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COPING WITH THE PRESSURE TO LOOK YOUNG AND PRETTY


Women and girls of all ages are pressurised by external factors to look beautiful and youthful on the outside. These external factors include the standards of beauty set by the society, expectations of men and the ever growing influence of the beauty industry on social media. Girls from a very young age are made to believe that they are supposed to be pretty and well-dressed to be validated. It is almost as if the first thing anyone would notice about a girl would be her looks followed by her personality, her achievements and almost never her inner-self. It is widely believed that good looking girls will get better ‘rishtas’ and better jobs. The most dreadful part about aging for women is losing their physical beauty and becoming less desirable to the opposite sex. This pressure keeps women engaged in beauty treatments, weight loss programs and anti-aging solutions.

Are we really that concerned about what people think of our looks and does their appreciation satisfy our internal need to feel loved and validated?

The answer is no. No matter how people perceive us based on our physical appearances, we can only feel truly satisfied and validated when we start to love ourselves. It is important to build a healthy relationship with yourself based on love and respect. It is not uncommon to see super models suffering from low self esteem issues and insecurities because internally they don’t see themselves worthy of love and constantly feel the pressure to look good on the outside.

Important do’s & don’ts

Parents should avoid comparisons among siblings based on physical appearances. There should never be any body shaming in the family based on height, weight and complexion. Elders should avoid negative remarks on people’s appearances in front of children.

As young and growing adults, you should work on your inner-self, discover what you admire about yourself and also notice the qualities you seek in others. Pause and think if there is a strong need to constantly look good for others. Avoid comparing yourself to celebrities on social media since all content is heavily edited. Avoid using beauty apps that completely change your appearance, since that is damaging for your sense of self-worth. Embrace age with grace. Avoid worrying constantly about wrinkles and saggy skin. Focus more on staying healthy through exercise and a balanced diet. Lastly, give yourself unconditional love and acceptance.


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