First, we hope that
you all had a happy and
safe Thanksgiving. Mr.
and Mrs. Webmaster had
our traditional family
Thanksgiving - in three
different households
connected by Zoom. It
wasn't quite the same.
Speaking of Zoom, don't
forget our next ZOOM meeting
on Saturday 12/5 at 7:00PM.
You do not have to be a
Niagara Naturists member
to join the meeting. We
welcome new friends. We are
expecting some new
people on Saturday. We
encourage guests to take
part in our fun meeting.
Get to know us and see
what we are about. The
only requirement for
non- members or people
we don't know is that
you have your video
enabled.
This is the invitation:
Topic: Niagara Naturists' Zoom
Meeting
Time: 7:PM Saturday 12/05/20
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88305257459?pwd=TG9WYlAxdkxXdVdISzNRdDhrcmNJdz09
Naked body image and self esteem
by David Bradley,
Inderscience
Credit: Pixabay/CC0
Public Domain
For people
predisposed to take
part in non-sexual
nude activities body
image, self-esteem,
and
life-satisfaction
are improved by such
participation. Now,
research published
in the
International
Journal of Happiness
and Development
suggests that for
people who may not
be predisposed to
such activities, a
nudity-based
intervention may
nevertheless lead to
positive
improvements in body
image.
Negative body image
is a mental health
problem that is
widespread. Surveys
of thousands of
people across many
different countries
suggest that
dissatisfaction with
one's own body is
common across many
diverse body types.
This dissatisfaction
can lead to deeper,
problems, such as
depression,
substance abuse,
self-harm,
risky sexual
behavior, eating
disorders, and
suicide.
Conversely, those
with a positive body
appreciation, enjoy
better psychological
well-being in this
context are often
proactive in coping
with personal crises
and other problems,
have greater
optimism, and take
part in safer sexual
behavior. Overall,
"Body image is an
important aspect of
one's
self-concept,
and has a profound
influence on both
self-esteem,"
writes researcher
Keon West of the
Department of
Psychology at
Goldsmiths,
University of
London, UK.
West emphasizes how
a person's body
image can profoundly
affect their
self-esteem and
life-satisfaction
and if of a negative
nature can be a
predictor for the
onset of eating
disorders, including
anorexia nervosa and
bulimia nervosa.
West has undertaken
a small-scale study
to test the
hypothesis and found
that participants
reported a positive
effect of the
intervention that
persisted for at
least a month after
the four-day trial
period.
"Results suggest
that nudity-based
interventions can
meaningfully and
enduringly improve
body image and
related outcomes,
even among
non-nudists," West
reports. West adds
that this area of
research is still in
its infancy and much
is to be studied and
understood. However,
he points out that
as society becomes
more diverse and
tolerant of
different types of
activity once
perceived as taboo,
we might find new
approaches to
confronting old and
widespread problems,
such as those that
arise from negative
body image.
