What is body image?

What Does body image Mean

The concept of image refers to the figure, representation, appearance or likeness of something . The term also refers to the visual representation of an object through photography, painting or other disciplines.
Corporal , on the other hand, comes from the Latin corporalis and refers to what belongs to or relative to the body . This notion (body) is linked to that which has a limited extension and which is perceptible through the senses or to the set of organic systems that constitute a living being.
The idea of ​​body image is usually associated with the symbolic representation that a person makes of their own body . It is, therefore, the way in which each subject sees himself . For example: "I am satisfied with my body image" , "Those who suffer from eating disorders have a distorted body image, which does not conform to reality" , "I had to leave the world of fashion because I could not bear the pressure on my body image ” .
Importantly, body image is built through various components. On the one hand, what the person actually sees when looking in the mirror appears. This would be the objective component , although this objectivity, in reality, is determined by the culture and the time (a body weight that is currently considered excessive, may have been acceptable and even recommended just a few decades ago).
On the other hand, body image has a strong emotional component , which is linked to how each subject processes what they see in the mirror. In this way, an adolescent with a healthy weight can see himself out of shape, which will generate a separation between the image seen by other people and the body image that he registers.
The mass media are largely responsible for the absurd demands that many people place on themselves regarding their physical appearance . Some of the most common disorders related to the perception that humans have of our body image are the following:
* Dysmorphophobia : also called body dysmorphic disorder , it generates in those who suffer from it a very distorted image of their own physical appearance, to the point of making them believe that they are real monsters, that their ugliness makes them unpleasant and that they could not be attractive to anyone . The consequences of this disorder are very varied, and depend on a series of factors related to the history and sensitivity of each subject, but they can lead to an obsession with cosmetic surgeries , absolute seclusion and suicide;
* bulimia : it is a disease that produces regular episodes of excessive intake, without any control due to the desire to continue eating, after which vomiting or laxatives are usually self-induced so that said attack does not lead to weight gain. According to statistics, this disorder is more common in women, especially adolescents and young people, than in men. Although the cause of bulimia is not known, it is believed that genetic, traumatic, psychological, family, cultural and social factors can influence its appearance;
* Anorexia nervosa : it is an eating disorder that causes weight loss to levels well below what is considered healthy for the height and age of the person suffering from it. An anorexic person experiences deep fear at the mere idea of ​​gaining weight, even if it could bring them back to normal. The exercise excessive and extreme diets or deprivation of food for long periods are some of the most common symptoms.

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