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