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 * Chapter 01
   
   
   AN INTRODUCTION TO MALE BODY IMAGE

 * Chapter 02
   
   
   MALE BODY IMAGE ISSUES

 * Chapter 03
   
   
   IMPROVING YOUR BODY IMAGE

 * Chapter 04
   
   
   USEFUL LINKS & RESOURCES

MEN’S HEALTH & WELLBEING


UNDERSTANDING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MALE BODY IMAGE AND MENTAL HEALTH

LEARN MORE
slide 1 to 4 of 4

01


AN INTRODUCTION TO MALE BODY IMAGE

02


MALE BODY IMAGE ISSUES

03


IMPROVING YOUR BODY IMAGE

04


USEFUL LINKS & RESOURCES

CHAPTER 01


AN INTRODUCTION TO MALE BODY IMAGE

How we view our bodies is often a hot topic of debate. With so much pressure to
look and present ourselves in a certain way, it’s natural that a lot of men find
themselves feeling insecure about their bodies.

In a world where image is becoming increasingly important, it can be tough to
come to terms with a part of your body which you feel isn’t “attractive” by the
regular standards of beauty. If that’s the case, it’s unlikely your mental
health has suffered at least partially as a result.

If you can relate to this, you’re definitely not alone. Poor mental health as a
result of bad body image affects millions of people every year. In this guide,
we’re going to assess what you can do to combat that feeling, with a focus on
accepting and mentally overcoming the low self-esteem which can be triggered by
feeling bad about your body.


MALE BODY IMAGE STATISTICS

It’s no secret that a lot of people feel bad about their body in one way or
another. But just how does that translate into numbers? Unfortunately, research
by the Mental Health Foundation found that as many as 28% of men aged over 18
have felt anxiety relating to body image issues.

The study went on to highlight that around one in five men experience some form
of negative thought as a result of body image, with the stats showing:

21%

Had dressed in a way to hide body parts they were unhappy with in the past year

22%

Had negatively compared themselves to others because of body image in the last
12 months

11%

Of those surveyed had experienced suicidal thoughts because of how they viewed
their bodies

4%

Had gone as far as to deliberately hurt themselves because of body image issues

But this is far from the only survey to highlight just how much of a factor poor
body image is becoming for men. Charity the Campaign Against Living Miserably
(CALM) teamed up with Instagram to reveal a number of shocking figures about how
men viewed themselves.

Their report found:

48%

Of men aged 16-40 struggled because of how they felt about their body

58%

said the COVID-19 pandemic had negatively affected how they see their body

26%

were totally happy with the way they look

21%

didn’t feel comfortable talking to anyone about it

Source: CALM

Interestingly, 39% claimed that they felt there was a wider pressure from
society to have the “perfect” body. This says a lot about the increasing
pressure from outside forces to achieve potentially unrealistic standards of
beauty.


THE EVOLUTION OF MALE BODY IMAGE

Beauty standards are constantly shifting and evolving. What’s considered
conventionally attractive in the 2020s isn’t what people a hundred years ago
would have seen as appealing. Here’s a brief evolution of how male body image
has changed throughout the past decades and even centuries.



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ANCIENT GREECE

Ironically, despite the height of Ancient Greece ending as long ago as the year
146 BC, their ideals of perfect body image appear to be relatively in keeping
with the CGI superheroes of today. Their heroes were depicted as muscular,
thin-waisted and with little-to-no body fat. This image was in keeping with gods
like Zeus and Poseidon, who wore long hair which was tied back.

1800S-1900S

Flash forward a couple of thousand years and this image would change
drastically. During the Victorian and Georgian periods, a wide-waist, large
stomach and broad frame was the peak of masculinity. This showed a high level of
economic status, as it proved you were able to keep yourself well-fed at a time
when not everyone could. Hair was cut to a short, sensible trim or side-part.

1920S-1950S

(Golden age of Hollywood). With the sudden popularity of motion picture films,
the ideal male body image changed once again. It was quickly discovered that the
camera made people seem larger than they were, meaning the ideal leading man had
to be athletic and lean, but not necessarily muscular. Cary Grant and Jimmy
Stewart were the epitome of what every guy wanted to look like.

1960S-1970S

With the rise of stars like the Beatles, Jimi Hendrix and David Bowie, the new
normal was a slim, almost androgenous figure with little muscle or fat. Thin
arms, chests and legs were what men were after, with radical hairstyles like
mop-tops, long flowing hair and afros the most popular amongst young men. (This
image is from the Beeld en Geluid Wiki)

1980S-1990S

Things would radically shift again shortly thereafter, with popular characters
like Sylvester Stallone’s Rambo suddenly making it far more desirable to be
bulked up and ready to practically rip out of any T-shirt you were wearing.
Hairstyles varied drastically in this period, but it is notable for the debut of
the infamous mullet.

