During the Mental Health Awareness Month of May, the face yoga app Luvly surveyed 1200 women about all things mental health and self-confidence. And the answers they’ve found are truly heartbreaking.
The study revealed that 1 in 3 women have experienced criticism based on their appearance, while 1 in 5 women have been bullied for their appearance since becoming an adult. And often the bullies are our closest ones — a whopping 1 in 3 women say family members make the most offensive comments about their appearance, while 1 in 10 faces harsher criticism from strangers. As a result, nearly half (47%) of women feel insecure about their appearance.
Such criticism takes a toll on our mental health — some 41% of women admit to having low self-esteem as they’re not satisfied with their appearance, while 1 in 5 experience stress and anxiety and 1 in 10 admit to social isolation, body dysmorphia, or eating disorders.
When asked about the root causes of their mental distress, 41% of respondents attributed it to signs of aging, while 1 in 6 women cited acne breakouts or general dissatisfaction with their skin as primary triggers.
In fact, 1 in 3 women have sought professional assistance to address the mental challenges stemming from dissatisfaction with their appearance.
However, it’s not just our mental well-being that’s affected; our social lives also bear the brunt. The study uncovered that 1 in 8 women have had to cancel significant life events due to skin issues, and 1 in 5 experience anxiety if they don’t regularly check their appearance throughout the day.
Marina Klimenka, the visionary co-founder of the face yoga app Luvly, commented: “As if being a woman weren’t difficult enough, it turns out that a shocking number of ladies have faced criticism about their appearance from other members of their family. This rather sad situation is a reminder of why all of us, women and men alike, need to make sure we’re surrounding ourselves with people who contribute to our confidence rather than knocking it down. For those struggling with the issue, we recommend taking time to appreciate those parts of your appearance that don’t get you down. Perhaps even consider seeing a professional who can help you reframe how you see things and build up a more sustainable confidence over the long term.”
Want to have a read through the full study? Here is the full report.
