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