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