Promoting Body Image Awareness – Interview Series #8: Meet “Amy”
09/07/25:
Did you know that around 80% of girls and 50% of boys in Western countries have body image concerns during high school, according to the data from the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) and the National Organization for Women (NOW)? The numbers are even higher for LGBTQ+ teens. People who struggle with body image are also more likely to develop eating disorders.
To help bring more attention to this issue, I’m starting an interview series with people I know. They’ll be sharing their personal stories—what they’ve gone through, how it’s affected them, and the ways they’ve learned to cope.
To keep things private, I’m using fake names for everyone I interview.
Q1. Overall, do you think you are satisfied with your body? Why or why not?
Generally, I am not at all satisfied with my body. I’ve always struggled with my weight and its overall complications with my physical health(being pre-diabetic and higher risk of diabetes, heart complications, etc.), but also with how it affects how I interact with the world around me and vice versa. I am still working on mitigating some of those risks, but also on not letting my current body affect my view on myself.
Q2. How has your body image affected your mental health?
I think I often limit myself from certain things either because I think I’m not good enough for them physically, or I think others will think so. I regularly avoid shopping for clothes, especially with others, because I just feel so much bigger than everyone else (I have broken down crying from that numerous times, but I think I’ve been getting better there).
Q3. Do you ever find yourself comparing your body to other people? How does that make you feel?
I generally avoid talking to or hanging out much with some people because I always judge myself when I compare myself to them, and I feel like they would do the same, even if they’re actually really nice. Obviously, it didn’t feel great when I compared myself to them, but it also actually kinda demotivated me from actually trying(like working out or other lifestyle-related changes I feasibly could have made — even like sleeping on time).
Q4. What advice would you give to people who are insecure about their bodies?
I feel like one thing that’s been helping me recently is that, as cliche as it sounds, each body is different. There are things anyone can do that others can’t — that could be as basic as most organs functioning the way they should, which isn’t something everyone gets to say for themselves, or maybe being stronger or more flexible than average. It helps to focus on what my body can do rather than its shortcomings.
