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