Body Image Tips for Young People

Have you heard of the Butterfly Foundation? Butterfly is the national charity for all Australians impacted by eating disorders and body image issues, and for the families, friends and communities who support them.

Butterfly has a resource called “Body Image Tips for Young People,” which explains that body image is all about how we think and feel about our bodies, not about what we look like.

Research suggests that spending time, money and energy on changing your appearance won’t help your body confidence or self-esteem in the long run. What will help, is reminding yourself that you have the power to change the way you see, think and feel about how you look. Here are some positive tips to help young people:

• Know you are so much more than your appearance: your appearance does not determine your worth.
• Avoid making unhelpful comparisons with others.
• Treat your body well by speaking kindly, finding exercise and activities that you love, eating mindfully and taking time out to rest.
• Keep yourself media and social media savvy. Understand that photoshop, hair and make-up, filters and editing tools work to create the highly stylised and perfect images that you see.
• Be kind to yourself and your friends.
• Have fun with your appearance but don’t let it rule your life.
• Surround yourself with people who accept you as you are.

If your body image is getting you down or you are worried about a friend, talking helps, and Butterfly is here to listen: National Helpline on 1800 ED HOPE (1800 33 4673) or support@thebutterflyfoundation.org.au

• Topics:

• Mental Health & Wellbeing
• Health & Wellbeing
• Charities / Worthwhile Causes