Have you noticed any body image behaviours in your child?

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Body Image Behaviours

Body Avoidance

• Avoiding ones body shape and/or weight
• This may make you feel better in the short-term
• However, it can have detrimental effects on body image in the long-term

Body Checking

• Checking ones body shape and/or weight
• This may momentarily reduce anxiety
• But tends to increase negative body image thoughts over time

Examples of avoidance & checking

Body Avoidance

•  Never looking in the mirror
• Refusing to be hugged, to avoid their body shape being felt
• Wearing baggy clothes
• Wearing clothes in the bath or shower

Body Checking

• Repeatedly looking at their body in the mirror
• Pinching parts of their body/ measuring fat
• Assessing wrists, thighs and/or arms
• Reviewing photos/selfies

The viscous cycle of avoidance

• Anxiety associated with body image can lead to avoidance behaviours.
• This can mean missing opportunities to disprove the fears that fuel the anxiety in the first place and reinforces them instead.
• Help your child to understand the cycle of avoidance they may be stuck in and consider the ways that it may be contributing to body image issues.