The Erosion of Self-Esteem and Creation of Negative Body Images

What is your body image? How we think about how we look can either positively or negatively impact our self esteem or how we feel about ourselves. Our body image is formed out of every positive and negative experience we have had. Mine started at a young age when my mother complained that she had to buy me “chubbies” instead of wearing the hand-me-downs of my sisters. It has continued to take hits from classmates, friends and most of all from what I call the “tyranny of the media”. Think about all of the images you are bombarded with on a daily basis – the ones that show the perfect bodies, the beautiful faces, and even their seemingly perfect lives. This does not even include the sexualization of women based on their so-called perfection…..and that message can have us question whether we are attractive if we don’t look "perfect".

What I find so disturbing is that children and teens are so impressionable. Our children are literally attacked by images through social media, Youtube videos, magazines, movies, television shows and especially commercials. Here are some disturbing facts, taken from www.nationaleatingdisorders.org.

·         42% of 1st-3rd grade girls want to be thinner (Collins, 1991).

·         In elementary school fewer than 25% of girls diet regularly. Yet those who do know what dieting involves and can talk about calorie restriction and food choices for weight loss fairly effectively (Smolak, 2011; Wertheim et al., 2009).

·         81% of 10 year olds are afraid of being fat (Mellin et al., 1991).

·         46% of 9-11 year-olds are “sometimes” or “very often” on diets, and 82% of their families are “sometimes” or “very often” on diets (Gustafson-Larson & Terry, 1992).

·         Over one-half of teenage girls and nearly one-third of teenage boys use unhealthy weight control behaviors such as skipping meals, fasting, smoking cigarettes, vomiting, and taking laxatives (Neumark-Sztainer, 2005).

·         35-57% of adolescent girls engage in crash dieting, fasting, self-induced vomiting, diet pills, or laxatives. Overweight girls are more likely than normal weight girls to engage in such extreme dieting (Boutelle, Neumark-Sztainer, Story, &Resnick, 2002; Neumark-Sztainer&Hannan, 2001; Wertheim et al., 2009).

·         Even among clearly non-overweight girls, over 1/3 report dieting (Wertheim et al., 2009).

·         Girls who diet frequently are 12 times as likely to binge as girls who don’t diet (Neumark-Sztainer, 2005).

·         Of American elementary school girls who read magazines, 69% say that the pictures influence their concept of the ideal body shape. 47% say the pictures make them want to lose weight (Martin, 2010).

·         The average American woman is 5’4” tall and weighs 165 pounds. The average Miss America winner is 5’7” and weighs 121 pounds (Martin, 2010).

·         The average BMI of Miss America winners has decreased from around 22 in the 1920s to 16.9 in the 2000s. The World Health Organization classifies a normal BMI as falling between 18.5 and 24.9 (Martin, 2010).

Do these statistics disturb you as much as much as they do me?

Bottom line (no pun intended), we are allowing the media to erode the vulnerable self-esteem of our children and teens. Here are some things to think about to help our children, and us – think of it as putting on strong armor so that these messages don’t sink in as negative attacks.

Myth: I want to look like a magazine model in real life. 

Fact: Even models don’t look like their pictures in real life.  There are many tricks to “doctoring” pictures.  Some techniques include airbrushing, computer alterations, special lighting to cast shadows in just the right places, even black and white photography, especially on “muscular” men, so that the definition of muscles is greater.  All types of media trick us into thinking that there are people who look far more “perfect” than any person really ever does.

Fashion models are actually thinner than 98% of women. Why would we allow this low percentage of people regulate how the rest of us feel?

So, how can we fight this? One way is to have a radical acceptance of our body and to develop an attitude of gratitude for what our body actually accomplishes. Here are some of those marvelous accomplishments we take for granted every day:

•         Fights off infection

•         Allows you to move

•         Rewards you with the sight of a sunset

•         Heals the bruises

•         Expresses emotions

•         Creates another human being

•         Defends you and heals you from attack

•         Gives you pain to inform you that something needs to be cared for

•         Releases you from pain

•         Allows you to hear the sound of laughter

•         Refreshes you after a night’s sleep

•         Allows you to touch, hear, smell, see, laugh, cry, scream, and live!

