Body checking is a

compulsive behaviour Compulsive behavior is defined as performing an action persistently and repetitively. Compulsive behaviors could be an attempt to make obsessions go away. The act is usually a small, restricted and repetitive behavior, yet not disturbing in a pa ...

related but not exclusive to various forms of

body dysmorphic disorder Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), occasionally still called dysmorphophobia, is a mental disorder characterized by the obsessive idea that some aspect of one's own body part or appearance is severely flawed and therefore warrants exceptional meas ...

s. It involves frequently collecting various information about one’s own body in terms of size, shape, appearance or weight. Frequent expressions of this form of behaviour entails for example mirror checking, trying to feel one’s own bones, pinching the abdomen, frequent body weight measurement and comparing your own body to that of others. Studies have shown that an increased rate of body checking correlates with an overall increased dissatisfaction with the own body.

Characteristics

Compulsive body checking can be observed in many forms. Some of the more common signs are: * Constant weighing * Constantly checking oneself in the mirror * Recording bodily changes * Feeling areas of the body to check that they haven’t changed * Measuring body parts * Comparing the body to other peoples bodies Compulsive body checking behaviors are considered to overly emphasize the importance of one‘s body and its

shape A shape or figure is a graphics, graphical representation of an object or its external boundary, outline, or external Surface (mathematics), surface, as opposed to other properties such as color, Surface texture, texture, or material type. A pl ...

, which often occurs as a symptom in people with

obsessive–compulsive disorder Obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental and behavioral disorder in which an individual has intrusive thoughts and/or feels the need to perform certain routines repeatedly to the extent where it induces distress or impairs general ...

and

eating disorder An eating disorder is a mental disorder defined by abnormal eating behaviors that negatively affect a person's physical or mental health. Only one eating disorder can be diagnosed at a given time. Types of eating disorders include binge eating d ...

s like

anorexia nervosa Anorexia nervosa, often referred to simply as anorexia, is an eating disorder characterized by low weight, food restriction, body image disturbance, fear of gaining weight, and an overpowering desire to be thin. ''Anorexia'' is a term of Gr ...

and

bulimia nervosa Bulimia nervosa, also known as simply bulimia, is an eating disorder characterized by binge eating followed by purging or fasting, and excessive concern with body shape and weight. The aim of this activity is to expel the body of calories eate ...

. Checking behaviors are common among those groups, because body checking temporarily induces stress relief and thereby reinforces the habit. In the long term it contributes to increased overall body dissatisfaction and can prevent full recovery.

Components

Cognitive

People who engage in body checking tend to have discrepancies between their own body ideals and their subjective representation of their bodies. The desired body ideals are created by comparing oneself to other people and making upward comparisons. These upward comparisons are often perpetrated by the use of

social media Social media are interactive media technologies that facilitate the creation and sharing of information, ideas, interests, and other forms of expression through virtual communities and networks. While challenges to the definition of ''social medi ...

, where it is easy to find pictures of one's desired body. Since social media pictures are often edited and people try to present themselves perfectly, body ideals are often very extreme and impossible to achieve. Additionally, people with

eating disorders An eating disorder is a mental disorder defined by abnormal eating behaviors that negatively affect a person's physical or mental health. Only one eating disorder can be diagnosed at a given time. Types of eating disorders include binge eating ...

have a disturbed image of their body, subjectively perceiving themselves as less attractive than they are.

Affective

A negative image about one's own body is linked to several negative feelings or emotions, such as

anxiety Anxiety is an emotion which is characterized by an unpleasant state of inner turmoil and includes feelings of dread over anticipated events. Anxiety is different than fear in that the former is defined as the anticipation of a future threat wh ...

(of being judged about one's body),

shame Shame is an unpleasant self-conscious emotion often associated with negative self-evaluation; motivation to quit; and feelings of pain, exposure, distrust, powerlessness, and worthlessness. Definition Shame is a discrete, basic emotion, d ...

(about your own body),

anger Anger, also known as wrath or rage, is an intense emotional state involving a strong uncomfortable and non-cooperative response to a perceived provocation, hurt or threat. A person experiencing anger will often experience physical effects, su ...

