times from school or peers.

Because of the drive for thinness in our society, many children see dieting, food restriction and weight loss as a concrete way to battle against puberty and attempt to halt the changes in their body. The cultural norm of thinness naturally condones this dangerous behavior and assures teenagers that body shame is a critical part of becoming a woman.

As I have written many times in this blog, dieting is the number one risk factor for developing an eating disorder. Whether or not children become ill, for the most part, they learn about the connection between shame and body image. And the constant negative thoughts associated with their own self-image is quickly ingrained in so many girls and young women.

The new trends of body positivity, varied size models and body acceptance are taking hold. Both for the sake of avoiding eating disorders and for avoiding a lifetime of shame, let’s hope these trends make a dent in the cultural norms of the last fifty years.