Mental Health Awareness Week is taking place across the United Kingdom May 13-19 to initiate conversations as a way to raise awareness regarding the problems and stigmas associated with seeking treatment for mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and body image disturbances. According to statistics, one in four individuals in the United Kingdom are struggling with a mental health disorder, and a majority of individuals are undiagnosed because they continuously struggle to find the help they need. Mental Health Awareness Week began in 2001 in the United Kingdom, and this year’s theme is centered on body image. Individuals in Whales, Scotland, England, and Northern Ireland struggle with body image, which has a direct impact on their mental health.

Body image carries deep roots into an individual’s self-esteem and can be a trigger for depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and suicidal ideations. According to statistics from a survey of over 4,500 adults:

  • One-third of these individuals felt sad or shameful about the way they looked while 19% felt disgusted in their own body.
  • One in eight adults surveyed experienced suicidal ideations because of how they felt about their body.
  • 37% of teenagers felt upset about their body image, while 31% felt ashamed.
  • According to research, approximately 1.25 million individuals in the United Kingdom have an eating disorder.
  • 25% of individuals with an eating disorder in the United Kingdom are male.

The link between body image and eating disorder behaviors

Eating disorder behaviors such as binging, purging, and restricting are highly linked to body dissatisfaction. Body dissatisfaction regardless of body size and race is one of the most consistent and robust risk factors for eating disorders and a significant predictor of low self-esteem, depression, and obesity. Struggling with body image is a constant battle both inside and outside of eating disorder recovery. Body image is deeply ingrained in our minds from a very young age, and as a result, these distorted thoughts and images can be challenging to break.

It starts with educating our children

Parents, teachers, and adult role models need to take an active role in teaching young children and teenagers about self-confidence and the qualities of true beauty: kindness, compassion, patience, and sharing. Telling children every day that they are beautiful can help them gain confidence. Discussing the role of makeup, hair color, and skin treatments with children and prohibiting them from using these products at a young age can help prevent self-image issues in the future.

“Your self-esteem won’t come from body parts. You need to step away from the mirror every once in a while, and look for another reflection, like the one in the eyes of the people who love you and admire you.”

–Stacy London