Body Image. The Impact of an Amputation on One's Mind.

What is the relationship with our body? How would one describe it? Or do we think there is not one? We live in a world where it is almost impossible to be invisible, or that’s what we believe. In today’s world, almost everyone shares something on the internet. Moreover, if people do not share, they can undoubtedly follow what goes on in other people’s lives. The expression, ‘The grass is greener on the other side,’ could not be more accurate in today’s society.

What happens when we fall outside of what is “socially” acceptable when it comes to our body? Whom do we blame for the repercussions? Furthermore, more importantly, what goes on in our minds? This is when we look at the topic of body image. In this post, specifically after an amputation.

Still, everyone struggles with negative body image at least once in our lives.

In order to understand what an amputation can do to our body image, it is essential to look at what body image exactly is. Sarah Grogan states the following in her article in the Journal of Health Psychology, “Body image relates to a person’s perceptions, feelings, and thoughts about his or her body, and is usually conceptualized as incorporating body size estimation, evaluation of body attractiveness and emotions associated with body shape and size (Grogan, 1999; Muth & Cash, 1997).”

As stated in Sarah Grogan’s article, it is a person’s perception of their body. Therefore, we must understand that it is our perception, even though (social) media can highly influence it, but eventually, our perception creates our body image.

She further states, “Although body image is generally conceptualized as a broad, multifaceted construct, most research in this area has focused on the much narrower construct of dissatisfaction with weight, particularly desire to be thinner (Grogan, 1999), and although recent work is focusing more on boys and men, most body image research in the last 30 years has been conducted with young women (Tiggemann, 2004).

Many people regularly struggle with their (negative) body image, but how does it affect people after an amputation? Olga Horgan and Malcolm Maclachlan have looked at people's social and psychological challenges when facing an amputation. The following is stated in their article, “Psychological adjustment to amputation is reviewed by considering depressive and anxious reactions, body-image anxiety, social functioning and social discomfort, sense of self and identity, and its relationship to physical limitations.”

Depression and anxiety are no small struggles to deal with, and in fact, they could change a person’s life drastically. Though this article focuses on lower limb amputation, in general, it does not exclude other types of amputation from having the same challenges.

Depression.

“One measure of psychosocial adaptation to amputation that has been used extensively is depression. During the period shortly after amputation, depression has been reported by some patients as being the reason for decreased use of their prosthesis and lower levels of mobility.”

Anxiety.

“Anxiety is another potential measure of psychosocial adjustment to amputation. Unlike the mixed findings that have been reported in terms of the prevalence of depression in people with amputations, the findings regarding anxiety appear to be more straightforward. Studies on people up to 1-year post-amputation suggest that levels of anxiety are raised during this period.”

Body Image Anxiety.

“Adaptation to a changed body image is another potential measure of psychosocial adjustment to amputation. Body image may be defined as ‘the combination of an individual’s psychological experiences, feelings, and attitudes that relate to the form, function, appearance, and desirability of one’s own body which is influenced by individual and environmental factors.”

Social Functioning and Social Discomfort.

“Social functioning is another potential measure of psychosocial adjustment to an amputation. In addition to having to cope with physical limitations and the impact that these can have on social functioning, 33 individuals have to adjust to the fact that they appear Psychosocial adjustment to lower-limb amputation 839 ‘different’ from other people. In the eyes of people who do not have an amputation, they may now appear ‘disabled’ and, in the words of Goffman, members of a ‘stigmatized’ group. Such perceptions of ‘stigma’ can sometimes lead to disabled people being treated differently by non-disabled people because the latter may make assumptions, on the basis of the disability, about all aspects of the individual’s personality and functioning.”

Identity, Self, and Limitations.

“Following an amputation, individuals must adapt to changed physical and social functioning and incorporate these changes into a new sense of self and self-identity. In this way, changes in physical functioning, limitations, and self-identity are closely related.”

Most women struggle with biases against them or expectations of their looks and behavior. For years, the media has focused on women regarding beauty. Nowadays, it has become more mainstream to focus on men and their physical appearance. Beauticians and make-up influencers have skincare routines for men and the next-door "fitness freak". Perhaps gender also plays a role in the impact of amputation. Calogero, Rachel M., and Thompson, J. Kevin looked into this topic in their "Gender and Body Image" article. "Gender differences in body image are among the most robust findings in the psychological literature: Women and men feel, think, and behave differently with regard to their bodies. Gender differences in body image should not be taken lightly as they have been shown to account for a variety of psychological distresses and disturbances in the lives of women and men."

This article goes into great detail into explaining body image in general, gender differences in body image, and takes cultural differences into account.

"One-third of women aged 20 to 64 years perceived themselves to be heavier than they really were, whereas almost 50% of overweight men perceived themselves to be average weight, and 19% of average weight men perceived themselves to be underweight."

Another article, "Body Image and Gender Roles", has mentioned quite the comparison regarding gender roles in body image, which might be pretty visual for most. "The Bratz doll made for girls and the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) action figures designed for boys exemplify the gendered ideals. The Bratz doll is thin, has long hair, long eyelashes, and a sexualized look created by makeup, full lips, and revealing clothing. The WWE figure is extremely muscular and has a facial expression that ‘knows no fear’. Although these ‘toys’ represent exaggerations of gendered body image ideals, the current depictions of ideal bodies in the mass media follow these gendered patterns."

Not to mention the infamous "Barbie" doll and her physical (dis)proportions.

Furthermore, the article discusses the bias and difference between women's bodies and their so-called feminity and masculinity.

There is no manual or prediction as to what someone will go through.

By now, it is clear there is a gender bias regarding body image, which most likely influences how men and women might deal with amputation.

It also depends on age, personality traits, past life events, the type of amputation, and one's environment. It is safe to conclude that an amputation can have a severe impact, and it is a trauma nonetheless.

Come what may, it is no easy feat to deal with and conquer.