How Does Positive Visualization Affect People's Level of Happiness and Perception of their Physical Body Image?

Headnote

The study aims to determine the effect of positive visualization on the subjective happiness and perceived body image. For this study 40 participants were randomly selected from the age group of 20-25years from the middle socio economic status in Delhi. A pre-post analysis was done using "Subjective Happiness Scale" and "Figure Rating Scale". 20 participants were trained to visualize themselves to be in happy states and imagine their physical body to be the perfect shape and size, according to them. And the rest 20 were given no training at all. An in-depth analysis was done on 5 of*the participants who received training in positive visualization.

Keywords: positive visualization, happiness, body image.

Positive visualizations

"A picture is worth a thousand words.''

This phrase is certainly true in the case of visualization. Visualization, a form of self-hypnosis, is a tool anyone can use to help foster healing. By providing positive pictures (creative imagery) and self-suggestion, visualization can change emotions that subsequently have a physical effect on the body.

Our belief system is based upon the accumulation of verbal and non-verbal suggestions that have been gathered throughout our life experience. Through patterns of repetition and its associated rewards and punishment we learn to create our own perception of reality. In essence, we therefore become what we think. In healing, repetitive use of positive visualization allows access to the mind-body connection. This lets the mind and body work together to foster the healing process of the body on a physical level. The mind and body connection works in the following manner: When we have an emotion it generates a feeling that turns into a physical sensation.

For example: You are watching a horror movie, you feel frightened and then get a chill up your spine. In this case you were getting a negative suggestion through your sensory perception (sight & sound), that produced an emotion of fear which turned into the physical sensation of chills up your spine. Visualization uses positive images to produce positive emotions that manifest into positive physical sensations in the body.

Effect of thoughts on healing

Bodies react to the thoughts made. Psychological/emotional state affects the endocrine system. For example, the emotion of fear is related to adrenaline. If no feeling of fear exists...