Mindpath Health releases Why Doesn't Body Positivity Work For Me? Try Body Neutrality Instead

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Aug 01, 2024, 06:00 ET

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.

Body neutrality 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.

Lauren Freymuth, LPC, is a licensed professional counselor with Mindpath Health in Fort Worth, TX.

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.