Feeling okay in your body

Bodies change fast in the teenage years, and many girls are told they are too dark, too fat, too thin, too tall or too hairy. Fairness creams, relatives' comments at weddings and filtered pictures on phones all teach us to dislike ourselves. These messages are not facts.

Things to try

• Notice what your body does for you: it runs, hugs, dances, digests your food, learns.
• Unfollow accounts that make you feel worse. Follow people who look like real people.
• When you hear a harsh thought, ask whether you would say that to your best friend.
• Eat regular meals. Skipping food or purging to change your body can harm your health and mood.
• Ask an adult you trust, such as your mother, an aunt, a school nurse or a doctor, about changes you do not understand.

If a relative comments

It is all right to say, 'Please do not talk about my body.' If that feels impossible at home, say it to yourself and tell someone safe how it felt.

Constant worry about food, weight or eating very little can be a sign you need support. A doctor or counsellor can help, without judging you.