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