If you have ever looked in a mirror or at old pictures of yourself and thought, ,"I hate my body", or "I hate how I look", then you are probably suffering from body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), which may lead you to have frequent intrusive thoughts about one or more self-perceived flaws, have become more prevalent recently, especially among adolescents.

Body image concerns are worsened by constant exposure to social media and a society-wide focus on image, with many people finding themselves paying increasingly more attention to their bodies. This may have become even more common with pandemic-driven remote work and the fact that we may be seeing ourselves on screens more and more. In fact, research points to the fact that many people feel unsatisfied with their bodies at some point in their life. 

It is okay if you have come to worry a little or a lot over your body. There are ways, however, to overcome these concerns so that you can develop a healthy relationship with your body.  This article will discuss some of the ways that you can overcome negative feelings toward your own body and move towards forming a healthier body image.

Learning to redefine your relationship with your body can be difficult, but the following can help:

• Poor body image often stems from specific behaviors or moments in your life - staring at old pictures of yourself, recalling statements from certain individuals, or constantly comparing yourself to the people around you. If you find yourself suffering from a poor body image, it is essential to uncover why. Ask yourself what tends to trigger concerns with your self-image and go beyond simple answers about specific body features. Think about your past experiences and possible challenges like low self-esteem or depression. Asking these difficult questions may help you become better equipped to understand why you are judging yourself the way you may be. There is not anything intrinsically wrong with your body just because it looks a certain way. What we often perceive as flaws can in many cases be common, natural features of our bodies. We have been warped by social condition to  perceive things like body hair, cellulite and stretchmarks as negative, but where did these ideas come from and who decided that your body should look different than it naturally does. Once you uncover the roots of a negative body image, you will get closer to tackling it. Some methods to work through these negativity sources include journaling, talking to someone close to you, and meditating. 

• Focus on more important aspects of your life. While this can be easier said than done, it is okay to spend time thinking about, and tending to your appearance from time to time. Obsessing over it, however, can worsen self-image issues. To prevent this from happening, try to look beyond the body in the mirror. Practice being grateful for the things your body provides you with besides its appearance, repeating to yourself, "I’m grateful for my body and all it allows me to experience." Make an effort to dispel the negativity from your life. Negative self-talk that makes you feel bad your body image can make it harder to overcome bad habits. Think instead of how your body lets you work harder and get stronger daily, or perhaps how your body has allowed you to have the wonderful experiences you have had or even bring children into the world. There is so much more to you than just your appearance.

• It can be difficult to reshape your poor body image if your mental health is not being taken care of. You may gain or lose weight from time to time, and that is okay. Embrace the changes. Your body will likely change throughout your life, just as you do. This can be expected and healthy. There is a common misconception that body issues always stem from a desire to be more attractive. Oftentimes, body issues may have more to do with a sense of control. Figuring out what might be driving the desire to look a certain way or appear perfect on the surface might help you change your habits more permanently.

• Acknowledge that beauty standards change constantly. Social media influencers often edit their images or use filters in order to sell products that promise to make us look more like them. Ask yourself if society, including social media, movies, magazines, the beauty industry, etc have given you a complex about how your body should look. These kind of influences, especially social media can have lasting effects on body image and mental health, and it is all too easy to fall into the psychology of comparing your body and your life to the bodies and lives that you see on the screen. This will cause you to view your body in a negative light because you simply do not believe that you are living up to the examples you see. This is why it is helpful to take a break from these platforms from time to time. You do not have to cut yourself off cold turkey but try to heavily restrict your time on social media platforms for a while and see if that alleviates some of your concerns. Rather than the strangers who populate your screens, find real life role models in your day-to-day life. Ask yourself why you admire these people. In most cases, it probably has little, or nothing to do with physical beauty and more to do with the way they make you feel, their skill or experience in what they do, etc. This can help remind you how much more important personality can be than our mere outer shells.

• We undergo many changes in our lifetimes. What we look like, our size height and weight all change from the day we are born. If these changes cause you to worry about your attractiveness, there are steps you can take in order to better adapt, for example, you could throw out clothes that no longer fit,  rather than holding on to them in the hope that they will one day fit again. It is far better for you to acquire a new wardrobe, which can help acknowledge and accept that, and how you body has changed and to move on. In truth  the only constant in life is change. As you move through life, you will experience emotional, intellectual, and spiritual changes. It is therefore only natural that your body will change along with you. Avoid guilting or punishing yourself for going through phases that are entirely normal, healthy, and even beautiful. This is certainly not the last time your body will change, and that is okay

• Learning to love your body can be a long process, and you do not have to go through it alone. Friends and family can create a supportive network on your journey to redefine your relationship with your body. It is important to realise that you are so much more than just a body. You are a person who is worthy of self-love so take time to treat yourself and act like you love yourself. This is the first step toward actually doing so. After all, it can be hard to recognize that something is actually good until you have tried it out for yourself. By occasionally pampering yourself with self-care, you can help improve your overall well-being. You will also be able to help yourself believe that you are worthy of care and compassion. At the end of the day, that is the most important thing

• Body dysmorphic disorder, or having a poor body image can be a debilitating condition that has the potential to affect many aspects of your life. Even if your body image concerns are not severe enough to fall under the umbrella of BDD, it is likely that the sort of professional support provided by a life coach might just be what is necessary to help you overcome and change your habits for the better. 

Research suggests that life coaching can be an equally effective treatment option for some mental health concerns when compared to in-psychotherapy. It is also a more affordable way to seek help. No matter the reason behind your feelings about your body, it is likely that talking to someone who understands can make a world of difference. 

A life coach will assist you in:

• Identify and understand why you feel the way you do about your body.

• Get to the root cause of the issue.

• Assist you to change your habits in order to focus on more positive self-talk and put you on the path toward a better sense of self-worth.

Kindly take notice that the information in this article is not intended to be a substitution for diagnosis, treatment, or informed professional advice. You should not take any action or avoid taking any action without consulting with a qualified mental health professional.