Body-Shaming and Food Disorders

**Manifestation-**

### Manifests

1) Criticizing someone else's appearance in front of them2) Criticizing yourself and/or comparing yourself to someone in reality or social media

### Other types/Related

Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, Pica, Rumination Disorder

1) Criticizing someone else's appearance in front of them

2) Criticizing yourself and/or comparing yourself to someone in reality or social media

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**Click for Solutions**

**Solutions-**

1) Don't compare yourself to other people. Sometimes people body shame us and comment towards us negatively, it leads us to question our own body. We begin comparing ourselves to random people on the street or maybe, even people we know. That's toxic toward the both of us, intentionally surround yourself with messages that promote body-acceptance and self-love. Doing this gives you power over the influx of overt and covert messages coming at you. Social media (specifically Instagram) models have made a lot of people insecure in the past but don't compare yourself to any other person. You're beautiful the way you are.

**2) Believe you can do it**

A positive mindset is an important thing that will define how you take the body-shaming. One of the most important factors in determining how far you can go is how far you’re open to going. If you listen to those voices that say you can’t do things, then not only is the end goal out of reach, but progress is as well. With progress, you start to feel better, and you generate more progress. If you don't think you can fight back, then, there is no point in even trying because a mindset will help you a lot. Believing in yourself is one way—perhaps the biggest way—to get out of your own way.

**3) Be confident in yourself.**

This one is not easy, because I personally struggle with on and off anorexia and it is so hard to come out from your comfortable space and try to be confident. When facing body-shaming, a lot of people just tend to shy away from crowds and hardly ever feel good about themselves but if you display confidence things change and as you slowly step out of your comfort zone, you might feel better about yourself.

**4) Discover your inner bully**

Weird, I know. But get to know it's weaknesses. Sometimes, we are oblivious to what we're doing to ourselves- or more specifically what our thoughts are doing to us. They can be so dark and you can be so oblivious. Find out what drives or triggers those thoughts, and how you can beat them which brings me to my next stop.

**5) Make an inner support-system**

Now, that you've figured out your inner bully, try to fight those thoughts with your mind too. Once you’re aware of your critical thoughts and how deeply you’re harming yourself with them, you might want to stop doing this to yourself. One way to stop doing this is to create an inner-supportive part of yourself to step in when your inner-bully is trying to steal the show. Unfortunately, body-positive beliefs, thoughts, and language do not just emerge. They must be created, just as the negative thoughts were created and repeated enough to become automatic for you.  Use “I” statements. You might say something like, “I am beautiful,” or “I am strong".

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Body shaming is defined as being 'inappropriate, negative statements and attitudes toward another person’s weight or size'. But, it is so much more than just that. It is one of the most serious forms of bullying, harassment and humiliation. You start feeling like you are not accepted by others. Sometimes, it can be internal too. Studies show that a lot of women accepted to self-shaming. They keep shaming themselves because they think they aren’t like the girls in the magazines.

We hear people today being more outspoken about their struggles, about their stories and in one of those moments, we realise how important it is to actually let it out. How significant it is to talk about what kills you from inside every day. Nobody wants to go to bed crying and wake up with a feeling of not being enough and it’s unimaginable as to how many people experience that each day. Important questions are 'Who are these people?’, 'Why do we care about what they say?' and most importantly 'Why are we detesting ourselves because someone else is not comfortable?'.And above is exactly why people are more vocal about it. We all experience it. All of us are on the same boat, struggling to make it less about our bodies and more about who we are as individuals. Thus, it is so essential to be represented for different bodies, different race, different skin colours.

**Have faith in yourself. You're beautiful.**

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**Food/Eating Disorders**

Eating disorders are a range of psychological conditions that cause unhealthy eating habits to develop. They might start with an obsession with food, body weight, or body shape. In severe cases, eating disorders can cause serious health consequences and may even result in death if left untreated. Those with eating disorders can have a variety of symptoms. However, most include the severe restriction of food, food binges, or purging behaviours like vomiting or over-exercising.

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**How are they caused-**

1) Genetics

2) Personality traits (perfectionism, neuroticism, and impulsivity)

3)  Cultural/communal preferences for thinness, and exposure to media promoting such ideals

4) Low self-esteem

5) Bullying

6) Comparing your body to someone else's

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**Common Food Disorders-**

 Bulimia Nervosa
 Pica
 Rumination Disorder
 Avoidant restrictive food intake disorder

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