Body Image Propaganda: Are YOU a Victim?

For those of us who work within the emerging field of energy psychology, there are few emotional issues that we run into with our clients as frequently as "self-image" and especially "body-image" - the "my body isn't good enough" syndrome.  

Truthfully, though, as an Orthodox Christian priest with a couple of decades of pastoral counseling experience, I can tell you it was no different.  Thanks in part to the media, we're living through a bizarre period in history where almost everyone seems to think there's something wrong with how then look.  


And it's quite bizarre when you think about it - women are trying to attract guys by making themselves thinner and slimmer, not realizing that we guys prefer cuddling flesh to cuddling skin and bone.  And the guys are trying to look like body builders, not realizing that the vast majority of women find the body builder physique repulsive.  

Naturally, the most vulnerable segment of the population is the youth, and especially the females.  The statistics on the video below may not surprise you, but they should at least give you something to think about, and you may want to share it and discuss it with your own kids:









Lest you think that the women are the only victims of this propaganda barrage, think again - the guys suffer from it too, just in slightly different ways.  Here's a look at the problem from the male side of the house:










So, however you cut it, we're a culture with a huge self-image problem.  The mild cases lead to unnecessary mental anguish and wasted time (consider that statistic about the average woman spending over two years of her lifetime doing her hair alone!), while the severe cases can head toward depression, eating disorders and death.
 

Not a pretty picture, but one we need to take seriously if we're to become more resilient ourselves and prevent the young people around us from being sucked in to the media-created illusions they're being bombarded with.  

So if you think this post or the videos we've featured her could help anyone you know, please feel free to pass it on!

~ Dr. Symeon Rodger