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