1990S-2000S

At the turn of the century the idea of muscles as attractive certainly didn’t
fade – although it was drastically toned down. A leaner silhouette was
preferred, with Brad Pitt perhaps exemplifying this best in the movie Fight
Club. Hairstyles that were popular in this time included buzz cuts, frosted tips
and quiffs. (Image © 20TH CENTURY FOX)

2015 AND BEYOND

While muscles are still coveted in the modern day, there’s been a definite shift
in recent years in favour of dad-bods. This sturdy look sees some bulk across
the shoulders, with an ample (although not overly-large) belly. Some would argue
the men of today have a lot to thank the likes of Seth Rogen, Chris Pratt and
Jason Segel for.




MALE BODY IMAGE AND MENTAL HEALTH

It’s hard to quantifiably measure how much of an impact body image can have on a
person. And, in truth, it will vary greatly between individuals. Sadly, there
are quite a few ways in which having a poor outlook on your own body can damage
how you see yourself as a whole. Some of the best examples are:

FEELINGS OF INADEQUACY

It’s only natural if you’re comparing yourself with unrealistic standards of
beauty that you’re going to feel second rate. Very few men have the “perfect
body”, but when you see them plastered all over billboards, on TV adverts and
all across social media, you can be forgiven for thinking it’s the norm. This
can leave you feeling like you’re not good enough.

LACK OF CONFIDENCE ACROSS OTHER ASPECTS OF LIFE

The lack of confidence which comes from these feelings of inadequacy is bound to
impact other areas of your life. Whether it’s trouble with dating, not feeling
confident enough in yourself to excel at work, or even just feeling insecure
when you go out to a social event, it can have a huge impact.

EMBARRASSMENT AND ANXIETY

If there’s a particular part of your body which you feel bad about, you may
experience some form of anxiety when you leave the house. It could even be the
case that you try to hide this perceived flaw from the wider world. This is
bound to leave you feeling down, as well as not quite at home in your own body.

WIDER MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH ISSUES

Severe feelings of depression about your body can lead to extreme mental and
physical issues. Suicidal thoughts are not totally uncommon, while issues
pertaining to weight might result in you developing unhealthy eating habits.
Both will have a detrimental impact on you.

CHAPTER 02


MALE BODY IMAGE ISSUES

We’ve discussed how having a low opinion of your own body might impact your
mental health. But what are the main pain points for those suffering? Let’s now
explore in more detail just what kinds of issues men of the 21st century are
facing.




COMMON MALE INSECURITIES

Men are a lot more conscious of their bodies and overall appearance than at most
points in the past. This manifests into a number of insecurities, all of which
can impact people differently. Some of the most common problems men have to face
is:

A LACK OF MUSCLES

While they’ve risen and fallen in regards to appeal over the decades, having
muscles has always been seen as a largely positive thing in the eyes of the
aesthetic world. A lot of men worry whether their body is bulky enough, or that
they’ll be perceived as weak in the eyes of prospective sexual partners.

TOO MUCH (OR TOO LITTLE) FAT OR FLAB

The dad-bod has made having some flab acceptable – but where is the line? Even
though it’s perhaps less of a pressing issue than at some points in the past, a
lot of men still worry they are over or even underweight. Manxiety found that
this was actually the biggest insecurity for men, with as many as 46% worried
about some form of weight gain.

HAIR LOSS

Men also tend to feel insecure about losing their hair. It’s not uncommon for
men to feel less than themselves when losing their locks, potentially even
robbing them of a part of what helps define them. While there are now procedures
in place to help combat male pattern baldness, they tend to be incredibly
expensive – and often need regular maintenance.

HEIGHT

How tall you are is another pain point for a lot of men. And while there is very
little to be done to control this, it doesn’t stop a lot of guys from worrying
that they aren’t tall enough to be seen as desirable.

FEELING EFFEMINATE OR UNMASCULINE

For some men, insecurity might stem from a feeling of not ticking all the boxes
for what it “means to be a man”. While this is an outdated and backwards
mentality, it’s still something a lot of men struggle with. This could mean a
lack of general bulk, the inability to grow facial hair or even having physical
traits which are more closely associated with women.

GYNAECOMASTIA

Another area of concern for men is Gynaecomastia – colloquially known as “man
boobs”. This condition is often caused by higher levels of oestrogen in the body
(often during puberty), resulting in the development of excess breast tissue.
The condition is most common in teenage boys and older men, and in extreme cases
may need to be removed by surgery.


THE INFLUENCE OF SOCIAL MEDIA

While the prevalence of social media has done a lot of good for the world, it
can’t be denied that it sometimes has a negative impact. Comparing ourselves to
people we don’t know on a personal level is a slippery slope, especially when
even their lives may be exaggerated or not as they appear.

