Overcoming Anorexia and Promoting Positive Body Image to My Teen Daughter
Body image can be a significant factor in many individuals' lives. For me, it was a roller coaster ride with anorexia, one of the most challenging things I have ever dealt with. Anorexia is a serious mental illness that affected my life as a child. I didn't want my daughter to have the same fear and unhealthy relationship with her body that I had. My goal was to be an excellent role model for her, fighting back against the negative effects of society's beauty standards. And to my relief, my daughter is now a teenager, and she has a healthy and positive body image, one of the happiest things I could imagine.
One of the significant drivers of anorexia is the pursuit of perfection. As a child, I felt societal pressure to look a specific way, fit into a specific mold, and conform to certain beauty standards. However, society's ideals were not only the driver, but also the trigger for my anorexia. A lot of people don't realize that anorexia is not just a physical disease; it starts in the brain. It takes over everything, and it feels good, a sense of control. For me, it was an obsession with losing weight and never stopping. But, as I grew older, I realized that I had the ability to control this disease and not pass it down to my daughter.
When I found out I was pregnant with my daughter, I knew that it was essential not to pass down the negative body image but promote a positive and realistic one. I learned that my attitudes and behaviors played a more significant role in this than anything else. I had to practice self-love and respect myself in front of my daughter, even when it was hard. I learned to be a positive role model for her by not starring at myself in the mirror, always putting myself down. I needed to be a mentor, a support system, and always encourage her to love and accept herself, no matter how she felt about her body.
As my daughter grew up, it was imperative to encourage her to make healthy decisions for herself, allowing her to believe that health and happiness can bring harmony to her life. We celebrated all her milestones, and we loved her no matter what. We ate together, enjoyed her favorite foods, and bonded over exercise routines. We did not make food, exercise, or weight control topics of stress or negativity. We used humor, reflected on positive, light moments, and always sought to make each other feel good. The most important rule was teaching her to love herself, no matter the scale or her appearance.
We don't have control over life, and it can bring many ups and downs. However, we have the ability to control how we view ourselves and empower those around us. I'm glad I found the courage to overcome my disorder and promote a healthy body image to my daughter. Today, she's always smiling, telling me how much she loves herself, and I'm grateful for those moments. She is healthy, happy, and comfortable in her own skin, and that's what most parents want for their children. It encourages me to believe that my struggles can have a positive impact on someone else. It is never too late to start changing attitudes and behaviors, and I hope this blog can inspire positive changes in someone else's lives.
