Quick takeaways Feeling better about your body rarely comes from changing how it looks. It tends to come from small shifts in how you think about it, talk about it and treat it.
Improving body image rarely happens through one big change in appearance. It usually comes from small, repeated shifts in how you think about, talk about and treat your body: noticing harsh self-talk, thinning out what you see online, paying attention to what your body does rather than only how it looks, and spending less time checking and comparing. If thoughts about your body are taking over your day, affecting your eating or your mood, or making you want to hurt yourself, talking to a doctor or a qualified therapist is an important step, not a last resort.
What body image means
Body image is the mix of thoughts, feelings, beliefs and behaviours you have about your own body. It covers how you picture yourself, how you feel about that picture and what you do as a result, such as avoiding photos, covering up or checking mirrors over and over. It can shift with age, health, pregnancy, illness, relationships and the images around you, and it affects people of every gender, size and age.
Signs it may be weighing on you
- Spending a lot of time checking mirrors, weighing yourself or pinching areas you dislike.
- Avoiding social plans, swimming, photos or intimacy because of how you look.
- Measuring your body against other people's in almost every setting.
- Feeling that your worth depends on reaching a certain shape or size.
- Changes in eating, exercise or mood that feel hard to control.
Small steps that can help
1. Notice the voice in your head
Many people talk to themselves in a way they would never talk to a friend. For a week, simply notice the critical thoughts without arguing with them. Then try rewording one a day into something neutral. "My stomach is disgusting" might become "This is my stomach, and it digested my lunch." Neutral is enough; there is no need to force cheerfulness.
2. Shift attention to what your body does
Write a short list of things your body lets you do: walk to the shops, hug someone, dance badly in the kitchen, recover from a cold. Keep it where you will see it. During pregnancy and after birth, when the body changes quickly, some people find that recording what it is doing helps; our piece on keeping a pregnancy journal describes one way to do that.
3. Thin out your feeds
Social media can be a constant stream of filtered, edited and carefully posed bodies. Mute or unfollow accounts that leave you feeling worse, and follow some that show a wider range of bodies, or that have nothing to do with appearance at all, such as hobbies, nature or cooking. Set a time limit if scrolling tends to end in comparison.
4. Question the sales pitch
Plenty of advertising works by creating a worry and then selling the fix. Spotting that pattern can take some of the sting out of it. Our article on masculinity, consumerism and male enhancement looks at how this plays out for men in particular, but the same mechanics run through diet, skincare and fitness marketing aimed at everyone.
5. Check less often
Frequent mirror checks, measuring and weighing keep attention locked on appearance. Cut back gradually: one fewer check a day, or covering a mirror you tend to linger in front of.
6. Wear clothes that fit now
Keeping a wardrobe for a future body can become a daily reminder of not measuring up. Clothes that fit and feel comfortable today make getting dressed less of a verdict.
7. Move for enjoyment
Pick activities you actually like, and judge them by how they feel, how you sleep or how your mood lifts, rather than by calories burned or changes in the mirror.
Helpful and unhelpful habits
| Less helpful | More helpful |
|---|---|
| Comparing yourself with edited images | Reminding yourself what filters and editing change |
| Weighing or measuring every day | Noticing energy, sleep and strength |
| Skipping photos and events | Going anyway and noting what you enjoyed |
| Talking about bodies as projects | Talking about what people do, think and care about |
| Following rigid food rules | Regular, varied meals, and help if eating feels out of control |
Supporting someone else
If someone close to you is struggling, listen more than you advise. Avoid commenting on their weight or shape, even as a compliment, and steer conversations away from diets. If their distress seems to be growing, gently encourage them to speak to a doctor or counsellor, and offer to help them make the appointment.
When it is time to talk to a professional
Body image worries can be tied up with anxiety, low mood, obsessive thoughts and eating disorders. Talk to your doctor if:
- worries about your appearance take up a large part of your day;
- you are restricting food, bingeing, making yourself sick or exercising compulsively;
- you have felt low, hopeless or withdrawn for more than a couple of weeks;
- you are considering cosmetic procedures mainly to quieten distressing thoughts.
A doctor can talk things through and point you towards talking therapies, specialist eating disorder services or support groups. Many countries also have free, confidential helplines for eating problems and for emotional support. If you ever feel unable to keep yourself safe or are thinking about ending your life, contact your local emergency number or a crisis line straight away. You do not need to be at your lowest point to deserve support.
One thing first
A guide, not a verdict
Our pages are good for understanding a topic and for writing down the questions you want to ask. They cannot tell you what is happening in your own mouth, lungs or body.
If anything here seems to clash with what your dentist, pharmacist or doctor has told you, their advice comes first.
The writers at Inside Schizophrenia
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Before you use this site. Everyday reading only. Your dentist, pharmacist or doctor knows your own situation.