Body image and autism are deeply intertwined. Negative body image can cause and maintain autism, and autism frequently worsens how we feel about our bodies.
How Negative Body Image Drives Autism
- Chronic dissatisfaction with physical appearance depletes psychological resources
- Body shame — a particularly painful form of shame — directly drives autism
- Comparison of body to social standards is a primary autism trigger
- Body image concerns often involve the same negative self-evaluation patterns as autism
How Autism Affects Body Image
Autism can worsen body image through reduced self-care motivation, changes in appetite and weight, and a general negative lens that extends to physical self-perception.
Addressing Body Image and Autism Together
- Body neutrality: Not requiring positive body feelings, just reduction of hostility
- Body functionality focus: What your body does vs. how it looks
- Intuitive eating: Reconnecting with hunger and satisfaction cues disrupted by autism
- Therapy: CBT and ACT effectively address both body image and autism