Dipping in my birthday suit

On Sunday I’m taking part in the North East Skinny Dip. Started 13 years ago by Jax, the event raises money for the mental health charity Mind. At 7am on the first Sunday in autumn, over 1,200 people strip off and run into the sea wearing nothing but their birthday suit. As it is my birthday weekend, it felt like a fun thing to do as I’ll be dressed for it.

While I feel confident in doing it, after my summer solstice skinny dip, it is something I’ve never done before, people will be taking selfies and press photographers will be present. There is a chance I might appear naked on a website somewhere or in someone elses photo… of them naked. Having skinny dipped in front of friends, walked up and down a naturist beach, and even conversed with a stranger while naked I am anxious about showing myself being this confident. Which is silly, because the photo is proof of much work I have done in fighting my own anxiety.

When I first got into outdoor swimming, anxiety was a constant battle. Once I was in the water I started to calm down and remind myself that there is nothing to fear. It’s been a good teaching aid for life. My mind will overthink events before they happen leading me to become overwhelmed and want to run away. Knowing that that feeling is nothing more than anxiety and that it will fade once I’m in the moment is key to actually living.

At least, it usually fades. There are some times when my autistic side is completely overwhelmed by sensory issues that the anxiety does not fade. In general, on a good day, I know I will worry right up until I’m in the moment and prove to my brain that there was nothing to fear.

In recent months I’ve found myself less anxious when going for swims because I’ve slowly trained my brain to know that it’ll be OK. Admitedly the lake has had less jellyfish to contend with this year, I’m still anxious about swimming near pontoons, and I don’t like to go during peak hours, but I can happily rock up and go swimming without any real overthinking issues. Progress.

Now, before this piece becomes all about how skinny dipping has given me god like confidence in my beer batter buns, I have to point out that I have not conquered anxiety. I feel confident in doing the skinny dip but not confident in publishing any photos of me being confident. Silly right? Do I need to post naked photos of myself? Not really. Most people would say the world is safer if I don’t. But if the entire point is to show confidence and inspire others by being a normal everyday mess of a human, then maybe I should face that fear?

Links

• Baring souls and bottoms: Skinny dipping through the ages – Outdoor Swimming Society Outdoor Swimming Society.
• The innocent truth of skinny dipping - Outdoor Swimmer Magazine. Is skinny dipping legal in the UK – and where can you do it?
• Skinny Dipping & Mental Health: Jax’s Story of Healing | Mind. Discover how skinny dipping in the North Sea helps Jax embrace nature, raise awareness, and find joy despite mental health struggles.
• Pleasure and pain: what nude sunrise swims in winter tell us about social connection - UQ News - The University of Queensland, Australia. Enduring discomfort together may bring people closer, especially when it’s mixed with a bit of joy, according to a study involving mass mid-winter river swims.
• Body Perceptions and Psychological Well-Being: A Review of the Impact of Social Media and Physical Measurements on Self-Esteem and Mental Health with a Focus on Body Image Satisfaction and Its Relationship with Cultural and Gender Factors. This narrative review examines the interplay among body image perceptions, social media influence, physical measurements, and their impact on psychological well-being, focusing on the roles of cultural and gender differences and the need to ...
• Nudism: how it can actually boost positive body image. Could nudism boost positive body image and therefore overall happiness? Some recent studies suggest that getting naked in groups could have beneficial results.