/ aggression (at yourself or others for looking the way they look) and

fear Fear is an intensely unpleasant emotion in response to perceiving or recognizing a danger or threat. Fear causes physiological changes that may produce behavioral reactions such as mounting an aggressive response or fleeing the threat. Fear ...

(of becoming even less attractive). Self-objectification theory can be used to explain these affective responses. People with body image disturbances often look at themselves from a third-person view, reducing their self-worth to the way they look. If their appearances do not match their expectations some or all of the above emotions can be experienced.

Diagnosis

Body checking becomes problematic when it causes distress, has a negative impact on a person’s mood, causes withdrawal from social interactions, when it disrupts someone's daily functioning at work or outside of it. This can lead to an

or the worsening of an existing one. A healthcare provider can offer treatment recommendations to help with uncontrollable body checking behavior. The diagnostic assessment for body checking includes asking about personal and family medical history and performing a physical exam. The healthcare provider can refer the person to a

psychologist A psychologist is a professional who practices psychology and studies mental states, perceptual, cognitive, emotional, and social processes and behavior. Their work often involves the experimentation, observation, and interpretation of how indi ...

psychiatrist A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in psychiatry, the branch of medicine devoted to the diagnosis, prevention, study, and treatment of mental disorders. Psychiatrists are physicians and evaluate patients to determine whether their sy ...

for further assessment. These mental health professionals can then diagnose a patient with body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) by evaluating the person’s attitude, behavior, and symptoms.

Treatments

Body checking is most commonly a symptom of

s (ED) and

body image disturbance Body image disturbance (BID) is a common symptom in patients with eating disorders and is characterized by an altered perception of one's own body. The onset is mainly attributed to patients with anorexia nervosa who persistently tend to sub ...

(BID). Treatments of EDs and BID involve treatments for body checking. Isolated research regarding body checking treatments without relating disorders is rare, as most individuals experience (severe) body checking in relation to their ED. Treatment of ED is mostly multidisciplinary, containing psychological as well as medical treatments. Treatments used with body checking are: *

Psychotherapy Psychotherapy (also psychological therapy, talk therapy, or talking therapy) is the use of psychological methods, particularly when based on regular personal interaction, to help a person change behavior, increase happiness, and overcome pro ...

can be used to treat eating disorders and symptoms such as body checking. *

Family therapy Family therapy (also referred to as family counseling, family systems therapy, marriage and family therapy, couple and family therapy) is a branch of psychology and clinical social work that works with families and couples in intimate relationsh ...

. Improvements of symptoms like body checking in people with EDs after

family therapy Family therapy (also referred to as family counseling, family systems therapy, marriage and family therapy, couple and family therapy) is a branch of psychology and clinical social work that works with families and couples in intimate relationsh ...

have been shown in several cases, but there is little evidence yet for the effectiveness of family therapy on EDs. *

Cognitive behavioral therapy Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a psycho-social intervention that aims to reduce symptoms of various mental health conditions, primarily depression and anxiety disorders. CBT focuses on challenging and changing cognitive distortions (suc ...

is a treatment that aims to teach how to recognise and change harmful thought patterns that lead to negative actions, such as body checking. Regarding EDs and BID, it focuses on reducing negative self-evaluation, body checking behaviour and self-objectification. *

Acceptance and commitment therapy Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT, typically pronounced as the word "act") is a form of psychotherapy, as well as a branch of clinical behavior analysis. It is an empirically based psychological intervention that uses acceptance and mindfu ...

. Pilot studies of acceptance and commitment therapy have shown significant increase in body satisfaction and decrease in body checking in trials with patients with BID. * Mirror exposure entails organised exposure to body image, typically in forms of standing in front of a mirror. A study investigating in the effects of mirror exposure on BID found significant results regarding a decrease in body checking as a result of mirror exposure.{{cite journal , vauthors = Delinsky SS, Wilson GT , title = Mirror exposure for the treatment of body image disturbance , journal = The International Journal of Eating Disorders , volume = 39 , issue = 2 , pages = 108–116 , date = March 2006 , pmid = 16231342 , doi = 10.1002/eat.20207

References

Body-focused repetitive behavior Obsessive–compulsive disorder