Body Image

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Recommended: Media influence on body image

Society is greatly affected by the media’s outlook on different aspects of life, it has a large effect on body image. Body image in America has been a growing problem for years as more young women feel the need to do anything they can to stay thin, trying to live up to what society has taught them is beauty. Many of these ideals have been presented through the media, social and general alike. However, there are also positive sides to the media and they are now doing positive things to improve body image in young women today.
Most women today aren’t even sure what body image is or why they should be concerned about it. The Merriam- Webster dictionary defines body image as, “a subjective picture of one’s own physical appearance established both by self-observation and by noting the reactions of others.” (Merriam- Webster ) To simplify it is the way a person sees themselves, while also considering what others think. As hard as some may try, you cannot avoid feeling a certain way about how you look. “Paul Ferdinand Schilder (1886-1940), an Austrian psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, and student of Sigmund Freud, was the first to coin the phrase body image in his book The Image and Appearance of the Human body.” (Nordqvist) Women today are typically very concerned with what others think and it can alter how they see themselves. A disorder that can be developed is Anorexia Nervosa, where the person will resort to not eating in order to lose weight. Another disorder that may be develop is Bulimia where a person will binge on foods, mostly junk food, and then will purge by puking or taking laxatives to give the effect of not having actually eaten but feeling full. There is also a disorder called body dysmorphic disorder where a person feels...

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...Studies." Psychological Bulletin (2008): 461-471. Web. 20 April 2014. .
Manwaring, Ayarza. "Reality Television and its Impact on Women's Body Image." Encompass (2011): 3-25. Web. 20 April 2014. .
Merriam- Webster . Merriam- Webster. 2014. 20 April 2014. .
National Eating Disorders association. 2012. Web. 20 April 2014. .
Nordqvist, Christian. What is Body Image? 20 August 2012. Web. 20 April 2014. .
Zafar, Aylin. Tumblr Bans Pro-Eating Disorder and Other Self-Harm Blogs. 24 February 2012. Web. 20 April 2014. .

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