HELP YOUR MAN WITH HIS BODY-CONFIDENCE ISSUES

Male celebs have stripped off to promote male body confidence. Here, Emma discusses how you can support a man in your life

Recently we’ve seen a growth in male eating disorders, “bigorexia” (where someone sees themselves as small, despite being muscular), exercise addiction, depression and suicide. It isn’t surprising; social-media is full of the “ideal” male form and these unrealistic images are making men insecure.

Over the past couple of years, I’ve worked with my eldest son on his body confidence. The truth is, he doesn’t like the way he looks and he criticises everything about his body. Unsurprisingly, he’s a common statistic today, and he’s a reminder that while traditionally body-confidence issues have been linked to girls and women, this is no longer the case.

As a parent or partner, it’s essential to notice when the men we love are struggling. I still remember people laughing at my dad’s hair loss; no one could understand why it was a big deal but, on reflection, it was highly traumatic for him.

If a man is complaining about his body, it’s important to take him seriously. It may be the first time he’s dared to voice his concerns and your reaction matters, so be kind in your response. If you notice him over-exercising or restricting how much food he’s eating, tell him you’ve noticed – but do it with empathy and consideration, not judgement. Tell him that you recognise his struggle, that you love him and that he’s absolutely good enough. Then, if necessary, get support from appropriate professionals.

It’s easy to imagine that boys and men aren’t body-conscious, but that isn’t true, and as suicide is the biggest killer of young men, it’s clear we need to support our sons and partners so they don’t struggle in silence.