The Importance of a Good Support System for Body Image Issues

“You are allowed to be both a masterpiece and a work in progress simultaneously.”

– Sophia Bush

Negative body image issues affect all of us at some point. TV, movies, and social media does very little to help us love our bodies—if anything, we’re always being told we’re not enough. For many of us, it’s difficult to talk to a friend or family member about body image issues. Most people either give us the same tired, patronizing encouragement (“I think you look fine!”) or use it as an opportunity to talk about their problems.

Even worse is when our family members, out of “love,” offer us unsolicited advice about what to do with our bodies—rather than affirming who we are and what we look like. When these conversations happen, it leaves us feeling more isolated than ever.

In short, having a good support system matters when we begin to resent our own bodies.

Good Community Can Help Us Accept Ourselves

A strong support system can help us see ourselves in a different, more positive way. We may have to step out of the comfort zone of friends and family and go directly to a support group that openly confronts the particular issue we are dealing with. Your support may be in the form of a Skype chat, a licensed therapist, or a gratitude buddy. Perhaps you only need one accountability partner to keep your perspective staunchly intact.

Commonly, reaching out is the most difficult step. Many of us are trained early and often to believe that asking for help is weakness. However, support-seeking is taking ownership and building persistence, and it gets easier the more we do it. If you’re lucky, you may find your perfect support system the first time you extend yourself.

Start with a list of possible allies and helpmates, then whittle it down. You only need 1 or 2, and after that it becomes easier to draw people into your community. It may be easier to find support than you think (once you get over the initial fear of asking for help).

It is easy to say, but withdrawing and isolating ourselves is not the way to go. We get so caught up in the image we present to the world that when we don’t feel worthy, we choose not to present ourselves at all. When you start isolating yourself out of fear or shame, make no vague wishes for support. Reach out. The truth is, the person or group we reach out to will be thrilled to hear from us.