Emilie Williams
Trigger warning: body image
Christmas and New Year can be a beautiful time of the year. It is a time spent with family and loved ones, relaxing and celebrating the past year. However, it can also be difficult for those who struggle with body image insecurity, as many of their triggers are exacerbated and coping mechanisms compromised.
According to healthline.com, ‘body image’ is a person’s perception of their body that can be complex and influenced by many factors such as feelings, awareness, estimation, and beliefs towards how the body looks. Negative body image and body image insecurities arise when someone’s dissatisfaction with their perception of their body leads to anxiety and or lack of confidence.
Triggers and manifestations of body image insecurity differ for everybody, and everyone’s experience will be slightly different. However, if you already struggle with body image issues, it may feel like the holidays seem to intensify the feelings you struggle with since there are more triggers surrounding you than normal.
Diet Culture And Body Image Insecurities
“There is no such thing as good food or bad food.”
The overlap of diet culture and the holidays is confusing, and if you already struggle with disordered eating or body image issues it can be even more difficult. It is imperative that remind ourselves that there is no such thing as good food or bad food. However, try as we may, with the end of Christmas, and the promise of a new year, it is difficult to not succumb to the pressure we put on ourselves. Christmas seems to be all about food, especially with adverts that promote their products by buying into our emotional connection with food during this time of year. Therefore, it’s not uncommon to feel surrounded by food during the holidays which can increase urges to restrict. It may feel even more frustrating with the chaos of the ‘New year new me’ trends that are just around the corner in January.
Body Image And Social Media
Social media can be another trigger to body image insecurities, especially in the new year when crash diets are encouraged in the guise of a new year’s resolution or ‘glow up’. Expectations to change your body rise and everyone seems to add ‘losing weight’ to their goals, which can be stressful to be surrounded by if you struggle with body acceptance.
If social media triggers your body image insecurities through messaging like this, it may be a good idea to take an internet break over the holidays. Unfollow accounts that post images that make you feel bad about your body, schedule time away from your phone, or maybe even go cold turkey and delete toxic social media apps.
Dealing With Negative Family Members
Another issue that may arise during the holidays is the negative and unnecessary comments that you may receive from family members, especially if you haven’t seen them in a while. They may make comments on your body weight, your clothing, or how different you might look.
It’s important to note that these opinions are not facts and that, whether these comments are aimed to intentionally hurt you or not, nobody else has the authority to make comments about your body. It is hard to separate these comments from affecting your emotions and body image but attempting to protect yourself from them getting at you is an act of self-care you must practice.
Setting Boundaries
How are you supposed to shield yourselves from negative comments then, especially when the holidays call for socialisation and mingling? The thought of setting boundaries may be scary for some people, but it’s a useful way to protect yourself from unwanted comments such as these. The simplest way to set a boundary with someone is to tell them how these comments make you feel and that, if they continue to make those comments, you will remove yourself from the conversation. This puts the power into their hands to make a change and warns them that if they don’t change their behaviour towards you, you will no longer interact with them.
Sometimes, these comments aren’t malevolent, but simply unthinking. Protecting your mental health, and a way to set healthy boundaries is by talking to loved ones about your insecurities and possible triggers. Let them know what kind of support they can provide you with and how this will help you during this time of year. This could be telling your friends that dressing up feels overwhelming right now, or letting your partner know that you struggle with food.
Getting Professional Help
While difficult and uncomfortable, this time of year can also pose as an opportunity to observe negative self talk, what triggers affect your body image insecurities and what you’re struggling with. If you realise that this is a persistent issue, then it’s important to reach out for professional help. It can feel isolating and you may even dismiss your feelings as trivial, but is important to note that you’re not alone and that your feelings and emotional experiences are valid.
If you are interested in reading tips on how to cope with body image insecurities during the holidays, youngminds.org have some helpful articles such as this one.
Featured image courtesy of Toa Heftiba on Unsplash. Image license found here. No changes were made to this image or any other featured in this article.
Emilie Williams
Emilie graduated from Royal Holloway University of London in July 2023, with a first-class degree in BA English. She has a keen interest in women's health and rights, psychology, literature, and mental health.