SACRAMENTO, Calif., Aug. 1, 2024
/PRNewswire/ -- Summer has arrived, and the heat sends us all
scrambling for the coolest relief—large, public bodies of water and
half-clothed masses of people ushering in the dreaded "bikini body
season." The pressure of this annual parade of shapely figures can
stir up anxiety, especially among those who struggle with negative
body image. Studies show that over 70% of women reported canceling
plans because of negative body image, and between 40 and 60% of all
adults consider themselves too overweight. Negative thoughts about
yourself can lead to an increase in feelings of depression,
isolation, and anxiety. Some research suggests body positivity can
help us stop feeling shame and anxiety about our weight. But what
do you do when you've tried body positivity, and it still isn't
working? You might want to try a new approach: Body neutrality.
What is body neutrality?
Body neutrality is an approach that focuses on the inherent
dignity of the person and on the human rights we all deserve
regardless of what kind of body we have. It removes the pressure to
have any specific feelings about the body.
New York Times best-selling author
Sonya Renee Taylor describes the
practice of body neutrality in her book The Body Is Not an
Apology:
"Saying I'm fat is (and should be) the same as
saying my shoes are black, the clouds are fluffy, and Bob Saget is tall. It's not good, it's not bad,
it just is. [...] We don't need to stop using the word fat; we need
to stop the hatred that our world connects with the word fat."
Body neutrality emphasizes therapeutic concepts like radical
acceptance and couples it with focusing on the functionality of our
body. This approach is often an important part of therapy for those
with body image issues or who have an eating disorder. It
recognizes that bodies are different, that each person may have a
different world experience based on their appearance, and that the
body serves as a vessel through which we live our best life, not
that our body's appearance determines our best life. Body
neutrality focuses on working towards equity and equal rights for
people in marginalized bodies and for managing various mental
health conditions, especially in psychiatric treatment. Body
neutrality aims to strip away anxiety caused by imposed beauty
standards that society has imposed.
If you feel like the body positivity community has left you
behind, you're not alone.
Tips for practicing body neutrality
1. Change your vocabulary. Use descriptive words
like "fat" in a non-judgmental way. This can decrease the distress
these words cause when used disparagingly. Try practicing
non-judgmental language at home, with your pets, trusted friends,
or a therapist to get used to how it feels and sounds.
2. Focus on functionality over appearance. Emphasize what
your body can do over what it looks like. This can help you feel
connected to yourself, capable, and energized. The thought of
exercising can cause feelings of anxiety, especially for those with
body image struggles, so it can be helpful to work with a therapist
and psychiatric clinician on ways to get the support you need.
Body-neutral functionality focuses don't require a sole focus on
exercise.
3. Practice neutral affirmations. Positive affirmations
(like "I am enough") are great tools for reducing feelings of
depression and anxiety and can be used in your body neutrality
journey. Body neutrality is about removing all judgment. Some
examples of neutral affirmations are:
a. "My arms allow me to hug the people I
love."
b. "I can walk with my dog because my legs carry me."
c. "Using my voice helps me advocate for myself."
If you are having trouble thinking of more ideas, a body-neutral
therapist can help.
4. Curate your feed on social media. It's no secret
that social media has a big effect on depression and anxiety. Here
are some accounts of activists, writers, and influencers to start
your search.
- Jessamyn Stanley
(@mynameisjessamyn on Instagram): Author, yoga teacher, and
advocate. She co-founded The Underbelly, a web-based platform for
inclusive yoga classes focusing on body liberation and fat
acceptance.
- Sonya Renee Taylor
(@sonyareneetaylor on Instagram): New York
Times best-selling author of The Body Is Not an Apology
(quoted above), poet, activist, and leader.
- Imani Barbarin
(@crutches_and_spice on Instagram and TikTok): Disability blogger,
public speaker, writer, and model.
5. Check in with your values. When you think
negatively about your body, ask yourself, "Who is profiting off
this feeling I am having?" Chances are, you can point to a system
of oppression that is actively trying to keep you dissatisfied and
judgmental about your body. Staying close to your values about
these systems of oppression, which you can work through with your
therapist, can help with body neutrality.
For those with eating disorders, body neutrality can be part of
recovery. It shifts the focus from appearance, weight, size, and
shape to overall health, well-being, and appreciation for the
body's functionality.
Neutral body image fosters a healthier relationship with
ourselves, our bodies, food, and others. It heals our relationship
with the summertime staple that keeps us cool, allows us to move
freely in the water, and is long overdue for some neutrality of its
own—the bikini.
Visit mindpath.com to learn more about your mental health
treatment options and start your path to mental wellness.
This article was written by Lauren
Freymuth, LPC, a licensed professional counselor with
Mindpath Health in Fort Worth,
TX.
Mindpath Health is an independent provider of high-quality
outpatient behavioral health services, offering in-person and
online visits. We coordinate care with primary care physicians and
referring health care professionals to ensure a focus on total
health. Visit mindpath.com to partner with us.
We have locations in Arizona,
California, Florida, North
Carolina, South Carolina,
and Texas. Schedule an appointment
here. We offer TMS in California,
North Carolina, and Florida. Learn how TMS can help here. We offer
Mindpath On Demand in North
Carolina for new and current patients seeking urgent
psychiatry services. Schedule an appointment.
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