Chapter 19 - Navigating Body Image

Summary

Body image concerns can be a significant barrier to treatment for individuals with eating disorders (EDs) and impact upon relapse risk. Body image difficulties can be challenging for clinicians and tend to be a lasting source of pain for ED patients. For ED with OCD, behaviors typically seen in ED presentations may be exacerbated. Body dissatisfaction and dysmorphia are common in EDs and often linked to sociocultural factors such as societal pressure and media representation. The media is heavily implicated in the prevalence of body dissatisfaction due to the amounts of misleading health advice and trends on social media which make people more anxious, aware, or insecure about their bodies. Media and political environments often underrepresent and stereotype women, people of color, and LGBTQ+ individuals, which can perpetuate negative stereotypes and biases that further marginalize people due to appearance. Given the widespread nature of body dissatisfaction and cultural messages that link a person’s worth to appearance, it is not surprising that people with OCD may become obsessed with these issues. This can make treatment more challenging, particularly when OCD and EDs are comorbid.