The Perfect Body

The Perfect Body

As we all know our society has become very materialistic and there are lots of people defining you by what you are wearing or by how you look. Not only men but women are so quick to copy each other or tend to constantly compare themselves to someone else. They want to be just like who they see on TV or magazines. Many of these bodies are sometimes extremely unrealistic or very skinny ladies or very muscular guys; comparing ourselves to those images can cause dissatisfaction of our own bodies, depression, and lower self-esteem. All this situation of seeing images of female bodies are everywhere. Womenand their body parts--sell everything from food to cars. Popular film and television actresses are becoming younger, taller and thinner. Some have even been known to faint on the set from lack of food. Women's magazines are full of articles urging that if they can just lose those last twenty pounds, they'll have it all--the perfect marriage, loving children, great sex, and a rewarding career. is something sad but at the same time real. Especially teenagers, who are very sensitive and vulnerable to different changes; with the influence of media they can damage their health. A 3 year study of psychosocial maturity shows that there are a lot of body dissatisfaction problems for seventh- and tenth-grade girls and boys (Barker & Galambo. Body dissatisfaction of Adolescents Girls and Boys: Risk and Resource factors).

Today some women want to have the skinniest body ever and they are willing to do whatever it takes to get that body. At the beginning they can start just working out and being on a diet, which is definitely not a problem because at that point it seems that they are just trying to be healthy. Those methods are effective but they take some time and effort. The problem starts when they take the easiest way, or starving their selves or just eating as much as they can to throw up after that; these ways are better known as eating disorders which, according to Melissa Spearing, involve serious disturbances in eating behavior, such as extreme and unhealthy reduction of food intake or severe overeating, as well as feelings of distress or extreme concern about body shape or weight. Anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa are the two main types of eating disorders. They frequently co-occur with other psychiatric disorders such as depression, substance abuse, and anxiety. People who suffer from such disorders often experience a range of physical health complications. A clear example of this is Diana; Princess of Wales who struggled with an eating disorder and also admitted that she used to self-harm herself. The following is an extract of an interview of Princess Diana about her battle with bulimia:

"I had bulimia for a number of years. And that's like a secret disease. You inflict it upon yourself because your self-esteem is at a low ebb, and you don't think you're worthy or valuable. You fill your stomach up four or five times a day - some do it more - and it gives you a feeling of comfort. It's like having a pair of arms around you, but it's temporarily, temporary. Then you're disgusted at the bloatedness of your stomach, and then you bring it all up again. And it's a repetitive pattern, which is very destructive to yourself." Diana also admitted in a television interview that she intentionally cut her arms and legs and had thrown herself down a flight of stairs on more than one occasion.

Now, the ideal Body Image for men is the opposite of women. They

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