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Body image at third level

Beginning third level education can be very exciting but it can also bring with it a lot of change and various pressures. Third level students are often significantly affected by body image pressure. For many, pressure to conform to a certain ideal body type increases during this period when they may be trying to figure out who they are and where they fit in. 

Whether you are moving to third level from secondary school, the workplace or going back as a postgraduate student, the transition can be daunting. When coupled with the other challenges that student life brings such as living in a new setting perhaps with people you don’t know, cooking for yourself and being away from family and friends, body image concerns can very easily become overwhelming for a person.

Body image concerns are linked to the development of eating disorders and other mental health difficulties, such as depression, anxiety and self-harm. If you are concerned about body image, it’s important that you speak to someone about your concerns as early as possible so you can get the support you need.

Coping with body image concerns at third level

If you are concerned about body image the transition to third level may be even more difficult.  Concerns about body image can really take over our thinking, take our attention away from the present and prevent us from enjoying life.  Body image concerns can lead us to skew the importance of body image and to feel that people are judging us harshly. This can really affect us socially and make us less confident which can be stressful when we might be away from home and trying to make new friends and juggle all the new demands of college life.

It can be hard to find ways of coping with these new challenges in the absence of the same level of support, guidance and/or usual routines. There can be pressure to fit into a new social environment quite quickly. This may revolve around food and alcohol, and also introduce choices that may not have been as readily available before. These situations may be more stressful if you are preoccupied by, and self-conscious about your appearance. For some people an issue around eating behaviours, which developed during school years may become more challenging during this time of change. The move away from home or friends can be challenging and feelings of loneliness or isolation might be heightened in large groups and classes. These are common feelings while starting college and it’s important to go easy on yourself, to stay in regular contact with family and friends and to give yourself time to adjust to the new routine and to take time daily to think about things that you might enjoy or new routines you could establish to make yourself feel ‘more at home’. 

Dealing with body image concerns or an eating disorder

Whether you are dealing with body image concerns, in recovery from an eating disorder or not quite there yet, it is important to think through what will happen when you go to college, how you will cope and manage the new environment and routine and take specific precautions if you need to. For most people the uncertainty of starting or returning to third level can be an anxious time so it can be helpful to plan ahead to minimize your concerns. Prepare in advance:

• Speak with your parents, family, friends, and support network about potential fears and how you can plan to handle them in advance.

• If you are in treatment or therapy, work with your therapist or health professional around the potential issues that may arise and how you can cope.

• If you think you have an issue but haven’t spoken to anyone, it might help for you to speak to someone before going to college, or check in with a college support network in the first term to try to help you cope with the change.

• No matter how much you prepare, change is always difficult. It is normal and ok to feel apprehensive, the move to college can be challenging whether or not you have other issues to consider.

ADJUSTING TO COLLEGE LIFE

It can take time to adjust to the new structures and routines that college life demands. Moving away from home, living in a new place, finding new friends, having new experiences and additional responsibilities can all be a challenge. Even if you still live at home, you may find that your parents give you more freedom now or that they are not as aware of your day-to-day activities as they were when you were in school.  For those who may already have an eating disorder, or whose relationship with food has already become complicated, the new level of autonomy around planning meals and choosing foods can be a real challenge. Disordered eating thoughts and behaviours around food can intensify or the change of environment can itself be a trigger for new and stressful behaviours. This may affect those who may be vulnerable in other ways such as individuals with low self-esteem and poor body image. As with any change, the best way to manage your experience is to get as much information as you can about what lies ahead, and then to prepare as best you can for those changes.

In the first few weeks and months, it may feel like everything is coming at you all at once. Give yourself time to adjust to the new demands and challenges. Set realistic goals based on what you need to manage within your course. If you are finding it difficult to manage your time, making a timetable to provide structure to your week can help you to balance and monitor the demands of your course. Don’t forget to include time for social activities, rest/breaks and head space away from academic work. Try not to place unreasonable expectations on yourself. You are likely to be in college for a number of years. Try to break the academic year into small chunks, taking each term as a block of time. Managing your expectations about the non-academic aspects of college is also important. There can be a lot of pressure from the media and society for college to be ‘the best years of your life.’ In reality, like with most things it is a time of highs and lows and it’s ok and very normal if you feel like it is not living up to your expectations all of the time.

