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