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