Body image
Information
Here you’ll find answers to some common questions concerning body image.
Select the underlined questions below to see more.
What is body image?
Body image and puberty
How do you know if they have a problem with their body image?
How common are body image problems?
What can start it?
How does it get worse?
What is body image?
Body image and puberty
Before girls and boys go through puberty they have quite similar bodies. Some key things that happen in puberty include:
- Girls grow breasts and their hips widen
- Boys get broader shoulders, slimmer trunks, and start to grow facial hair
- Girls and boys grow body hair
- Girls and boys often get spots on their face and shoulders (a condition called acne)
In teenage years it is very normal to feel self-conscious about their appearance. Spending more time thinking about their body image in teenage years than when they were younger and getting more interested in what other people think of them too. They start to compare their body image against how they view others. This is normal and important part of growing up
How do you know if they have a problem with their body image?
It can be hard to know if they are having normal worries about their appearance or if they are having more of a tough time with it. Everybody is different. It is very normal to dislike certain parts of the body, want to get into better shape and spend time making yourself look good (e.g. haircuts, makeup, buying new clothes).
Answering the following questions can help you figure out if they might have a problem with their body image:
If they answered no to these questions, the chances are they don’t have a body image problem. If they answered yes to these questions then they might find it helpful to go to the next section.
How common are body image problems?
Problems with body image are quite common and seem to be getting more common with the introduction of social media (Instagram and the Selfie culture). 
What can start it?
How does it get worse?
Coping with
Top 5 tips to cope if I have worries about my body image?
As well as trying to change each of the behaviours listed in the ‘How does it get worse?’ picture in the Information section above, it can also be helpful to encourage the following behaviour
Select the buttons below to find out more…
Finding help
Who can they talk to?
- Friends
- Family
- Someone you trust at school
- Youth worker
- Health professional (GP; Counsellor Nurse)
- Charities and Helplines
Select the underlined topics below to view what resources are available.
Useful documents
Helpful websites
Getting more help
If you haven’t already found the help you’re looking for, you can find additional information and services which are more interactive here.
I would like to make a referral to Mental Health Services by completing the online referral form
Select the underlined topics below to view what resources are available.
Help lines
Local services
National support organisations
Help lines
Local services
…in and around North Staffordshire
National support organisations
Have a social media break at least one day a week. If you find yourself following Instagram models, social influencers or simply looking at other people and judging yourself negatively, try to take a forced break from it.
Spend time growing other parts of your life that are also important (e.g. learning something new; volunteering; looking after a pet; getting better at a hobby or playing a musical instrument).
