“The beauty myth is always actually prescribing behaviour and not appearance.”

- Naomi Wolf

Approximately 1 in 5 youth aged 13–18 (21.4%) experiences a severe mental disorder at some point during their life. For children aged 8–15, the estimate is 13%.

Healthy Body Image is a struggle for many people. While not everyone who suffers from an unhealthy body image has a mental illness, the two are strongly linked. There is debate as to how much of an effect media has on body image, but it is well known that people judge themselves against what they see. In recent years diversity of bodies has become more common in the media, but there are still lots of places where you may only see models who represent one body type. Unhealthy Body Image is also linked to eating disorders which can compound feelings about a person’s body. As we push for more diverse bodies in media, we can help on an interpersonal level.

How do you feel about your body?

Do you think it is “normal” to feel that way?

What does “Healthy Body Image” mean to you?

How can you encourage others or ask for help from others?

Share your thoughts and any resource that you have found helpful.

-Speak Up and Be Kind!

The statistics used were found and are cited at Mental Health by the Numbers