Appearance is often treated as a purely superficial issue. Indeed, when people express concerns or anxieties about their clothing or physicality, it is not unusual for this to be met with criticisms about vanity. This is often an unfair assessment, as there are deep connections between appearance and psychology.
At the most basic level, this is represented by the old adage of when you look good you feel good. But it can go much further than this. Your mental health can genuinely be improved or disrupted by your perspectives on your appearance. As such, it’s wise to be open to taking these aspects of your physical self more seriously.
Let’s take a closer look at this issue. What are some of the connections between your appearance and your mental health?
Sense of Self
One of the reasons your appearance can be connected to your mental health is it tends to inform your sense of self. This is a perfectly natural response. After all, you look at yourself in the mirror every day, and when asked to describe yourself you may largely focus on your physical attributes. It’s certainly not unusual to associate your sense of self with a style of clothing.
On a deeper level, the sense of individuality you gain from your appearance can impact your mental wellness. Those who have experienced criticism or punishment for self-expression in their formative years may find they ignore their internal sense of self. This can have a variety of knock-on effects. They may not feel able to fully explore the facets of their personality or attend to their needs, leaving them feeling unfulfilled. In more extreme cases there may be experiences of dysmorphia in that a person may feel their body is flawed or wrong because it doesn’t represent their inner self.
As such, it is vital to take the time to be cognizant of how closely your physical appearance represents your sense of self. Wherever possible, work to overcome the criticisms of your past attempts at self-expression, as your discoveries here can help you feel more comfortable in your own skin. Embracing your sense of self is also a valuable act of self-care. At the same time, it’s important to maintain an awareness that you are far more than your physical self and that your approach should be an expression of your internal identity rather than the be-all and end-all.
At Work
Appearance is a prevalent aspect of the working environment. Employers may impose dress codes or even uniforms that must be adhered to. There are also often generally accepted standards of dress that suggest professionalism. Indeed, choosing the right outfit for an interview or business meeting can certainly influence the outcome regardless of how you verbally represent yourself. Even on casual Fridays, there may be internal and external pressure to meet certain standards.
This connection between work and your clothing can have a significant mental impact. On the positive side, when you feel free to take risks with your fashion it can promote your creativity. Feeling good about what you’re wearing also feeds into self-confidence, which can influence your productivity and even your innovations. This can result in a positive feedback loop in which you gain additional boosts of self-esteem and self-worth because you feel capable in your career.
Nevertheless, restrictive dress codes can have negative mental wellness effects. This may be from the perspective that dress codes perpetuate gender stereotypes or forbid key cultural identity features for workers from more diverse backgrounds. It could simply be the case you are unable to dress in a way that makes you feel at your most capable or confident. In this case, it can be vital to represent these issues to members of management or human resources. Alternatively, accessorizing more traditional office wear with expressive items can help you maintain your essential individuality and confidence while meeting company standards.
Surrounding Wellness
One of the ways in which appearance and mental health are connected is in relation to your perspectives on your personal wellness. If you think that your appearance makes you look unhealthy or unfit, this can feed into experiences of stress and anxiety. In some cases, this may also be informed and exacerbated by dysmorphia, in which your mindset exaggerates what you consider to be negative aspects of your appearance.
There are certainly steps you can take to minimize the negative connections between your health and your appearance. Eyesight is a good example here. Some people have positive connections between wearing glasses and their personalities. However, if you feel as though glasses negatively impact your self-esteem or draw attention to vision challenges, there are various accessible vision correction procedures available. This approach can empower you to adjust your appearance in a way that helps you to feel physically and mentally healthier.
Nevertheless, it can be just as important to understand the accuracy of your perspectives. If you have concerns about how your appearance represents your health, visiting a medical professional can provide you with more informed insights. They may be able to recommend actions or activities that can address the concerns you have. In the case of persistent dysmorphia, collaborating with a psychiatric professional can help you address the direct negative associations between your appearance and your mental health.
Conclusion
The impact of your appearance on your mental wellness shouldn’t be underestimated. There are clear connections to bolstering your fundamental sense of self. It can also be linked to how successful you feel in the workplace and whether you consider yourself to be physically healthy. Wherever possible, it’s important to maintain an awareness of these connections but also recognize that you are far more than your appearance. Certainly, take steps to embrace the positive aspects of your physical self. But you should also understand that it is mentally healthy to maintain balanced perspectives on the matter.
Photo Credit
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Guest Author Bio
Jori Hamilton
Jori Hamilton is a writer and journalist from the Pacific Northwest who covers social justice issues, healthcare, and politics. You can follow her work on twitter @HamiltonJori, and through her portfolio at Writer Jori Hamilton.
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