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