TIPS FOR COLLEGE PREPARATION

• Learn how to plan for and cook some of your favourite and straightforward recipes at home before you transition to college.

• It is a good idea to talk to your parents, older siblings, family, friends or anyone else you know who has attended college and who can share some of their experience with you.

• Before you go, think about attending a college open day. Here, you can interact with current college students and staff.

• Read the literature of the college you will be attending, so that you can familiarise yourself with the new environment as much as possible before you get there.

• Remind yourself that body shapes change and fluctuate throughout a person’s life however this does not affect your value. It may be helpful to consider people you enjoy spending time with and why – to remind yourself that you appreciate people for personal qualities like kindness, friendliness etc and that people will value you for who you are not how you look. Make a conscious effort to focus on wellbeing over appearance.

Explore support options in advance

Explore your college’s online resources and practical support options that are available, both academic and personal. It may be helpful to find out about or link in with on-campus supports such as the health service, counselling, academic supports if necessary, prior to going back to ease pressure on your return.

Managing meals

College may be the first time you have sole responsibility for managing all aspects of your meals. This may mean having to purchase, plan and prepare your meals in a way that was not an issue before. Sometimes people feel under scrutiny when eating in public. It can be stressful to adjust to eating in front of other people because this is often linked to socialising and communicating with peers and friends. Trying new foods can bring about changes that you may not anticipate and which may be triggering for disordered and distorted thoughts and behaviours around food. This is why it is important to try and bring your home life routine and food schedules with you to college, so that you try as much as you can, to manage your eating in a way that does not escalate into distress.

If you think you are developing, or have developed, eating disordered behaviours, you may notice yourself:

• Having difficulty concentrating in class or whilst studying.

• Substituting study for social activities and reducing social contact with other people.

• Setting personal and academic standards that are extremely high and rigid.

• Feeling trapped in a cycle.

• Feeling preoccupied with what you are eating, what you weigh, and how you think you look to the outside world.

• You may find yourself having mood swings, where you feel fine one minute and then panicky and out of control suddenly.

• You may find yourself increasing exercise and sacrificing rest and social activities for exercise.

• If you feel you are slipping behind in your work, it is really important to speak with someone about this. College staff understand stress, and they understand that college can be tough for everyone sometimes. It can help to:

• Speak with your tutor, lecturer or course supervisor and also non-academic college supports such as Counselling Service, GP and Health Unit.

BODY IMAGE AND COLLEGE LIFE

Be yourself

Sometimes people view the move away from home to a new group of people as a way to reinvent themselves.  If they have been unhappy with aspects of their home or school life this might seem like an opportunity for a clean slate, to do things differently, embrace a new way of life. 

This can either be positive or negative. If we are seeking to change ourselves and become a different person, we may lose our sense of who we are. A strong sense of self and being ourselves is vital to our wellbeing and happiness. If you are making changes then make sure that you make changes that suit you, that allow you to become more of who you are. Allow yourself time to consider your options and try things that genuinely appeal to you – not because you want to appear a certain way or fit in with a particular group.

Be kind to yourself

The relationship you have with yourself is the most important relationship you will ever have. As people we tend to be much harder on ourselves than we are on others. We can judge ourselves harshly and think and say things to ourselves about our bodies that we wouldn’t dream of saying to a friend. Often if we have negative body image we tend to emphasise the importance of appearance and imagine other people making negative judgments about our bodies too. It’s important to remind ourselves that this is not true, that body image is only one part of who we are. Consider the people who are important to you and why, you may notice that it is nothing to do with how they look. Notice too, the people of all shapes and sizes who are happy, successful and enjoying life. 

Make a decision to lessen the importance of body image in your life. Acknowledge that you are not going to change from being really unhappy with your appearance to happy with it overnight but make a conscious effort to shift your focus from appearance to personal qualities when thinking about yourself and others. You will find useful tips on how to do this here: 

Consider the way you speak to yourself and take time to listen to your harsh self-talk and to replace it with a kinder voice. You will find links, videos and articles on self compassion here: 

Many people find that unrealistic body shapes presented in the media and on social media can also be a source of stress. For tips to support you in making positive changes to the way you engage social media see here: 

For student union & university staff

Early intervention and treatment of an eating disorder can greatly increase the likelihood of a successful recovery and the long-term well-being of the person affected. It is important that body image and related concerns are recognised and supported in the third level environment.

