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Can being nude help reduce your anxiety and hypervigiliance?

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Nudism to Reduce Anxiety

In a recent blog (seen here) I wrote about the importance of mental health and my life dealing with depression and anxiety. The previous post was about depression, this one I will address how I use nudism to reduce anxiety and calm my inner thoughts and hypervigiliance.

For many non-nudist reading this, the thought of being naked around others probably just increased your own anxiety level. It can be scary at first as there is a ton of thoughts that race through your mind, which then create fear. Fear of the unknown then drives anxiety. It is a vicious circle. In short: fear can cause anxiety and anxiety can cause fear.   

For about 20 years of my adult life, I spent it studying violence. Whether it was a Marine Corps hand-to-hand combat instructor or leader of Marines preparing them for a battle anywhere across the globe, or as an Anti-Terrorism Officer studying terrorism and terrorist to protect people and property from being attacked. I also spent about 6 years owning a business which taught self-defense, active shooter, and workplace violence response. Needless to say, I saw a lot of violence, blood and death then attempted to reverse engineer it to defend against it.

If you watch enough of it, it will get to you. This career choice that I chose embedded itself deep into my thoughts and actions every time I leave the house. I get stuck in a heighted level of hypervigilance, always scanning for threats, and looking for exits in case something goes down. As a former weapons and tactics instructor, I am always looking at angles in case someone decides to become and active shooter and I have defended myself and family. This gets exhausting and the sad thing is, there is no “off” switch as much as I try to ignore it.

I have always said that being a nudist was my go-to stress reliever. I can go to a resort, beach, or gathering and the stress is gone while I am there. When I put my clothes back on, it is back to reality and anxiety starts to slowly build back up.

Then it hit me after our last trip to Sun Meadows Family Nudist Resort in Idaho. When I am nude around others my hypervigilance calms to a point, I don’t recognize it. My anxiety level is usually at its lowest when I am nude, and out of the house.

I don’t know if this is due to being able to see people aren’t armed and there are no immediate threats of weapons, or if it is just being in a mindset that I can truly relax and be myself. Maybe it is because I am around others that are being themselves and making the most of that moment and just happen to be naked, or in some configuration of it.  

It could also be that most nudist events I go to are outdoors, and more studies are showing the being outdoors in nature is just as powerful as anti-depressant.

There are a ton of ways to help control anxiety. Breathing control, exercise, mediation, medication, therapy (and more), however, one of the most effective ways I have found is to simply be nude. Now being nude around the house doesn’t relieve it like being outdoors or around others, but it can help some as I don’t feel restricted or confined by clothes.

So if you are dealing with anxiety I would offer you try out nudism just once…okay well three or four times. Reason I say to try it more that once, is that the first time may induce anxiety and you for the first little bit you are there you may feel anxious, or uncomfortable as it is new to you. The more you go, the more you relax and gain the true value of it.

Now don’t perceive this as: If I get nude=anxiety and stress go away forever. Not the case for everyone.

However, I can tell you that there is a good chance that for a moment in time you will feel the stress release, the anxiety calm to lower levels, and you will find some true time to recharge you inner batteries.

Try it out. Whether for a few hours or a few days, just give it a shot and see if it works for you.

If it doesn’t, try it out again in a different environment and see if that works. Combine it with something else you enjoy like reading, hiking, soaking in a hot tub, walking, whatever. I am willing to bet you will thank me for it later 😊 .  What is the worst that can happen, it doesn’t work and you spent a few hours outside? Hell, if it makes it worse, or you are really uncomfortable, simply put on a sarong and cover up and enjoy the serenity that most resorts have to offer.

After scouring the web, I found this cool article from a couple in Europe that turned to getting naked outside to cope with the lockdown. I like the progression of trying something new, finding joy, and doing it more often. You don’t have to commit or even stamp a label of “nudist” to your name. What you do have to do is find something that relieves the mental health hell that anxiety can cause.

Check it out and see if their story here and see if it resonates with you and how you feel, or to simply find joy in someone else’s experience. To note, I would do this but I hate the cold so I will wait for a warm raining day to jump in mud puddles naked.

Can you nudism to reduce anxiety? Please comment below if being nude helps you deal with yours, and if you have any suggestions to someone who is thinking of trying it out. We are all in this fight together!

Ryan

Your everyday nudist from Spokane Washington