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