Like it or not, most of us are aware of how we look. We have all had a bad hair day, or worried whether we are wearing the right clothes for a particular event. The traditional stereotype is that young women are more concerned about their appearance than young men.
Societal pressures, media images, and doting relatives saying how pretty a female child looks all have an impact. But how serious an impact can it have on our wellbeing and our mental health? And just how much does our body image trouble us as we get older?
Statistics by the charity the Mental Health Foundation (MHF), show that poor body self-image can affect all ages, not just younger people, and the reactions it can trigger range from anxiety and self-disgust to suicidal thoughts.