5 Ways to Improve Body Image

For many young people, spring and summer are the most anticipated times of year—spring break, summer beach vacations, and adventures with friends.

But for young adults who struggle with body image, the onset of warm weather can trigger anxiety, depression, and avoidance. Shedding layers can feel scary and trigger self-criticism.

Overcoming a poor body image isn’t easy. But there are things you can do to silence the negative thoughts and feelings of self-doubt, so you can fully enjoy some fun in the sun.

What You’ll Learn

• How many young adults have a poor body image?
• How does body image impact mental health?
• What causes a negative body image?
• How do you improve body image?

How Many Young Adults Have a Negative Body Image?

One study revealed a sad truth: Around 60 percent of women and 40 percent of men have a negative body image. A survey by the Mental Health Foundation showed a higher rate of body dissatisfaction among the LGBTQ+ community. Over half felt anxious or depressed about their bodies, compared with one-third of heterosexuals.

Dove conducted a study of 33,000 people across 20 countries and found that half of women with low body esteem would give up a year or more of their life to achieve their ideal body or appearance.

They also found that 81 percent of women with low body esteem feel pressure to be beautiful and 83 percent feel pressured to be thin.

Why Body Image Takes a Dip in Spring

The constant barrage of campaigns telling us how to “Get That Summer Body” or “Try Our Summer Fit Challenge” add to the narrative that the only “acceptable” summer bodies are skinny and fit. Body envy creeps in as social media is flooded with images of beautiful, tan celebrities in skimpy clothing and bikinis.

In addition to comparing themselves to celebrities, young people often compare themselves to friends who they think have the “ideal” body. This can increase self-doubt and anxiety about being in social settings.

Their body image concerns make them embarrassed to be seen in shorts or a bathing suit. They may also feel that others are secretly judging their bodies.  

How Does Body Dissatisfaction Impact Young Adults?

The way we see ourselves has a significant impact on our physical health, mental health, and relationships. A young adult with poor body image is often consumed with negative thoughts and feelings about their body and attractiveness.

As a result, they may adopt compulsive behaviors, such as seeking validation or checking the mirror. Or they may avoid pools, the beach, or other summer social events because they are ashamed of their body.

Body Image and Mental Health

A poor body image is closely linked with low self-esteem, low self-worth, and higher levels of depression and anxiety. In fact, the Mental Health Foundation survey revealed that one-third of LGBTQ+ adults had considered suicide because of body image issues.

Negative body image can also lead to extreme dieting and other forms of disordered eating. This combination could quickly escalate to an eating disorder, such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.  

Signs of Body Dissatisfaction in Young Adults

• Extreme dieting (fasting, obsessive calorie counting)
• Compulsive or excessive exercise
• Constantly checking the mirror, pinching the skin for signs of fat
• Consumed with appearance and how they are perceived by others
• Comparing themselves to others
• Avoiding places where body image may cause anxiety (beach, swim parties, etc.)

What Causes a Negative Body Image?

People of any gender, age, or sexual orientation can experience body dissatisfaction at any time in their lives. However, young adults are often prone to body image issues because they date more than other age groups, are more likely to be in new situations with new people, and are still forming their identity and self-image. Here are some things that can increase a person’s negative perception of their body.

Social Media

The media has long played a role in how people see their bodies, by exclusively portraying skinny models and lean muscular men in their ads. And in today’s digital society, young people are exposed to more images than ever. Additionally, these posts come with validation via likes and comments. Quite often, these images are heavily edited or filtered and represent an unachievable ideal. Yet they still trigger our insecurities.  

New data on social media use shows that the average user spends two hours and 23 minutes on social media each day. Women between the ages of 16 and 24 spend the most time scrolling, at almost three hours per day.

One study exposed a group of 138 female undergraduate students to images of celebrities and attractive peers. Researchers observed a direct impact on the young women’s mood and body dissatisfaction. The study concluded “that exposure to attractive celebrity and peer images can be detrimental to women’s body image.”

Bullying or Teasing

Being bullied or teased about your body at a young age can stay with you well into young adulthood. From adolescence through the teen years, young people can become self-conscious about their bodies as rapid changes occur. Peers begin teasing others for being too thin, too heavy, developing late, or developing too early.

Bullying is a serious issue and can have fatal consequences. Around 58 percent of boys and 63 percent of girls experience some form of bullying every day because of their size. Moreover, adolescents who are bullied are at greater risk of suicidal thoughts or attempts.

Family Feedback

Growing up in a household where parents are critical and unsupportive or talk about their own bodies in a negative way can have a direct impact on a child’s self-esteem and body image. Studies show that being teased by a father contributes to body dissatisfaction in girls and causes them to internalize sociocultural expectations of thinness.

