Did you know that some research has shown that girls can begin to develop body image issues at 3 years old? Let that sit for a moment. THREE. The studies behind it have pointed straight toward influence- how parents/custodians speak of weight and body image to their daughters and even about themselves in front of their children. Influence plays such a vital role in body positivity starting very early in a young girl’s life, and the impact of that is clearly being noticed. If you ask us, it’s about time.
Fast forward to a girl’s life when puberty hits - hello access to social media. With social media’s heavy prevalence in today’s culture, adolescent girls are struggling now more than ever with low self esteem due to their perception of their bodies while playing the never ending comparison game. This toxicity is adding to the possibly already tainted view of self from her pre-pubescent years. Brain development during this time in adolescents from 10-19 years old is already chemically in such a sensitive state, and having access to an entire world at their fingertips is playing an active role in the foundation of self-esteem, identity, and body awareness.
Regardless of social media, negativity toward body image is prone to attack this age group and it feels like hope to intervene can wear thin. But let us be clear, there is hope, and it can very easily start with YOUR influence.
If you are parenting a teen that has given you red flags, we’re here to help. Here are a few signs to look out for if you might suspect she may need extra support:
Withdrawing from her usual activities
Spending a lot of time sitting alone
Speaking negativity toward herself, especially in front of peers or staff
Changing the way she dresses (ex. Starts wearing baggy clothing)
Changes her diet or denies being hungry at usual eating times
Changes her friend group
Her social media footprint changes in a way that causes concern
One of the easiest interventions you can start at home is talking about the power behind simple affirmations toward a neutral body image. Body positivity is hard to convince a young girl as being acceptable or safe, so from our point of view, we as support systems need to teach how to view our bodies as neutral territory - Switzerland if you will- so that she can actively start lowering her defenses and start practicing a much more peaceful and compassionate internal monologue toward her body image.
With that being said, we’ve attached a simple handout to share with your daughter to help foster body image neutrality.
If you have more questions about how we can help a teen that comes to mind who might need further support with body image, feel free to reach out to us any time. We are here to help however we can with this amazing population of growing young women.
Emily Burgess, LMSW, PMH-C
