Supporting Mental Health Awareness Week

It’s Mental Health Awareness Week and every day we’re supporting you with Insider features focusing on specific mental health topics.

What is body image and self-esteem?
Body image is mental and emotional. It’s both the mental picture that you have of your body and the way you feel about your body when you look in a mirror.

Self-esteem is how you value and respect yourself as a person. It’s the opinion you have of yourself inside and out and it impacts how you take care of yourself, emotionally, physically, and spiritually. Self-esteem is about your whole self, not just your body.

How does body image impact your mental health?
Body image and self-esteem directly influence each other—and your feelings, thoughts, and behaviours. If you don’t like your body (or a part of your body), it’s hard to feel good about your whole self. The reverse is also true: if you don’t value yourself, it’s hard to notice the good things and give your body the respect it deserves.

Here’s how negative body image and self-esteem impacts your mental health.

 

And here’s how positive body image and self-esteem impacts your mental health

How can you encourage a healthier body image?

• Eat well and exercise because it makes you feel good and strong, not as a way to control your body.
• Dress in a way that makes you feel good about yourself, in clothes that fit you now.
• Surround yourself with positive friends and family who recognise your uniqueness and like you just as you are.
• Be aware of how you talk about your body with family and friends. Do you often seek reassurance or validation from others to feel good about yourself? Do you often focus only on physical appearances?
• Remember that everyone has challenges with their body image at times. When you talk with friends, you might discover that someone else wishes they had a feature you think is undesirable.
• Write a list of the positive benefits of the body part or feature you don’t like or struggle to accept.
• The next time you notice yourself having negative thoughts about your body and appearance, take a minute to think about what’s going on in your life. Are you feeling stressed out, anxious, or low? Are you facing challenges in other parts of your life? When negative thoughts come up, think about what you’d tell a friend if they were in a similar situation and then take your own advice.
• Be mindful of messages you hear and see in the media and how those messages inform the way people feel about the way they look. Recognise and challenge those stereotypes

Your Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)

For confidential help and support when you need it the most, contact your EAP. They provide counselling, support and practical information for whatever problems colleagues are facing. It’s free to use and the service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Shore colleagues – Validium
Call: 0800 3 58 48 58 (outside the UK +44 141 271 7179)
For online support join: Validium.com/vClub
Username: Carnival
Password: Harbour

Ships’ Company colleagues – GuidanceResources Worldwide
Call: On board 2222-2222-2222 then 222-222. In the UK 0800 917 5319. Worldwide +44 2033 183154
Online: guidanceresources.com (web ID: CarnivalEAP)