Every day there are people who criticize themselves or others for the way they look. Do you know why they do it? It's because of the media's distortion of body image. The media's idea of ​​"real" beauty, such as being thinner or having better skin, is one of the reasons why people of all ages suffer from conditions such as poor self-esteem, eating disorders or even depression. Body image is how you perceive yourself. There are positive and negative body images. People who have a positive body image are accepting and proud of their appearance. These people tend to be happier with their lives ("Body image in a nutshell" np). People with a negative body image don't see themselves as they really are (“Body Image in a Nutshell” np). They feel self-conscious about numerous things about their bodies and tend to exaggerate how big or small their features might be (“Body Image at a Glance” np). Having a negative body image for a long period of time can affect your mental and physical health ("Body image in a nutshell" np). Some may develop anxiety problems, eating disorders, or even take risks with their sexual health (“Body Image in Brief” np). Many believe that all the embellished advertisements, which push teenagers to look "perfect", are factors behind eating disorders that could lead to kidney, stomach and heart problems (Nemsechy np). It is estimated that around twenty-four million suffer from eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia or binge eating. The desire to lose weight pushes teenagers to start smoking. Teens with low self-esteem may take risks by drinking alcohol or having sex (“The Issues” np). There are other factors that can raise weight concerns in girls. Yes, some factors are not necessarily bad. A concerned parent who knows what is truly harmful to their child and... middle of paper... does not have to pay attention to harmful advertisements. All the adverts, campaigns and positive people help girls with lower self-esteem with all its positivity but you can help yourself too. One way is to stop standing out (Myers np). Stop focusing on what you believe are negative aspects and look at your body as a whole (Myers np). Respect your body. Another way is to remind yourself that most women or men in advertisements, movies, and television shows just don't look like this (Myers np). This is all movie magic bullshit. Remember that health and appearance are two different things. Accept the genes your parents gave you and learn to love them (“Body Image in a Nutshell” np). Surround yourself with positive influences (“Body Image in a Nutshell” np). Just remember that you are beautiful in your own way and that the media or anyone else doesn't tell you that you're not.