Fuzzy Body

This is a doll from my childhood.

I don’t have an explanation why she has a fuzzy body. But I started thinking about the power of distortion. Scripture tells us our thoughts carry great significance regarding our self-image. “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he...” Proverbs 23:7 I thought playing with Barbie dolls skewed things enough. But this toy was on the scene long before I started my Barbie play. Yikes. With eating disorders, science has shown there is a distorted image the mind fixates on. “Distorted body image is common in people with anorexia. Instead of an ideal body shape, they see a fat person. This can be due to cognitive distortions, or Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD), where the mind is not able to see and interpret things correctly.” (Distorted Body Image In Anorexia Nervosa) Someone with anorexia or bulimia, for instance, may see themselves as significantly larger than they are. So, their perception of their body is, indeed, “fuzzy.” Many of us who are struggling with disordered eating and body image issues have a warped self-image. This doll may be something we look at and logically know is not a realistic human representation. But emotionally, somewhere, somehow, we may internalize it as our true nature. Likewise, we may react in complete defiance of that “truth,” going in the other direction, pursuing our own self-defined ideal image, usually extreme thinness. We can be caught between two harmful and inaccurate images. Our brains are powerful machines. Our thoughts can work against us, creating an environment for eating disorders to thrive. “…in case of people suffering with eating disorders it is unwanted actions like negative thoughts about their body image that lead to the development of at ED... …When people start having bad thoughts and feelings about themselves their brain begins to develop certain new neuronal wiring (or connections) to produce certain behaviors. When people continue to acting on pathological behaviors like starving, binging-purging, over exercising etc: these neuronal pathways grow stronger and stronger. Basically it is what you think is what you get. You see any behavior we have or regular thoughts we think there are certain brain maps developed and pathways formed. These new brain maps can start to take up a huge amount of space in our brain until they become all powerful. Eating disorders take up a huge amount of space in the brain because they affect nearly all aspects of the sufferer's life. So, when it comes to eating disorder treatment if it does not work on changing the old neuronal pathways it is not going to work. What has to happen is for the sufferer to develop new neuronal pathways and build them around the old faulty pathological ones that is their ED. When you start using these new pathways (the healthy pathways) they become stronger and stronger and eventually they will replace the old pathological ones (the old pathological ones will fade)… …The first thing is to come to the realization that what your brain is telling you to do may not be correct so there is no need to act on it every time. Your brain is not your mind and you can influence it with better thoughts and action…But your mind is what you do, what decision you make, and what perception about yourself you give to others… (Eating Disorders Are Result of Brain Plasticity By Irina Webster) We can get obsessed with molding ourselves into a certain image. Based on what we think we see-or want to see, we can, unfortunately strive to obtain it. Eating disorders are often that result. We are not to mold ourselves to any image, other than Jesus’ Image. “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Romans 12:2 Recovery, self-concept and life are all “in process” things. Indeed, we’re going “from glory to glory” (2 Corinthians 3:18). Let’s remember that as we view anything, any image in our lives. Are we seeing the truth or is it “fuzzy,” even concerning our physical bodies? Copyright © 2013 by Sheryle Cruse