“Beautiful - being the best version of yourself inside and out”
“You look beautiful today…your hair caressing your face makes you look even more beautiful” these were the precise words from a student in my foreign language class. I was pleasantly surprised, yet at the same time tried to maintain my neutral teacher look without letting it get in my way of teaching them grammar. After the class, I was heading out to take my cab, as I was walking my gaze fell onto the mirror of one of the vehicles parked, I just looked at myself and smiled, and also was reminded of the compliment that I happened to receive sometime ago. The rest of the evening found me more confident and calmer, in fact, a few of my walking friends too asked me if there was something special as I looked different (in a positive way). Well, now I am not sure as to if I looked different that day, for me, I look the same every day. However, it would be unfair if I were to deny the fact that my mental state was feeling boosted when I felt that I looked good.
Some time ago when I got together with my buddies, we were all over the place clicking our selfies, while one friend just refused to come into the picture citing that she did not look good enough. When I asked her what is good, she said that she has not done her eyebrows and hence would look terrible. After much coaxing, I managed to get her into the frame, but she kept on pointing out that she didn’t look good enough. Not only on that day but the rest of the time even when the picture was shared, she kept pointing out how she didn’t look beautiful.
This aspect of looking beautiful is not limited to adults, fancy you will be surprised to see that even toddlers are much more conscious of the way they look. We all love to look good, it’s a great thing to take care of oneself, and pamper oneself and why not look good physically and mentally? Does not looking physically beautiful or up to the mark leave a mark on the mental state?
In recent times, there was news on Beauty parlor stroke syndrome. The case he came across was of a 50-year-old woman who started feeling dizzy and nauseous after a pretty ordinary hair wash at a spa. As with most diseases in India that go ignored and misdiagnosed, particularly with women, certain underlying neurological conditions worsen when your head is positioned the way it is in a regular hair salon.
?What is it to look beautiful? What is beauty? These are questions that race through our minds very often. We have also come across the term beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder….Well, again that depends. Do we give someone else the right to decide how we look?
The desire to look good came about from our ancient times the proof being so many beauty treatments from our texts to the latest technology where your skin color can be changed.
Beauty, self-care, grooming, and mental health have long intersected. With appearance being a potential psychological signifier of mental well-being, beauty is essential. The market is flooded with innumerable beauty products day in and day out. The craze about looking for beauty products and treatments continues among all strata of society, irrespective of gender, age, and socio-economic status.
What is beauty?
Beauty is subjective and perceptive.?We want to change so many things about ourselves every time we look in the mirror. As per society, beauty means to have flawless skin, and have the perfect mathematical equation of the so-called created beauty standard to declare you beautiful.
While striving to look beautiful is not a sin, however, when we try to fit into someone else’s definition rather than realizing our worth becomes an issue. The most important thing is that beauty comes from within. It should not be a forced concept that the outside world puts on you.
Forced beauty
Just recently we found the top 10 ladies who had the perfect so-called mathematical equation to be considered the most beautiful perfect women. Does that mean that the rest of us are not beautiful? Hmm…. Not sure about that answer.
Beauty industries too, implant different types of beauty standards in our minds. A large part of the industry is based on the insecurities we have about our face, skin, and body. This industry feeds on our insecurities and benefits the most from our dissatisfaction with ourselves. It is a shame that these industries spend millions of dollars in promoting something practically impossible to achieve, creating several psychological impacts.
Beauty standards are the set of cultural norms that dictate what’s considered aesthetically pleasing. Historically, these standards have been largely influenced by Western ideals, but they’ve increasingly come to reflect something unreachable. For example, the idealized female body shape seen in fashion magazines is typically only achievable through Photoshopping or other digital alterations. Similarly, the “perfect” skin tone or hair texture is often achieved with the help of cosmetics or hair products.
Men, too, are often expected to have chiseled features and bodies that would require hours of dedication in the gym to achieve. In addition, people of all genders are often judged harshly for any physical imperfections, regardless of how minor they may be.
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?Beauty And Psychology
Oftentimes, due to media and various other stressors, our brains perceive the psychological effects of beauty standards. Media plays a huge role in the perceptions of these ideas.
From social media, television, fashion magazines, billboards, and so much more, we carry the idea of desirability and appearance. It is because of the media alone that we have?body shaming issues, plastic surgeries, and eating disorders. The media industry, however, takes this criticism unrealistically. Still, it is because of them that our attitude towards ourselves and others is changed by the perception of beauty standards.
How Does Body Image Influence Mental Health?
Body image?is the way people perceive their bodies. It can be influenced by several factors, including family and friends, the media, and personal experiences. People with a positive body image are generally happy and confident with their appearance. They don’t compare themselves to others, and they’re not preoccupied with their weight or other physical features.
In contrast, people with a negative body image are unhappy with the way they look. They may feel they don’t measure up when they look at other people. They may also be concerned about their weight or other physical features. Negative body image can lead to several mental health problems, such as eating disorders, depression, and anxiety. It can also lead to social isolation and low self-esteem. Positive body image, on the other hand, has been linked with better mental health, higher self-esteem, and healthier relationships.
Negative body images affect people of all ages, with?31% of teenagers and 35% of adults?feeling depressed or ashamed because of how they perceive their bodies. To lessen the risk of this happening to you, it’s important to remember that everyone is different and there’s no one “perfect” body type. We should all strive to have a positive body image and learn to love our bodies the way they are.
Mental disorders or mental health problems that unrealistic beauty standards can trigger:
Low self-esteem can have many negative effects on a person’s life and relationship. People with low self-esteem feel unworthy and often seek out relationships that reinforce this feeling. They also lack the confidence to try new things, which can cause major blockages in their careers and professional life.
While propagating unrealistic beauty standards may seem like harmless fun, the truth of the psychological effects of beauty standards behind closed doors is a sobering one.
Steps to manage unrealistic beauty standards
?As we understand how pressurized we are to look beautiful (from the so-called beauty standards) we forget the internal beauty that is present within us. The more you can come to terms with the link between beauty standards and mental health, the more you can take steps to ensure you don’t fall into a trap of negative self-image. If you or someone you love is having mental health problems from a negative self-image, don’t hesitate to seek help.?Feel free to reach out to us and let’s all transform happily and beautifully!
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