Reality TV and Body Image Influences

Contributor: Audra Sbarra, LCSW, is a therapist in Metuchen, NJ, specializing in the assessment and treatment of eating disorders

I am not sure how real reality TV is when it comes to body image.

Recently, I spent some time watching an episode of The Bachelorette. Right off the bat, I could see the emphasis on being fit and thin among the contestants. There was a lot of talk about having perfect abs. In fact, one of the ways that you can “win” a date with the bachelorette is to demonstrate just how fit you really are.

Watching reality TV could have negative consequences for building a strong body image.

More Exposure Leads to More Dissatisfaction

Consider, for starters, that there is a growing body of evidence to prove that the more time we spend exposed to thin bodies, the more dissatisfaction we have with our own. The more we expose ourselves to reality TV, the higher the likelihood is that we will begin to judge our bodies against ridiculous standards.

The message will be that the bodies we have just aren’t good enough the way they are.

Placing too much Value on Competition

There is also another issue at stake. Reality TV is about competition. The people on reality TV often compete with one another. Oftentimes, one wins by being the fittest, the thinnest or the most attractive.

This can have negative consequences for a grounded image because the message is that our bodies are a weapon in the fight to be the most special, the most beautiful, the biggest winner.
Reality TV would also like people to believe that as long as you look perfect you won’t ever have to worry about being excluded or vulnerable.

The message is that as long as you look good, you can’t be affected. This creates anxiety within ourselves and ultimately distance from one another. These are both factors that strengthen negative body image.

Losing Touch with Our Real Selves

When bodies are seen as products, we lose touch with our real selves. We begin to view ourselves through a narrow, predefined view of what we think we are supposed to look like. The real and genuine parts of us become camouflaged — from ourselves and from others. Having a grounded body image means you are connected and aware of your body and everything about it – not just what it looks like.

Being authentic requires us to be connected with ourselves and our bodies. Reality TV encourages us to be disconnected from our bodies and the experience of them.

Going forward, how can we become to stay true to ourselves in the face of so much reality television? How can we embrace our own unique realities?

Community Discussion – Share your thoughts here!

Have you considered the impact of reality TV on body image? What observations have you made in regards to its impact? What are ways we can make changes to the negative impact?

The opinions and views of our guest contributors are shared to provide a broad perspective of eating disorders. These are not necessarily the views of Eating Disorder Hope, but an effort to offer discussion of various issues by different concerned individuals.

Last Updated & Reviewed By: Jacquelyn Ekern, MS, LPC on June 19th, 2015
Published on EatingDisorderHope.com