Tilting the Mirror
By Ashley KlavinsSelf-image is something in life that can either help you or hurt you. Maintaining a good self-image can help improve the quality of your life. Healthy self-images boost your confidence level and make it easier to deal with put-downs from other people. However, when it comes to self-image, itUs a constant struggle to keep it at a healthy level.
"If you say you have a good self image, then people think you are conceited and self -absorbed. If you have a bad self-image of yourself, then people think you are depressed and have problems. ItUs hard to tell people what you think of yourself," said freshman Megan McCarney.
Ms. Kristi Bernecker's Women's Issues classes are learning how to deal with these kinds of pressures. For two weeks, 48 girls learned about self-esteem, image, confidence, and respect. Including reading articles and discussions, these girls have learned how to deal with everyday pressures and keep up a healthy self-image.
"I was taught to be yourself confidently, laugh at yourself, and to take criticism with a good heart in WomenUs Issues, but a class canUt really teach you to build your self-esteem, you have to learn it yourself. It all comes from within," said junior Megan Bergstrom.
Today's media and society are typically blamed for many self-confidence issues girls face. They create an unrealistic view of the ideal woman, which can cause teens to take drastic measures to fit societyUs mold. A few of these examples are eating disorders, cutting, extreme dieting, plastic surgery, and drugs and alcohol.
According to family management.com, 1 in 10 women suffer from an eating disorder. Another common "escape" from low self-esteem is using illegal drugs and alcohol. As found on plasticsurgery.com, liposuction procedures sky-rocketed 390% from 1992 to 1999. Breast procedures had also quickly increased 413% from 1992 to 1999. Rising on the scene of dangerous ways to escape the pressures of self-esteem is cutting. Cutting is using a razor to inflict deep wounds on your wrists, or arms. There is always a positive way to raise a personUs self-esteem instead of resorting to extremes.
"You have two choices. ThereUs a lot of negative pressure out there. The choice is all up to you. You can either respect yourself for who you are, or you can choose not to. God made us in the image of himself-beautiful. ItUs up to us as to what we do with that," said Ms. Bernecker.
"It's all about how you view yourself. I have a great self-image. I don't care what other people say about me, I just be me," said senior Ashley Tribulato. The most important factor in having a healthy self-image is how you view yourself, not what you think others see you as. It's all in your head.
"ItUs about your own personal integrity and the heroic potentials of human nature," adds Bernecker. Keeping a healthy self-esteem not only keeps one person happy, but can easily be contagious from person to person.
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