How you look
Body image is what you think about your own body and how you feel about the way you look. Some people are happy with how they look and some people are not.
Is it normal to dislike your body?
It's normal to worry about the way you look sometimes, especially as your body changes and grows. When it starts affecting you so badly that it's all you can think about, then it's a problem.
Why do people dislike their bodies?
There can be a lot of pressure on both young men and young women to look a certain way and fit in with everyone else. If you look at magazines, everyone seems to be tall and slim with perfect skin, but not everyone is really like that. You only need to look around to see that everyone is different. Thinking that you have to look a certain way can make people dislike their bodies.
What kinds of things do people worry about?
People worry about all sorts of things such as being too fat, too thin, too tall or too small.
How can I make myself feel better about the way I look?
Talking to someone about how you feel and doing something positive to make yourself feel better will help the situation. For example, if you want to lose weight or put weight on, your doctor can help you find a healthy eating and exercise plan that will help you do this safely.
Some other things that you could do to feel better about yourself are:
- Don't compare yourself to other people - everyone is different.
- Try and ignore any negative or mean comments from other people. If you can't ignore them, try talking to someone about it to help it stop.
- Find something you do like about yourself. Once you have found one thing you like you are more likely to find more things.
If something is making you unhappy, it can help to talk about it and try and find a way to make it better. You can talk to us about any worries you might have about your body or the way you look.