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