Ms Clare Cooper
Chartered Clinical Psychologist Changing Faces, London

Our body image is the mental representation we have of our own body. This rarely matches other people's perceptions of us. How we see our body image is based on several things: the internal - our awareness and perception of our own body and its sensations, our sense of movement and posture, our sense of physical wellness or illness; and the external - our life experiences of other people and the environment. There are many external pressures to conform to the 'perfect' image which is powerfully perpetuated by society and the media. Thus our body image is under continuous review and changes with circumstances. Our self-evaluation relates to how we look at and see other people as well as ourselves, and has a continuous effect on our relationships and self-esteem.

Attractiveness, social desirability and sexuality appear to affect body image out of proportion to the physical effects. Roberts (1978) said body image is 'the image that an individual holds in the mind, and is concerned with the individual's subjective experience with his/her body and the manner in which he/she has organised these experiences'.

Changes in body image are commonly brought about by illness, trauma, and their treatments, maturation, mood, and changes in the environment. Negative changes can become linked with depression and a great feeling of grief (loss of something we value).

Unfortunately, adapting to changes in body image does not obey the normal rules of psychology. We do not get used to changes to our bodies in the same way as we might learn to get used to or cope with something we are frightened of. In addition, our internal perceptions of our bodies are very powerful and we tend not to really believe people who tell us we look good (or even OK). These two things can create problems for people who experience a sudden change in appearance, as, regrettably, time and constant reassurance from other people do not always heal. They may therefore have to work hard at rebuilding self-esteem and self-confidence.

Those attending the workshop were asked about body image. This included what we thought other people would say and think about our body image, how we saw ourselves, and what our doctors thought. There were lots of negative feelings and only a few positive ones; people were able to talk freely in a non-threatening environment. It was concluded that people with low self-esteem are more likely to only see the bad side of things, their feelings about appearance disproportionately affect their self-esteem and how they feel about themselves, they minimise other positive aspects of their appearance, are extra-sensitive to bodily sensations, and have a more narrow view of what is seen to be attractive. In contrast, people with high self-esteem are more likely not to take the negative reaction of others personally, do not rely so heavily on the external social standards of beauty, and believe that negative comments from people reflect more on the person delivering the negative comment.

What can we do about body image and loss of self-esteem? Change what you can, i.e. clothes etc. To cross 'the chasm' you often have to take the initiative to 'reach out' to other people, we can all REACH OUT:

Reassurance,
Energy and effort,
Assertiveness,
Courage,
Humour,
Over there,
Understanding,
Try again.