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