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