WHAT CAN BODYWHYS PROVIDE FOR THIRD LEVEL INSTITUTIONS?

Bodywhys can provide talks and workshops for students in third level institutions to promote awareness of eating disorders and to promote positive body image and media literacy. Visibility during mental health weeks, body and soul events or related health promotion weeks is an important way to promote awareness of eating disorders and body image concerns. Typically this may involve an information stand with related materials from Bodywhys including literature on display and if possible a Bodywhys team member on hand to discuss concerns and signpost students or teaching staff to the appropriate resources. Contact info@bodywhys.ie if you are interested in support for your college or university.

Bodywhys can participate in panel discussions on topics related to eating disorders and body image or contribute to relevant courses in the institution (e.g. Psychology, Social Science, Nursing) in the form of guest lectures/seminars upon request. All requests will be dealt with individually to ensure the topic is tailored to the relevant group.

Staff training

Bodywhys training for staff at third level institutions will provide attendees with an understanding of eating disorders and body image issues to support them in early recognition of an eating disorder or body image concerns in a student and the correct pathways to follow should a concern arise. Early intervention and treatment of an eating disorder can greatly increase the likelihood of a successful recovery and the long-term well-being of the person affected. Contact info@bodywhys.ie if you are interested in support for your college or university. 

How can third level institutions promote positive body image?

Third level institutions could promote positive body image in students by displaying ‘Be Body Positive’ leaflets or posters in communal areas, by hosting events which raise awareness of body image issues, and by inviting Bodywhys to deliver educational talks or participate in mental health related events in the university.

If you are interested in setting up a ‘Be Body Positive’ or related society in your third level institution and would like advice, information or Bodywhys posters or literature for display or perhaps a workshop with your society members, please contact info@bodywhys.ie to discuss. 

Useful Resources + links:

YOUNG PEOPLE

💻 Website: BelongTo provide support to LGBTQ+ young people in Ireland. You will find out more on their website - click here

💻 Website: See spunout.ie for more tips from young people on maintaining positive mental health - click here

💻 Website: This page on the Bodywhys website has tips for how to cope with an eating disorder at college - click here.

📝 Guide: This resource provides some useful information about preparing for university whilst living with or recovering from an eating disorder - click here.

🎧 Podcast: Connecting Minds is the podcast on mental health matters from the Union of Students in Ireland. The podcast is hosted by Sarah Hughes and Clare Austick, USI’s Vice President for Welfare. To listen to season 1, Episode 1 on body image - click here

GENERAL BODY IMAGE AND WELL-BEING

📝 Data Sheet: Clean eating: Dispelling the myths around healthy eating - click here.

📝 Publication: A selection of useful resources from the Mental Health Foundation in the UK in relation to looking after our mental health, including ‘how can we protect, promote and maintain body image’ - click here🎧 Podcast: Listen to Dr. Hazel Wallace and registered nutritionist Laura Thomas discuss diet culture, body neutrality and intuitive eating - click here.

🎧 Podcast: Positive body image: Listen to the hosts of the Appearance Matters podcast interview Dr. Tracy Tylka about positive body image and discuss relevant research studies on this topic - click here.

🎧 Podcast: Listen to Dr Kristen Neff discussing how self-compassion can help to heal your inner critic - click here.

🎧 Podcast: Listen to dietitians Corrine Dobbas and Fiona Sutherland talk about body image and body image healing - click here.

MEN AND BODY IMAGE

🎧 Podcast: On the following episode of the Appearance Matters podcast, the topic of male body image and the eating disorder muscle dysmorphia are discussed - click here.

🎥 Video: The following resource is a TED Talk given by researcher Dr. Scott Griffiths on the topic of muscle dysmorphia - click here.

💻 Website: Further information about men & eating disorders - click here.

📰 Article: Gym culture and male body image pressure - click here.

EXERCISE AND BODY IMAGE

🎧 Podcast: Listen to the hosts of “Go Love Yourself” interview personal trainer Tally Rye about the concept of ‘Intuitive Movement’ - click here.

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