What are naturists’ thoughts and feelings when they’re naked?

Let’s first consider the thoughts and feelings non-naturists have when they’re naked around others. The list would include sexuality, self-consciousness, embarrassment, body dysmorphia, shame, guilt, anxiety, fear, insecurity, and vulnerability. Most non-naturists won’t experience each of these things when naked, at least not at the same time. But they’re very likely to experience some of them.

The contrast with the thoughts and feelings of naturists when they’re naked could hardly be larger. That list would include freedom, openness, self-confidence, exhilaration, euphoria, and self-actualization. Again, most naturists won’t usually experience all these things at the same time. Indeed, a large part of the time many naturists will hardly even be thinking about the fact they’re naked. Yet the positive emotions will still be there and contribute to a distinct feeling of happiness, contentment, and well-being.

Of course, non-naturists do have many opportunities to experience these positive emotions. But all the same opportunities are also available to naturists if they’re willing to accept the inconvenience of wearing clothes when nudity isn’t possible. Fortunately, there are many places where nudity is possible – in a naturist’s own home and the homes of other naturists, as well as the homes of open-minded friends and relatives. And also in naturist resorts, naturist-friendly B&Bs, clothing-optional beaches, and many locations in the natural world.

In short, naturists can enjoy all the positive experiences available to non-naturists. But they are also able to enjoy positive experiences that are either significantly enhanced or only possible by being naked.

4 thoughts on “What are naturists’ thoughts and feelings when they’re naked?”

  1. In the textile world, there is a lot of pain and trauma associated with nakedness. For many, it is very difficult to perceive a safe emotional space where exploring that naked vulnerability would be an option for them. It is very difficult, within a culture that not only discourages it but punishes it, to explore this type of experience.

    For me, I feel hope for humanity. To put myself in the most vulnerable position I could be in, that is naked, and have no one harm me emotionally, psychologically, or physically takes a level of extraordinary gratitude, trust, and respect. every person I have met whether it is just a nudist who want to be naked or a naturist whose nakedness is a reflection of a oneness philosophy, everyone has been kind…honestly most of the time…it takes all sorts to make the world and yeah, unfortunately, there are unkind naked people to be found… but I digress…

    I remember reading a study and unfortunately, I am unable to find it to see if anyone replicated it. A team of neurologists (not sure who funded it) brought one of those semi-trucks with an FMRI machine in it to a textile community and a naturist community. In the textile community, all of the clinicians were clothed and in the naturist community, they were naked.

    They asked people to lie down in the fMRI machine and showed them pictures of people in different degrees of dress and undress. no pictures were set up to be erotic. They were just people doing ordinary daily things. The people in the fMRI were asked to press a button whenever they saw a person wearing something green appeared. What they didn’t tell the people is that the clinicians were looking at centers of the brain specifically associated with erotic arousal.

    They found that when naked pictures were shown to the naturists they neurologically were far less aroused than the textile group. One of the conclusions was that nakedness is truly felt as pornographic for the brains of individuals who have not been familiarized with social nakedness and clothing seems to super sexualize the body.

    has anyone else heard of a study similar to this?

    1. They found that when naked pictures were shown to the naturists they neurologically were far less aroused than the textile group. One of the conclusions was that nakedness is truly felt as pornographic for the brains of individuals who have not been familiarized with social nakedness and clothing seems to super sexualize the body.

      That’s an interesting study, but I can’t recall learning about it. I’m uncertain about the idea that “clothing seems to super sexualize the body”. There are other ways to explain the result. The simplest explanation is that people who consider nudity erotic don’t become nudists/naturists, because they don’t want to be known to favor eroticism with strangers. But people who don’t consider nudity erotic are more likely to become nudists – because they don’t see an erotic stigma attached. Another way to look at it is that associating nudity and eroticism is the default condition in our society. But people who somehow become nudists anyway, learn that nudity need not be erotic.

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