Body image and bulimia nervosa are deeply intertwined. Negative body image can cause and maintain bulimia nervosa, and bulimia nervosa frequently worsens how we feel about our bodies.
How Negative Body Image Drives Bulimia Nervosa
- Chronic dissatisfaction with physical appearance depletes psychological resources
- Body shame — a particularly painful form of shame — directly drives bulimia nervosa
- Comparison of body to social standards is a primary bulimia nervosa trigger
- Body image concerns often involve the same negative self-evaluation patterns as bulimia nervosa
How Bulimia Nervosa Affects Body Image
Bulimia Nervosa 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 Bulimia Nervosa 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 bulimia nervosa
- Therapy: CBT and ACT effectively address both body image and bulimia nervosa