Finally, we are much more than what we look like. We are strong, loving, intelligent…you can name the adjectives for yourself. As for your body - respect it, love it and become comfortable living in and with it! You are so worth it!

Bonnie Lillis, LPC, CI-CBT

Children and Adolescent Programs at NECBT

The 2014-15 school year has begun. At this time of year, children and teens may find themselves feeling anxious or depressed, either from the new added stressors from school, or even from social situations in which they feel uncomfortable. In some cases, families may be discovering for the first time that a child has symptoms associated with ADHD. Others may simply need help learning how to better manage their stress. At NECBT, we can help children, teens, and their families get on the right track this school year.

Treating children can be challenging. In fact, a child’s brain is not fully developed until his or her mid-twenties. At New EnglandCenter for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy our philosophy for treating children and adolescents is to highly involve the parents and/or guardians. We have had a lot of success with this approach to children’s therapy. Parents are taught the same I-CBT used in individual session as well as how to use evidence based reinforcement techniques to encourage preferable behaviors.  Parents are then better equipped to handle their child’s behaviors outside the office setting. 

For more about I-CBT, a hybrid of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Emotional Intelligence developed by American Psychotherapist Thomas A. Cordier, please see last week’s post here.

Medication Management at NECBT

I-CBT, combined with medication, can help get patients back on track.

Here at NECBT, we consider ourselves a therapy-focused organization. In most cases, we would prefer to approach Mental Health without the use of pharmaceuticals. However, we do understand that at times medication is necessary for individual patients, depending on the nature and the severity of their condition. With this in mind, we offer a Medication Management program that is in line with our philosophy: Medication only when absolutely necessary.

Playing Team Sports to Improve Mental Health

Participating in team sports can improve mental health.

To honor the U.S. World Cup 2014 team who, in spite of their Tuesday loss to Belgium, played inspiringly throughout the tournament, this week's blog post examines the mental health benefits of playing team sports.

It is no secret that there are many mental health benefits to exercise and physical activity. Medical professionals and the media frequently offer studies and information linking physical activity to improved mood. According to this 2013 article by Treacy Colbert, “physical activity stimulates brain chemicals that make you feel happier and more relaxed.” Colbert also notes that with regular exercise, individuals gain more confidence in their abilities, which with steady and gradual improvements, can contribute to improved self-esteem.
It is likely that you have heard runners talk about the “runner’s high” that they get from a boost in endorphins during and after a long run, or that you know someone who participates in a regular practice of yoga, tai chi, or martial arts--activities known for helping to improve one’s focus and relieve stress. An increasing level of research, however, is now showing that while exercising alone is extremely valuable to one’s overall mental health, participating in team or club sports provides additional benefits.

NECBT's Behavioral Training for Parents and Professionals

NECBT's Behavioral Training brings families together.

NECBT's Behavioral Training for Parents and Professionals class will be starting on Thursday July 10^th! As mentioned in last week’s entry, NECBT’s Behavioral Training is part of the three-tiered system of our Children and Adolescent Programming here at NECBT. All parents of children age 17 and younger are required to attend this 10-week seminar to learn how to help reinforce the I-CBT treatment that children are learning in individual sessions. However, Behavioral Training is a great learning opportunity for parents of patients of all ages. 

Behavioral Training is specifically designed for parents, teachers, and administrators looking to learn strategies to help improve children’s behavior in home, school, and social environments.

Children and Adolescent Programs at NECBT

I-CBT is an effective form of treatment for children and families.

Treating children can be challenging. In fact, a child’s brain is not fully developed until his or her mid-twenties. At New England Center for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy our philosophy for treating children and adolescents is to highly involve the parents and/or guardians. We have had a lot of success with this approach to children’s therapy. Parents are taught the same I-CBT used in individual session as well as how to use evidence based reinforcement techniques to encourage preferable behaviors.  Parents are then better equipped to handle their child’s behaviors outside the office setting. 

For more about I-CBT, a hybrid of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Emotional Intelligence developed by American Psychotherapist Thomas A. Cordier, please see last week’s post here.