Hi Anonymous,

There is tremendous pressure on women to look a certain way and some women feel that if they don’t look the same as what they see in magazines, in TV and movies; that they need to change.

The truth is that even if she were to try really hard to look the same- she never will be. These pictures have been airbrushed and touched up so people are the most perfect version of themselves- and so we believe that this is how they look in reality. And they don't.

The main thing is that she is within a healthy weight for her height range- then in theory she has nothing to worry about from a medical standpoint.

It sounds like you and her family have tried to help her with this, with no success. If you feel you have come to a brick wall in terms of what you can do for her, then perhaps suggest that she see a doctor- to potentially get a referral to a Cognitive Behavioural Therapist. She might have something called Body Dismorphic Disorder, where she sees herself as being bigger than she actually is- so it could be worth investigating. Symptoms include: Comparing looks to other people’s, spending a long time in front of the mirror, or avoiding mirrors, concealing believed ‘defects’, getting distressed about an area of their body, feeling anxious around other people and being secretive. This can lead to depression, so it might be worth asking her to get to the doctors asap. If it’s not this, then her doctor might be able to offer some other form of help for your partner.