Samaritans is confidential and anonymous
Finding it hard to talk about how you are really feeling? Samaritans is a safe place to turn; it’s anonymous and confidential: 08457 90 90 90 or jo@samaritans.org .
“For every woman unhappy with her stretch marks after pregnancy, is another who wishes she had them.” – Samantha Thrall
“Embrace your own body, don’t hide away and boil in clothes that cover you up. Be proud of who you are!” See our body image messages for more tips.
Most of us are aware of our society’s emphasis on the importance of appearance, and we know what the socially sanctioned standards of beauty are. But not all of us accept or ‘internalise’ these standards: strong-minded individuals who reject current standards are more likely to have a positive body-image.
The current media ideal for women is achievable by less than 5% of the female population – and that’s just in terms of weight and size. If you want the ideal shape, face etc., it’s probably more like 1%.
TV, billboards and magazines mean that we see ‘beautiful people’ all the time, more often than members of our own family, making exceptional good looks seem real, normal and attainable.
What people see and how they react to their reflection in a mirror will vary according to: sex, age, ethnic group, sexual orientation, mood, eating disorders, what they’ve been watching on TV, what magazines they read, whether they’re married or single, what kind of childhood they had, whether they take part in sports, what phase of the menstrual cycle they’re in, whether they are pregnant, where they’ve been shopping – and even what they had for lunch.
Samaritans provides confidential emotional support 24/7 to those experiencing despair, distress or suicidal feelings.