This can be a real problem for a number of reasons:



IT’S TOO EASY TO COMPARE

With so many posts and images readily available to view, it’s easier than ever
for a man to compare himself with someone he sees online. This is a far cry from
the pre-social media age, when the occasional movie star and your close circle
of friends was the only regular comparison to be made.

WE GET AN INACCURATE DEPICTION OF WHAT “NORMAL” IS

People only tend to post images on social channels that make them (and their
lifestyles) look attractive and appealing. This isn’t an accurate portrayal of
their, or anyone else’s, reality. As such, it’s all too easy to forget the
snapshot we’re being given isn’t actually what a normal person looks like.

IT’S HARD TO ESCAPE

We tend to use social channels as the primary means of communication with our
friends and family. That makes them particularly hard to avoid, even if they are
having a negative impact on us. It’s only natural we’ll check out our news feed
while we’re doing that – in the process exposing ourselves to these unrealistic
beauty standards.

The inability to cut social media out of your life is a particular problem if
you find yourself struggling. If that’s the case for you, some of the best
advice is to:

BE SELECTIVE WITH YOUR FEED

Thankfully you should be able to pick and choose who and what you want to
follow. That means you can actively choose to avoid looking at “influencers” and
celebrities, who are more likely to post the kind of content which might trigger
feelings of inadequacy.

REMIND YOURSELF WHAT YOU ARE GOOD AT

If you do happen to see someone or something which you can’t compete with, just
remind yourself you’re good at plenty of other things. Your second cousin might
have just won a football tournament, but can he compete with you at tennis?
Probably not.

REMEMBER IT’S THE INTERNET

At the end of the day the best advice is to always remember how strange a place
the internet actually is. Reality and what you’ll find on the net are often very
different, so try not to invest too much thought into it.


MALE BODY IMAGE AS A TEEN OR YOUNG ADULT

Puberty is a rough time for anyone. Your body goes through a myriad of changes,
leaving you feeling exhausted, irritable and potentially insecure in your own
skin. Understandably, this has the potential to result in poor body image.

Teens will often find parts about themselves they don’t like, and can develop
dangerous thinking patterns, such as: :

 * My body is not perfect and that means I am not good enough
 * If I had a perfect body all my problems would go away
 * I would be loved by everyone if my body was better
 * My size and weight are not acceptable unless they are a specific number

The natural by-product of this is a heightened sense of insecurity and low
self-esteem. If you’re the parent, guardian or family member of a teen who’s
struggling, there are steps you can take to make their own body image issues a
little bit easier to manage:



ENCOURAGE DIFFERENT-SIZED ROLE MODELS

With so many young people growing up to idolise influencers with unrealistic
body shapes, it’s perhaps no surprise that teens are finding themselves unhappy
with how they look. Make sure to point them towards icons who are larger,
smaller and less conventionally attractive than what they see on social
channels.

FOCUS ON HEALTH OVER IMAGE

A great way to encourage a better body image is to teach them that their health
is a priority over whatever the latest aesthetic trend is. Teach them how to eat
right, exercise properly and what to avoid. The natural by-product will be a
happier, fitter and self-confident teen.

BE OPEN ABOUT YOUR PAST EXPERIENCES

A lot of people at one time or another have felt insecure about the way they
look. Open up to your teen about any negative experiences you might have had
with your own body image. They’ll appreciate the frankness of the chat, while
also learning that their concerns are both valid and able to be overcome in
time.

DON’T SHAME YOUR OWN BODY

Children are very impressionable. They’ll pick up on the criticism you levy at
yourself, and inherit these potentially unhealthy views on what it means to look
good. It’s your job to promote a healthy body image, not pull yourself apart in
front of them over one tiny blemish or perceived fault.

CHAPTER 03


IMPROVING YOUR BODY IMAGE

With a stronger understanding of the root causes of poor self body image, it’s
time to address ways in which you can go about improving your self-esteem. While
it certainly won’t be an overnight fix, there are a number of steps anyone
conscious about how they look or feel can use to overcome a poor self image.




WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR BODY IMAGE

Despite being related to what you perceive as a physical “problem”, countering
poor body image is largely a mental battle. Let’s take a closer look at some of
the techniques you can employ to fight back and get on top of your issues.

PRACTISE POSITIVE MENTAL THINKING

Did you know it’s actually possible to teach your brain how to think more
positively? While it won’t be an overnight fix, you can get into healthier
mental habits by doing any of the following:

 * Writing down things you like about yourself in a weekly diary
 * Repeating positive affirmations on a daily basis
 * Sitting and thinking about why you’re grateful for your body
 * Eating right and keeping yourself in good physical condition

The more you practice these handy tricks, the more easily you’ll find your
thought patterns shifting down positive rather than negative paths.

