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