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the Show Perfect Illusions: Eating Disorders and the Family
Eating Disorders The Media's Influence print this page One of
the ways we can protect our self-esteem and body image from the
media's often narrow definitions of beauty and acceptability is
to become a critical viewer of the media messages we are
bombarded with each day. Media messages about body shape and
size will affect the way we feel about our bodies and ourselves
only if we let them. When we effectively recognize and analyze
the media messages that influence us, we remember that the
media's definitions of beauty and success do not have to define
our self-image or potential.  Use your creative mind to view all
media with a discriminating eye.  All media images and messages
are constructions. They are not reflections of reality.
Advertisements and other media messages have been carefully
crafted with the intent to send a very specific message.
Advertisements are created to do one thi