I’ve developed a few bad habits because of my bad body image that I would like some help in unlearning. Truthfully, I am not that great looking and they did in fact serve an important purpose for me when I was a teenager in high school, but now I think they’re doing more harm than good.
One is struggling to look at people, make eye contact, or otherwise acknowledge someone else. Even if it’s just a stranger. I always immediately look away or down. It’s particularly worse when I see someone attractive lol. The best I’ve ever been able to achieve is a nod and a “hello.”
Another is avoiding social situations, even if they involve people I already know, instead of seeking them out.
My social abilities are ok otherwise, but my habits have resulted from some kind of weird social phobia. For the longest time I didn’t want people to *see* me, just out of pure shame of being in my skin. I’m doing the mental work, but I know for a fact that I am energized by social situations, so I feel like working my shyness will help things.
Was wondering if anyone could relate and/or has any tips
1 comment
I absolutely hated my body when I was younger. One way to help become aware with it was wearing a rubber band around my wrist and everytime a bad thought popped up I’d snap the wrist. It worked more for helping you to recognise the bad thought and snap out of it. I still struggle with the same thing today where I have a social event and I think “no-one wants to see my ugly face” but I’m aware of it now and shut it down and I know that if I let those thoughts in they destroy my social life and what makes me happy so keeping that thought away helps