Will Wearing a Corset Make Me Dependent on the Corset?

There are a lot of myths surrounding the practice of wearing corsets, either for fashion or for the purposes of waist training.

People commonly believe that corsets will damage internal organs, rearrange your ribcage, and subject you to frequent fits of fainting.

In fact, none of these dire proclamations are true.  When corsets are properly used, they can actually infer a host of benefits, from reshaping your body and bolstering your confidence to improving your posture and even assisting with certain medical concerns.

One of the most prevalent misconceptions is that you will become so dependent on your corset for body shaping and musculoskeletal support that you won’t be able to function without it.

Where does this myth come from?

Some people do rely on their corsets for certain types of support.

For example, some people find that wearing a corset helps to improve posture and alleviate back pain, while others are able to reduce social anxiety when wearing a corset (much like thunder blankets calm dogs and cats).

However, depending on a corset for this type of assistance is not the same as needing this supportive garment to hold your body upright because wearing it has rendered you unable to function normally on your own.

Will wearing a corset lead to a physical dependence?

The answer is no.

Can it cause a level of psychological dependence?

Perhaps, but it would depend largely on the circumstances and the individual.  Let’s just take a few moments to deconstruct this myth and discuss the potential for dependence on this highly beneficial garment.

Physical Dependence

The notion that you will wear a corset faithfully for years during waist training and then take it off one day to find yourself incapable of holding your body upright is, frankly, ludicrous.

Even wearing a corset all day, every day for decades wouldn’t cause your muscles to atrophy to this degree.

A corset is supportive, to be sure, but your body still relies on your core muscles for standing, sitting, and nearly every form of movement, and a corset doesn’t negate this need.

Let’s look at the case of Ethel Granger, who famously wore a corset for 50 years and laced down to an incredibly svelte 13-inch waist.

Although she experienced some weakness in her core, she was still able to stand upright and support her own body without the aid of a corset.

Even extreme cases of long-term, intensive wear do not render the core muscles completely useless and condemn the wearer to total dependency on the garment.

More importantly, most women do not use a corset in this manner, wearing it day and night and removing it only to bathe, for example.

Even rigorous waist training aficionados tend to wear a corset no more than, say, 12 hours a day, removing it for the purposes of bathing, sleeping, vigorous activities like exercise, and so on.

In other words, the average wearer is in no danger of becoming physically dependent on a corset.

The only potential dependence on a corset would come from needing it to maintain your reduced waistline following waist training.

The results of waist training are semi-permanent, which means with continued wear, you’ll enjoy a smaller waistline even when you’re out of your corset.

However, if you stop waist training, your waist may begin to revert back to its natural size.

Psychological Dependence

It’s much more likely that wearers will develop a psychological dependence on their corsets after extended wear, especially with waist training.

You’ll come to rely on the familiar feeling of wearing a corset, as well as the way it shapes your body, and you’ll crave the confidence it provides.

You simply may not feel as attractive and secure when you’re not wearing your corset.

Corsets can go far beyond helping you to achieve the flattering figure you crave.

They can become a psychological crutch for some people. Is there anything wrong with this?

Like any type of dependence, it can become harmful, which is why it’s so important to approach waist training in a healthy way, understanding that it’s only a tool.

If you’re worried that you’re becoming dependent, simply take the time to assess why you’re waist training, what your goals are, and whether you’re behaving in a safe manner, keeping in mind that there are differences between a dedication to waist training and a psychological dependency.

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