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