What is Body Checking? Understanding OCD and Perfectionism
Understanding Body Checking: What is it?
What is body checking? Body checking is the repetitive habit of scrutinizing your body shape for details related to size, weight, or specific features.
This behavior can happen in various settings—glancing in the mirror after a shower, catching your reflection in a car window, or unconsciously grabbing a mirror throughout the day.
While most of us occasionally check our physical appearance, especially in a world dominated by filters and unrealistic beauty standards, for some, it escalates into a relentless, compulsive cycle that affects their mental health.
A 2024 study explored body checking behaviors and body avoidance behaviors in professional dancers, revealing that these behaviors are strongly linked to eating disorders, clinical perfectionism, depression, anxiety, and panic disorders.
Common Behaviors: Identifying typical body-checking actions
Below are a few common body-checking behaviors to be aware of:
- Constantly checking mirrors to analyze specific body parts or overall appearance.
- Measuring body parts and your body shape for size changes.
- Stepping on the scale multiple times a day to monitor weight fluctuations.
- Mentally or physically comparing oneself to others in person or through photos.
- Frequently squeezing or pinching your body shape like the stomach, arms, or thighs.
- Frequently feeling or inspecting bones like the collarbone, hips, or ribs for concerns about weight or thinness.
- Regularly trying on different clothes to see if they fit differently or highlight perceived flaws.
- Asking for confirmation from friends or family about appearance or specific body concerns.
- Taking photos to analyze perceived changes in appearance.
- Using windows, phone screens, or other reflective surfaces to check appearance throughout the day.
The Psychological Impact of Body Checking
Why is body checking problematic? While it might seem like a simple habit—for many, these seemingly harmless actions can spiral into something much more damaging. In fact, compulsive body checking can deeply affect your mental health, reinforcing a cycle of self-criticism and anxiety that’s difficult to break.
- Increased body dissatisfaction and body image
- Reinforcement of negative thoughts
- Heightened anxiety
- Avoidance of social situations
- Can lead to suicidal tendencies
- Body avoidance or body image avoidance
- Worsens symptoms of an existing disorder like obsessive-compulsive disorder, body dysmorphic disorder, or an eating disorder
- Disrupts functioning at work, home, school, or within your relationships
Furthermore, several studies show the impact of body checking behaviors and what they could mean about your mental health:
- A 2022 study found that women with anorexia nervosa showed the highest levels of intolerance of uncertainty, body checking, and body avoiding, with these behaviors remaining elevated even after recovery.
- A 2021 study explored the effects of different body-checking behaviors on body satisfaction, self-esteem, and negative affect among 142 women with high shape/weight concerns. Critical body checking (CBC) led to decreased body satisfaction and self-esteem.
The Link Between OCD and Body Checking
Body checking can also be a symptom of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Individuals with OCD may experience intrusive or difficult thoughts about possible imperfections or changes in their appearance. For example, they might worry they’re aging too fast. As a result, they might frequently check their face to look for signs or perform other behaviors aimed at preventing these changes from occurring.
“OCD isn’t just about cleanliness. In fact, it can latch onto anything we care about. By addressing OCD, we are able to access calm within the storm and reconnect with the things that matter most to us”. –Dr. Sylvia Gindy, PsyD
- A 2019 study found that body checking behaviors occur across various disorders, including, obsessive compulsive disorder, body dysmorphic disorder, eating disorders, panic disorders, and anorexia. Participants stated that it helps them to regulate negative emotions and achieve a sense of certainty.
Understanding these behaviors is crucial for developing effective treatment strategies and providing support for those struggling with these challenges.
Strategies to Manage Body Checking
1. Keep track of your body checking
At its core, body checking is often rooted in an intense fear of physical imperfection. But the more you engage in it, the more it tends to feed insecurity and a poor body image rather than relieve it. One practical step to break this cycle is to track how often you check your appearance by logging it in a journal. This act helps increase awareness, identify patterns, and uncover specific triggers. Over time, you can set achievable goals to regain control over your self-image.
2. Notice your triggers
As you track how often you check your appearance, pay attention to your environment, relationships, and circumstances that trigger this behavior. For example, maybe you notice after scrolling social media you feel the urge to pinch your thighs or pick at your skin more often.
- A 2023 study found that TikTok videos led to increased body dissatisfaction, body measurements and negative emotions among young women.
If you feel more upset about your body image after screen time, create time boundaries, only allowing yourself to browse social media for a specific period.
3. Challenge the behavior
Body checking serves to confirm the critical thoughts you already have about yourself, keeping you stuck in a negative mindset and distorting how you see your body. Therefore, try to challenge the behavior by challenging how you view it. It will also help you better understand the underlying motivations. For example, ask yourself,
- Why do I feel the need to check my appearance?
- What emotions or thoughts prompt me to engage in body checking?
- What am I hoping to achieve by checking my appearance?
- Am I seeking reassurance, validation, or something else?
- How do I feel before, during, and after checking my appearance?
- How does body checking impact my daily life and overall well-being?
- Does it interfere with my routines, relationships, or self-esteem?
4. Practice body neutrality
Rather than fixating on your physical appearance, body neutrality encourages you to appreciate what your body does for you. It’s completely okay to have days when you’re not thrilled with how you look and it’s just as okay to have days when you feel grateful for your body’s capabilities. For example, you might appreciate your arms for giving and receiving hugs or your legs for transporting you from place to place. Embracing body neutrality helps shift the focus from external appearance to internal appreciation.
5. Engage in distraction techniques
The next time you notice the urge to body check, try replacing it with a more positive and mindful action that isn’t driven by fear or discomfort.
For example, mindfully breathe, write your thoughts in a journal, speak with a loved one, or listen to soothing music.
But remember, these tools take awareness and continued practice to notice the effect. Give yourself grace if you find yourself repeating old patterns. Every step forward is progress.
Seeking Professional Help
While it’s common to glance at yourself, compulsive body checking can deeply disrupt your daily life. The more time and energy you invest in it, the more it reinforces body image dissatisfaction.
However, speaking with a mental health professional will help you better understand your triggers and provide strategies for recovery. So, if you’re ready to embrace greater self-compassion and confidence,
Schedule a FREE consultation with our mental health professionals in person and remotely. Alternatively, book a FREE call with our intake coordinator for guidance in finding the right therapist for your needs.
You can overcome this and feel better inside and out.