Obsessed with your appearance?

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violeteyes

Member
Is anyone else obsessed with the way they look? It seems like whenever my anxiety gets worse, I obsess more over my appearance.

You constantly think about how you appear to other people.
You constantly think about your flaws and what you should/can do to fix them.
You think you look "different" compared to everyone else.
You feel like you stand out and everyone is watching you or criticizing you.

Can anyone relate? Any ideas on how to cure this?

I should add that I consider myself to be an attractive person but I still think about how I could look better.
 
Lightning

Lightning

Member
I always check myself out in the mirror anywhere from 4-6 times before I go out anywhere. My reasoning might be due to my lack of self confidence, so I naturally assume others think about me the way I think about me.

I've finally managed to convince myself to start working out (biking, going to the gym) in hopes that I can raise my self esteem and overcome this problem.
 
F

Fighter86

Well-known member
Yes I do, usually when I have anxiety, because if I don't, I'm fine with how I look any way, not too concerned, but when anxiety ridden, I can get quite paranoid about it, and most especially my facial expressions, like how my face comes across, it worrys me.
 
Eden

Eden

1
I absolutely detest the way I look. When I'm depressed it can become obsessive, like I somehow think that if I only looked better and less of a freak my life would be better and people would like me. Then I find more and more flaws and feel like such a freak that I can't stand the thought of anyone seeing me so I can't go out ... isolate myself and become more depressed and the cycle continues :rolleyes:

You say you're attractive so try and keep reminding yourself of that and how much worse things could be and maybe you'll find it easier to accept yourself :)
 
Damaged

Damaged

Well-known member
I don't obsess over my appearance, even though i have agoraphobia when i go out i don't really think about what other people think of me its weird.

Tbh i never wear make up, i go out without brushing my hair and sometimes go out wearing pjs and i still think i look good.
I guess im just a positive person whos never been bothered about looks and thinks theres more to a person than what they look like.


But saying that, i do have my 'fat days' but thats normally around the time of the month.
 
bigrob

bigrob

Well-known member
I hate looking in the mirror. I hate having my photo taken. I hate being on tape.

But then again, I was a weight lifter for 16 years and I guarantee that 95% of bodybuilders have body dysmorphic disorder.
 
Masychefx2

Masychefx2

Banned
mainly im concerned about my weight cos is hould be 10.5 but i weigh over 12


and acne which is not as bad as some get but it makes me wanna not go out ever
 
SPV

SPV

Well-known member
sundaygirl said:
i obsess too much. and when i feel bad about my appearence, i'm disappointed. it makes me feel instantly bad about myself. there have been SO MANY days in the past where i wouldn't get out of bed just because i felt so hideous....
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Likewise.

Whenever I'm not satisfied with a picture taken of me I always either throw it away or hide it somewhere where I can't see it. I've had my graduation pictures taken and when I saw them I was really disappointed and had to keep them where they're never to be seen again, they depress me and knock the confidence and not to mention the motivation to lose weight out of me. So I just had to hide them for good.

Mirrors are like magnets to me, every time I come across one I'm compelled to go up to it and see how I look. It's harder when people are around.
 
A

AidanKay

Active member
Yeah I'm very obsessed with it, lol.

It's practically made me a recluse and made me miss out on many opportunities (further my education, girls etc.), which is very depressing itself, seeing as I wasn't the dumbest person in school.

I keep thinking thoughts such as "how would this be different if i was more attractive/someone else?", "what other opportunities would be one to me if i was more attractive/someone else?", "would people like me more if I was more attractive/someone else?" etc. It's a viscous cycle.

Also, I often stop to look at my reflection wherever and whenever I can, which can make me come off as self-centered, but it's quite the opposite.

The best thing I've found is to *cliche warning* convince yourself that it doesn't matter what others think. This is very powerful. Whenever it has worked for me it has worked really well. I wouldn't recommend getting plastic surgery, as this can start a cycle of surgeries making you look worse, causing you to have more surgeries etc.

Goodluck to everyone with self image problems, you can get through it. I've known people who used to have low self esteem and are now quite popular.

Cheers,

-Aidan.
 
L

loloy

Active member
Yeah im obsessed with it too - I do like my appearance but if someone criticized my appearance then straighaway I wouldnt like myself - so with me it all depends on whether others like me or not.
 
ughih8ocd

ughih8ocd

Active member
Yeah I used to think that I appear different to other people but I don't, I appear to them just as I do in my mirror.

But my weight used to bother me a lot but then I got comfortable with myself and realized that I'm not the fattest guy in the world, I'm just a little overweight and learned to live with it, I could either lose it or not, I got over the weight issue because I did lose the weight and because also, if you're obsessing or don't wanna go out because of your weight, just think that weight is something you can change.
 
Lorraine Manca

Lorraine Manca

Well-known member
i get bothered by my FACIAL EXPRESSION. ah! ill be out and about minding my own business and catch a glimpse of my reflection. i look miserable in it, and instantly think everyone i know must know about my problems because it is written in my face. this bothers me so much, because im a very private person in my life. i think i feel the same way about my face as other people feel about their boobs, its too intimate and personal, and they dont want anyone lookin. as a kid i always had my hair down over my face nearly like one of those asian horror films.
if it was socially acceptable id be first in line to wear one of those berka muslim sheet things, although i dont want to offend anybody by saying that. when i talk to people, im very self conscious about not letting my face relax into its sad expression. does anyone else get upset about facial expressions?

i hate when people think they're ugly. dont look for flaws in your face, i promise no one else does. people dont look at just your eyes or that mole on your left cheek or your right eyebrow thats higher than the other one, they see the whole face. you just have to remind yourself of that i think
 
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loloy

Active member
Lorraine Manca said:
i get bothered by my FACIAL EXPRESSION. ah! ill be out and about minding my own business and catch a glimpse of my reflection. i look miserable in it, and instantly think everyone i know must know about my problems because it is written in my face. this bothers me so much, because im a very private person in my life. i think i feel the same way about my face as other people feel about their boobs, its too intimate and personal, and they dont want anyone lookin. as a kid i always had my hair down over my face nearly like one of those asian horror films.
if it was socially acceptable id be first in line to wear one of those berka muslim sheet things, although i dont want to offend anybody by saying that. when i talk to people, im very self conscious about not letting my face relax into its sad expression. does anyone else get upset about facial expressions?

i hate when people think they're ugly. dont look for flaws in your face, i promise no one else does. people dont look at just your eyes or that mole on your left cheek or your right eyebrow thats higher than the other one, they see the whole face. you just have to remind yourself of that i think
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I feel like this - if I have my hair tied back in a pony tale and my face is 'exposed' I feel very self conscious and my face tightens. Big sunglasses are great :)
 
Lorraine Manca

Lorraine Manca

Well-known member
loloy said:
I feel like this - if I have my hair tied back in a pony tale and my face is 'exposed' I feel very self conscious and my face tightens. Big sunglasses are great :)
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lol i cut side bang things into my hair for that purpose, even if i have my hair up i atleast feel a little covered up. exposed is the perfect word for it, i hate feeling exposed!
 
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