Is this a mental illness or something i should talk to a doctor about?

Question

so i am always worried about my looks and am really self consious. u know, every chance i get, i look in a mirror. i think im fat and feel fat, even though i acknowledge that im not. also, i have poor eating habits. but i dont starve myself or do it on purpose. does it sound like an illness of any sort or sumthing i should talk to a professional about? serious answers pleaz. appreciate it.

yes i am a teenager. but i wouldnt say that i am anorexic, because i dont starve myself or excersise til i pass out. i just always somehow manage to find sumthing about myself that i dont like and wish i could change! my family members say that i look good and that my body is fine, but i really dont look how i want to look. im obsessed with looking good but cant in my eyes because there is ALWAYS sumthing wrong with me. yes i know, sounds like ur typical teenager, but nobody else i know is like this. help...

Answer 1

If you feel like you should then you should go see a family therapist. I don't think you need to see a psychiatrist.
However, It sounds like you have too much time on your hands to think about yourself. Why not get a part time job or volunteer in a soup kitchen. It is not mentally healthy to focus on yourself constantly.

Answer 2

I was an anorexic until I was twenty five. It's difficult to say what you're going through, though. If you're still eating enough, you're all right for now, but I would strongly suggest a therapist, and here's why:

I don't know if you went through a chubby phase, were recently dumped for a stick figure-type gal, or got made fun of in school when you were younger, but those types of things can lead to anorexia nervosa if you don't monitor it. Anorexia is a SERIOUS mental illness, and has devastating physical effects.

If you go that route, this is what you have to look forward to:

Not only will it make you thin (which may be what you desire), but it will make your body shut down, organ by organ. You're heart will slow, and you will have brittle hair and nails. You will have difficulty urinating, and will cease menstruation. Your blood pressure will be low, and you'll be cold most of the time, not to mention the fact that you'll be constipated with insomnia. Eventually, if it gets too far, you won't be able to walk.

Karen Carpenter, of the Carpenter Sisters, died of a heart attack from what doctors believed was a result of the anorexia that she suffered from her younger years.

If you don't think that you're fat, but you feel like you are, the best thing that you can do for yourself is to talk to a therapist, first and foremost.

After that, get on a healthy eating plan and exercise. Both will help elevate your moods. You may end up needing an antidepressant. It could, however, be a phase.

Don't let a low self esteem mess up your younger years.

Answer 3

Well, it's pretty normal BUT that doesn't mean it's HEALTHY!! Lots of people suffer from poor self image. It's important to define what a good self image is. So ask yourself some questions:

What do I believe constitutes as a good self image? Is it being fit? Working out? Eating healthy foods? Having a career? Being a girlfriend? Being a wife? Being a mother? Does something stand out to you that you feel would make you complete if you had? Maybe a boyfriend? You'd be amazed at how single people suffer from poor self image.

My choice would be the following: eat healthy foods as often as possible. Work out or excersise whether it's walking, weights, running or whatever, enhance my best assets such as my arms and shoulders, wear pretty lip gloss, do good things for people and animals and the environment, work hard and be responsible.

Those things in my opinion make someone a great person which makes the mirror pretty unimportant,,,,doesn't it? :)

Answer 4

It sounds like you may have a distorted body image. Have you heard of Body Dysmorphic Disorder. It's when you see flaws in your appearance that aren't really apparent to other people. You spend most of the day thinking about how you look and become completely obsessed with your appearance.

Do you feel unnattractive most of the time, even though friends and family say you look fine? Do you spend too much time looking in the mirror and other reflective surfaces? Do you ever miss out on your social life because of how you feel about your appearance? If you answered yes to these questions, you may want to consider talking to a doctor and having some counselling.

I really suggest having a look around the site I've posted below. There is also a message board there. HTH.

Answer 5

This doesn't sound like an illness to me. It sounds like a typical teenager. I don't know if you are a teenager, but you do have the same concerns that most teens have. Chances are huge that you look great but haven't realized it yet. Just be meticulous about grooming and dressing and you will look good. Remember everything starts with a thought. Change your thinking and you change your life. So think good and don't be self conscious any longer.

Answer 6

Obviously, self-consciousness in terms of personal appearance, as well as glancing at reflecting objects, is extremely common in all humans. Worrying about weight is just as common, and noticably increases with age. I do not feel that you require any sort of medical attention; you seem perfectly healthy mentally in what you are asking. All I would recommend would be a more organized diet, including many fruits especially in the winter months. Not only is this a necessity for human health and singificant in longevity, the simple fact that you have become more organized in terms of meals, with good eating habits, would do a significant deal to boost your self-image. If you are extremely worried, by all means visit a professional; it is difficult to judge these things via internet.

Answer 7

You didn't say how old you are, but I'm in my late 30's. I don't think it's a mental illness... sounds like just about every woman I know (except for the looking in mirrors). Personally, I'd say, go ahead and talk to your doctor. He or She might be able to help YOU decide what you will DO about it. Maybe something as simple as taking up a healthy hobby (aerobics, or hiking?) will help you to FEEL healthier, and thus reduce your urge to "feel fat"? actually, (except for the looking in mirrors) I could have written this letter... and my best friend and I went today and joined a local gym. so I'm taking my own advice. Good luck.

Answer 8

Teens in general are obsessed with their appearance. So if you are a teen you are probably not any more self conscious than your peers. However, if you obsess about food intake, count every calorie, starve yourself, etc. see your family doctor.
Poor eating habits are also a teen normality. Get some books on proper nutrition. You don't have to eat like a hog or pile on meat and potatoes to eat a balanced diet.
Good luck.

Answer 9

You have some control here. You can improve your eating habits. If you are eating junk, change that. Just knowing that you are doing something right for yourself can change your self-image.
Also, add some exercise to your life and that will help you feel and look your best.
If you are not starving yourself, then maybe you don't have an illness, but maybe you are headed in that direction. It sounds to me as if you can fix this yourself if you have enough self-control. If you see the situation get worse, then maybe you should get help, but at this point, I'd bet that you can help yourself.

Answer 10

I don't know your age, but if you are a teenager, then it sounds
like a normal concern.However if you are an adult and acknowledge that you are not fat then maybe you are a little
obsessed or a victim of over-advertising in the fashion world,
that always portrays women as pencil thin. If you are healthy,
then I would find friends that affirm your looks and body type.
Hope this helped and you probably do look fine.

Answer 11

I think you are asking about this because you are worried about it. If you are this worried about it, you should probably talk to some kind of professional - your family doctor might be a good place to start.

It sounds like what you are describing COULD be a case of anorexia nervosa, but on the other hand it could actually be quite normal. Many people have the same worries that you have and in many cases they live their lives quite well and quite happily. In other cases, there are people who become unhealthy physically or mentally from such worries.

I think you are worried enough about it to ask in this forum. You should seek a professional opinion.