The COVID-19 pandemic has genuinely taken a toll on the lives of every individual. Besides trying to stay healthy and alive, many face mental health issues often heightened during isolation.
The mental health effects that the ongoing pandemic has raised are severe. And unfortunately, these concerns won’t be disappearing any time soon.
Aside from increased suicidal thoughts and anxiety, many are also battling pandemic-induced stress linked with their body images. This issue is prevalent in both men and women, especially now that social media is at its all-time high.
When a person is dealing with body image issues, it’s best to deal with the concern right away through psychotherapy. This way, the patient will get a different perspective on their issues and receive the proper treatment and guidance to help them move forward.
Why Are Body Image Issues Widespread During the Pandemic?
Decrease in Human Contacts
One of the biggest reasons people are more aware of their bodies and have festered issues is decreased human contact. Because of this, people may have developed a false idea of the perfect body since they’re only exposed to pictures of people on different media platforms.
Screen Time Triggers Negative Thoughts in Their Appearance
There’s no denying that the media is a powerful tool. And with that being said, since many are still in isolation, people are more exposed to unrealistic images of other people.
Being exposed to these ideals and having limited physical activity isn’t a good mix since it triggers negative thoughts about their weight and shape. They may begin to think that they aren’t doing enough with their bodies, which triggers anxiety and stress because they compare themselves to unrealistic ideals.
The Pressure to Appear a Certain Way
Besides the physical appearance of a person, many are also dealing with a different concept of body image. For women, most are pushing themselves to look more feminine while men are pressured to look masculine.
The pursuit of this type of status during the pandemic is perilous. It adds to an individual’s stress and anxiety, pushing them to have unhealthy thoughts and negative headspace.
For this reason, self-improvement is vital, and getting psychotherapy can help individuals zoom out and look at the bigger picture instead of focusing on negative thinking.
Having negative thoughts about themselves during the pandemic can be difficult, especially when social distancing is vital to surviving during this time. Speaking to a therapist can help the person understand their issues and have an expert guide them to move forward and improve the quality of their life.
The Bottom Line: Body Image Issues Shouldn’t Take the Backseat During the Pandemic
Besides trying to stay alive and testing negative from the virus, many people are dealing with mental health issues. Body image is on the rise during the pandemic, given that the only source of entertainment people have now is what they see on the screens.
Now more than ever, it’s essential to invest in psychotherapy sessions to ensure that their mental health is in check and that the quality of their life isn’t compromised, even during a pandemic.
Therapy24x7 provides professional psychotherapy and life-coaching services both online and in-office. We offer support, create coping strategies, and provide results-based therapy for stress management, clinical depression, body image issues, and more.
Our team of therapists is ready to listen — book an appointment with us today!