What Is Body Checking?

By Zana Van Der Smissen, MA, LPC, NCC

(TW: Eating Disorders. This article includes content that may feel triggering for some readers. If discomfort comes up, please pause and take care of yourself or reach out for support at Symmetry Counseling.)

A quick glance in the mirror can feel harmless. However, for some people, repeated checking may take over attention and mood. Body checking often hides in plain sight, shaped by social pressure and internal criticism that feels hard to shut off. Conversations about body image continue to grow, yet many people still feel unsure when this behavior crosses the threshold for intervention.

Understanding Body Checking and Why It Happens

Body checking refers to repeated behaviors focused on examining body size, shape, or specific features. Mirrors often play a role, yet reflective surfaces, windows, phone cameras, and clothing fit checks can serve the same purpose. Many people also compare their bodies to others or ask for reassurance from friends or family.

This pattern often connects to body image concerns and anxiety. Dissatisfaction with appearance can push attention toward one body area that feels “off.” The mind then magnifies that area, which fuels more checking. Over time, the habit can feel automatic and emotionally draining rather than helpful.

Social norms can blur the line. Society treats appearance monitoring as common, making it harder to recognize when the behavior causes harm. The key difference lies in how the habit affects emotions, focus, and daily routines.

Body Checking: What It Means and When Support Makes Sense

Not every mirror glance signals a problem. Preparing for a meeting or checking clothing before leaving the house often focuses on presentation. Body checking becomes concerning when anxiety, distress, or avoidance starts to build around it.

Signs that deserve attention often include:

• Comparing the appearance to people with a specific body type
• Spending large portions of the day checking mirrors, reflections, or photos
• Difficulty focusing on work, school, or relationships
• Increased anxiety or low mood after checking
• Changes in eating habits or exercise routines linked to appearance concerns

These experiences can vary from person to person. Emotional patterns before, during, and after checking often offer the clearest insight. Paying attention to those reactions can reveal what drives the behavior and what support might help.

How Body Checking Can Affect Mental Health and Eating Patterns

Repeated body checking can trap people in a loop of short-lived relief followed by renewed anxiety. The behavior may feel like control, yet distress often grows instead. Thoughts around food, movement, and appearance can become rigid or exhausting.

Body checking is closely linked to disordered eating patterns. Clothing checks, body comparisons, or mirror rituals may influence food choices or exercise habits. That connection can slowly intensify stress and self-criticism.

Awareness plays a helpful role here. Noticing emotional shifts and physical sensations around checking can create space for change. Writing notes in a phone or journal often helps track patterns without judgment.

Ways to Respond When Body Checking Feels Overwhelming

Concern around body checking does not mean something feels “wrong” with a person. The habit often signals unmet emotional needs such as anxiety relief or a sense of control. Supportive steps can focus on reducing distress rather than forcing the behavior to stop.

Helpful strategies may include:

• Taking breaks from social media and comparison-heavy spaces
• Choosing activities that ground attention, such as walking, reading, or listening to music
• Practicing mindfulness or gentle breathing exercises
• Limiting time spent around mirrors or reflective surfaces

Finding what feels supportive takes patience. Some approaches work better than others, and flexibility matters. Professional guidance can also help identify emotional triggers and develop healthier coping strategies.

Finding Support That Fits Your Life and Needs

At Symmetry Counseling, we support adolescents and adults who struggle with body checking, body image concerns, and eating-related distress. Our team includes psychologists, marriage and family therapists, social workers, and professional counselors. Services remain available in person and through telehealth across multiple states.

Individual sessions last 53 minutes and are billed to insurance to keep care accessible. Many clients explore these concerns through individual counseling, which allows space to talk through patterns, emotions, and goals at a comfortable pace. Support for disordered eating and body image concerns also remains available through our eating disorders counseling services.

Moving Toward a Healthier Relationship With Your Body

Body image struggles often thrive in silence. Talking openly about body checking can reduce shame and open doors to healthier coping. Support does not aim to judge habits. Instead, it focuses on understanding needs and building balance.

If body checking feels like it controls your day or mood, support can help you feel more at ease in your body and daily life. Connect with our team to talk through what you’re experiencing and explore next steps that feel right for you.

Stanborough, R. & White, M. (2020). What’s Body Checking and How Can You Control It?. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/body-checking