This week 13-19 May 2019 is Mental Health Awareness Week in the U.K. and this year the theme is body image. How do you feel about your body? How do you care for your body and give yourself what your body needs? How do you respect your body and honour your uniqueness?

We all live embodied lives, yet so many of us struggle to honour and fully respect our bodies. We are surrounded by images in social media of unattainable physiques, sending us the message that we are not good enough, not thin enough, not beautiful enough, not young enough…these images create dissatisfaction, sadness and self-loathing.  

The message of this weeks campaign is to behold our own beauty, empower ourselves and recognise our own innate value and dignity. We are human beings with human bodies that speak of the reality of living in this time and place. We are invited to do something today that does our body and the whole of us good. To celebrate being alive and the bodies we have.

For an inspirational spoken poem on body image please go to

https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/campaigns/mental-health-awareness-week/body-image-poem

Beat: If you want to speak to a trained eating disorder helpline support worker then you can call Beat‘s helpline on 0808 801 0711 (UK) they are open 365 days of the year 12pm – 6pm Mon – Fri and 4pm – 8pm weekends and bank holidays.