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