Body image after bariatric surgery
Body image after bariatric surgery How is body image defined? There are four different components (perceptual, cognitive, emotional and behavioural) that form our body image. · The perceptual component refers to the way in which we visualize our bodies (this is often inaccurate, or we become hyper-focused on specific areas). · Cognitive aspects focus on the thoughts, beliefs and judgements that individuals have about their appearance. · The emotional component is how someone feels about the way they look, ranging from pride to disgust. · The behavioural aspect relates to the actions someone takes because of their body image. This may include avoidance of situations, mirrors etc. It can also include eating behaviours such as restriction and emotionally driven eating. Body image issues prior to bariatric surgery Body image dissatisfaction is a common issue amongst people seeking bariatric surgery. It is associate