Young Men Have Body Image Problems, Too

Young men also experience male body image issues, such as muscle dysmorphia, also known as bigorexia. People with bigorexia obsess over becoming lean and muscular, and often see themselves as small and skinny when they are a normal size, or even muscular. Bigorexia can cause men to engage in unhealthy habits, such as anabolic steroid abuse or disordered eating behaviors (diets, cleanses, or other measures to lose weight). They are also more likely to develop an eating disorder.

The Dove survey captured the sentiments of men struggling with body image issues:

• 73 percent of men said they feel pressure to look healthy, and 61 percent to be slim
• 56 percent of men have engaged in risky health behaviors because they didn’t like their body
• 60 percent of men have missed a social event because of how they felt about their own appearance

5 Ways to Improve Body Image

1. Focus on health pillars

Prioritizing exercise and regular sleep affects mental health as well as physical wellness, by impacting the neurochemicals that regulate mood. For example, taking a walk in nature has a proven number of health benefits, including reduced stress, lower anxiety, and better overall well-being.

2. Cut back on social media

Research shows that that 16- to 24-year-olds spend an average of three hours a day using social media. Cutting back can be beneficial for mental health.

Studies show that reducing time on social media by 50 percent for just a few weeks significantly improves how people feel about their weight and overall appearance.

If you feel that feelings of sadness and dissatisfaction are greater after use, a technology detox might be beneficial. Here are some tips to help slow the scroll:

• Remove the social media app from your phone. You might not be as tempted to open TikTok or Instagram if you must go to a site and log in each time.
• Leave your phone in another room at bedtime. This removes the temptation to mindlessly scroll for hours at bedtime. This will also improve sleep.
• Disable social media notifications.
• Use an app to track your social media use. You might be surprised how much time you actually spend scrolling.  
• Unfollow anyone who makes you feel bad about yourself or question your appearance.

3. Wear clothes that make you feel good

Don’t hold onto clothes that are too small, too big, too revealing, or just uncomfortable. Hanging on to these items because you might want to wear them “someday” can induce anxiety and depression and reduce self-esteem.

Wearing clothes that you feel good in now can significantly improve self-confidence and overall body image.

4. Stop the comparison game

We are all unique individuals with different shapes, sizes, and features that should be celebrated. How boring would it be if we all looked the same?

Begin a daily ritual where you identify and appreciate something about your appearance. Look in the mirror and say, “I have beautiful green eyes,” or “I love how strong my arms are.” The less time you spend comparing yourself to others, the more you can appreciate yourself.

5. Seek treatment

If you have tried to overcome body image concerns but are still struggling, you might be facing something more serious, such as body dysmorphic disorder (BDD).

People with BDD have a distorted view of their own body. They can become fixated on an aspect of their physical appearance or a minor flaw they feel is ugly or disfigured.

Body dysmorphia causes significant distress and greatly impacts the daily life of young people. Moreover, BDD leads to significantly higher levels of suicidality than other psychiatric disorders and is associated with a number of eating disorders.

It’s critical to seek help from a mental health professional before these disturbing thoughts escalate into a crisis situation.   

Treatment for Body Image and Eating Disorders at Newport Institute

At Newport Institute, our individualized treatment plans are designed to nurture the physical, psychological, social, educational, and spiritual needs of young adults and their families.

That includes negative body image, body dysmorphia, disordered eating, eating disorders, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

Our clinical model of care helps young adults get to the root cause of mental health and co-occurring disorders. Each young adult’s tailored treatment plan includes psychiatric care and medication management, as needed, as well as group and individual therapy using the following modalities:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Through regular CBT sessions, young adults learn how negative thoughts, emotional reactions, and behaviors make a significant impact over time. CBT helps people challenge negative thoughts about their body image and replace them with more positive ways of thinking.

Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) Therapy

ERP therapy is an effective form of CBT that exposes young adults with OCD to a situation that causes anxiety and distress. Through ERP, they can learn to reduce the compulsive behaviors that follow the exposure, such as mirror checking or camouflaging. 

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

The foundational principle of ACT therapy is that we must accept our emotions and challenges, rather than fight them. An ACT treatment plan supports young adults to develop self-acceptance and self-compassion, reframe negative thoughts, and commit to actions that will enrich their lives.

Get Help Today

Don’t let another summer pass you by while you sit on the sidelines. Contact us today to learn more about Newport Institute’s industry-leading treatment designed especially for young adults (ages 18–35).

Frequently Asked Questions