FIND NON-PHYSICAL TRAITS YOU’RE PROUD OF

Looks really aren’t everything. If you’re seriously struggling to find anything
positive to say about yourself, consider all the amazing other traits which make
you a fantastic individual. That means stuff like your intelligence, practical
skills, caring nature, sense of humour, creativity, work ethic or ingenuity.

TRY TO AVOID COMPARISONS

It’s easier said than done, but it’s best to try avoiding comparing yourself to
anyone – including your friends and family. You are your own man, and how anyone
else acts or behaves should not define that. This is a good attitude to have not
just for your looks, but in every aspect of life.

RECOGNISE AND IDENTIFY THE ROOT OF NEGATIVE THOUGHTS

Where are the critical thoughts you’re having about yourself coming from? Once
you’re able to work out what the trigger for thinking poorly of yourself is,
there’s a good opportunity to work towards cutting it out of your life
altogether. If it’s something you can’t fully remove, you’ll still be able to
work on resolving it.


TAKING CARE OF YOUR BODY

While it’s good to accept the skin you’re in, it would be wrong to suggest
getting healthier or fitter is ever a bad thing. It can make you feel better
about yourself mentally, while also having a hugely positive impact on your
physical health. Some of the best advice for taking better care of yourself
includes:



A HEALTHY DIET

While it’s understandable to want to snack on things you find tasty, good body
image starts with managing and maintaining a decent base-level of health. Find
out what’s good for you, then consider creating a diet plan which sees you
balance all the right kinds of nutrients. You don’t have to be robotically
strict, but it’s handy to have a rough guide to stick to. You’ll find a lot of
healthy food can be just as delicious.

REGULAR EXERCISE

Try to exercise at least once every other day. Even something as little as 15
minutes of exercise a day can boost your overall life expectancy by three years
and reduce your risk of death by 14%. What’s more, regular movement will mean
your metabolism keeps working for longer, helping to reduce any excess flab.

GET ENOUGH SLEEP

Our bodies need sleep. It’s how we naturally recharge and find the energy to go
about our day. Setting yourself a specific bedtime can help to ensure you’re
getting enough to stay balanced. How much sleep you need at night will depend on
your age, so make sure to find this out first before creating any kind of
sleeping plan.

TALK TO A DOCTOR FOR GUIDANCE

Everyone has different requirements. If you’re really unsure what’s best for
your body, a wise move is to speak to a medical professional. They’ll be able to
guide you through what you should and shouldn’t be doing to achieve optimal
health. This is a good place to start if you’ve struggled with taking care of
yourself in the past.


GETTING HELP FOR BODY IMAGE ISSUES

If you’re really struggling to process and come to terms with your body image
problems, there are organisations you can turn to for additional support. These
communities are there to help guide you through any trouble you’re having, and
are often run by people who have been affected by the same problems you’re
facing in the past.



FUMBLE

This organisation are dedicated to providing young people with a full guide and
support network for all challenges relating to sex, relationships and their
bodies. You can make the most of their informative range of blogs, directly
reach out to a member of their team for support, and even volunteer and
fundraise alongside them.

THE MENTAL HEALTH FOUNDATION

This group exists to provide people from all walks of life with support for any
mental health problems they may be facing. They have a variety of resources to
browse, as well as some tailored specifically to people suffering as a result of
the coronavirus pandemic.

THE BE REAL CAMPAIGN

This campaign has been created with the express intent of reminding people that
it’s okay to love the skin they’re in – even if it doesn’t comply with what we
see on social media and television. Their ultimate aim is to change how we
perceive the perfect body type, transforming from the idealistic image to one
that is actually healthy for the human frame.

COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY (CBT)

While not an organisation, turning to a trained professional for CBT is a great
way to battle any demons you may be facing. This kind of therapy helps to
retrain how your mind thinks, framing things in a more positive and palatable
light. This is far from a quick fix though, with a lot of training required to
master it.

CHAPTER 04


USEFUL LINKS & RESOURCES

There’s been a lot discussed in this guide, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t
still more to learn. Make sure to check out these handy secondary sources to
find out what you can do to battle the effects of poor body image.

It’s not uncommon for someone to struggle with depression as a result of body
image. Healthline provides advice for talking to a close friend about their
issues
Mind.org tackles the difficult subject of body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). Find
out how to get help here
The NHS provide an easy-to-understand and follow exercise and diet plan for
anyone struggling with their health
SANE is a free online support forum which provides a social network for anyone
suffering from mental health issues to reach out and talk
Young Minds take a closer look at the potential harm and damage that can be done
by oversaturation to social media

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