- \n
- What is Body Checking?<\/a>\n
- \n
- Specific Forms of Body Checking<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
- Body Checking in Teens<\/a><\/li>\n
- Reasons for Body Checking<\/a><\/li>\n
- Consequences<\/a><\/li>\n
- How to Control Body Checking?<\/a><\/li>\n
- Where to Seek Help?<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
What is Body Checking?<\/h2>\n
![\"body](\"https:\/\/cdn-blog.findmykids.org\/2023\/01\/shutterstock_1686958513-1.jpg\")
Albina Gavrilovic\/Shutterstock.com<\/p><\/div>\n
The definition of body checking is relatively straightforward. It refers to examining your body\u2019s size, shape, and weight. It can also include focusing on specific physical features of your face, such as the size of your ears or nose.<\/p>\n
Body-checking behavior can happen almost anywhere, anytime. We can check our appearance at home, on the way to work, in the office, or just sitting at home while watching TV.<\/p>\n
Like most aspects of life, the degree of body checking is on a continuum. On one end of the scale, body checking can be quite harmless. A person might check their appearance occasionally. In moderation, most habits are not problematic.<\/p>\n
For instance, most people will look at themselves in the mirror before setting off to work. That\u2019s perfectly normal, and probably a good idea too. You never know when your collar is folded wrongly or if there is a drop of coffee on that white blouse.<\/p>\n
However, on the other end of the continuum, it can escalate to something more serious. It starts out slowly, but then gradually becomes a near-continuous act. A person might check themselves in the mirror multiple times an hour or ruminate about how their body compares to others.<\/p>\n
Specific Forms of Body Checking<\/h3>\n
![\"what](\"https:\/\/cdn-blog.findmykids.org\/2023\/01\/body2.jpg\")
RomanR\/Shutterstock.com<\/p><\/div>\n
Body-checking can take many forms. The most obvious is when walking past a large store window and taking a quick glance at yourself in the reflection<\/strong>. That is a quite common form of body-checking. In and of itself, that\u2019s not much reason for concern.<\/p>\n
Sometimes body checking might actually be a good thing. A few weeks back I took a quick glance as I walked by a large window display and discovered I was dragging along a candy bar wrapper someone had tossed on the sidewalk. Better a wrapper than something else.<\/p>\n
Hopping on the scale to check your weight every now and then<\/strong> is another form of body checking. In this case, keeping tabs on your weight is a good thing. Especially with the portions restaurants serve, most of us need to count our calories; your cardiologist will thank you.<\/p>\n
These are all examples of body checking that aren\u2019t really an issue.<\/p>\n
But, there can be other forms of body checking that elevate the matter. For example, frequently pinching and tugging at parts of your body<\/strong>. This is a strategy to determine if we are gaining weight.<\/p>\n
Or, if you find yourself breaking out the tape measure several times a day to check on your waist or thighs, that might be something to worry about.<\/p>\n
Some people will try to manipulate the shape of a part of their face<\/strong> by pulling or pushing it in a specific direction. They might get up from watching TV several times an hour and go to the bathroom mirror to stare at those protruding ears and try to push them back.<\/p>\n
Believe it or not, when I was a teenager, I thought my ears stuck out too far. So, every night before going to bed I used scotch tape to pin my ears back. News flash: it didn\u2019t help.<\/p>\n
Then there are even more extreme manifestations of body checking that might raise red flags. Going through old photos and obsessing about how your body has changed over the years<\/strong> is taking one step further in the wrong direction.<\/p>\n
Constantly trying to gain approval from others that your body is okay<\/strong> can be another sign that you are spending too much time obsessing about your body. This can get a little annoying to your friends and colleagues as well.<\/p>\n
All kidding aside, these are signs that body checking is becoming obsessive. If body checking becomes a preoccupation that begins to disrupt your daily life, that\u2019s a definite red flag.<\/p>\n
Body Checking in Teens<\/h2>\n
- Body Checking in Teens<\/a><\/li>\n
- Specific Forms of Body Checking<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n