Fear of having photo taken? Body dysmorphia?

[misslideaway]

I have never been a real fan of having my photo taken but in the last 10 years- this has gotten worse and worse - I avoid camera's like the plague.

Desite my plees, I often get cornered and people will take my photo anyway. This does not help the cause as I normally have a panicked or uncomfortable look on my face- so the photo is always awful.

The way I feel about this is getting worse- to the point where I feel sick and/ or cry about it if I'm forced to have my photo taken or when I see the resulting photo.

Facebook is the bain of my life as everyone posts every single photo to the site - I untag myself as I cant bear to see the photo. If I thought people would understand I would ask them to remove the photo entirely.

I think my friends possibily think its vanity - but its really not. None of my friends or family understand how I feel about this.

Has anyone suffered this kind of phobia? After lots of internet research - the only thing I can find is body dysmorphia. I'm not sure that explains it...

[Sqad]

There is only one photograph of me that I have ever liked and it was taken when I was 25yrs old.

For all my Dating Agency sites, I use THAT photograph.
All of my dates have made an excuse to go to the toilet and then they do a runner.

Do you think that I should update it to one that really looks like me?

[sn�gs]

I don't know anyone who 'likes' having their picture taken (including me), apart from kids and pets.

[sara3]

I did a runner when I met Sqad.

there aren't many people who love having their photo taken. photos aside, are you worried about your looks?

[Sqad]

sara....LOL LOL...I mean AWAY from me.

[sara3]

;o)

[China Doll]

Perhaps you could try some form of hypnotism in order to help you relax a bit more when havinv your photo taken and to help take away some of the anxiety of the finished result.

I agree it doesn't sound much like body dysmorphia if intensely disliking having your photo taken is the only only sympton. Perhaps you just have a phobia.

[misslideaway]

Yes- I think it may help if you use a pic that actually looks like you Sqad :-)

I dont like my looks but I try to make the most of them. So when I get ready to go out and I look at myself in the mirror- I think I look ok. But a photo freaks me out as this isn't how I see myself. Its worse. And the realisation that this is how other people see me makes me feel quite self concious. :-(

I think I should try and do something about this - as I dont want to feel like this for the rest of my life. I've lost some weight recently which helps me feel better about myself generally - but not in the photo phobia department.

[Sqad]

sara...what does ;o) mean I have seen it a lot.

Also italics.....tutorial and naomi have told me how to do italics, but I still cant get it.

[sn�gs]

''Perhaps you could try some form of hypnotism''

That might work... just before you have your picture taken, repeat the mantra 'thank god I don't look like sqad' a dozen times...

[Sqad]

misslideaway.

It's not a phobia.

It's reality.

Your'e just ugly.

[sara3]

I think I look okay in 3D, but don't much like my photos and think I look better in real life. I think you're attaching too much importance to them, and maybe what other people may think.

maybe this is a self-esteem issue. you have to learn to make the best of your good bits, and camoflage the rest. don't hide in corners or wear dull clothes to "blend in" (disappear), life will just pass you by. try behaving like the person you want to be.. it might be easier than you think.

[sara3]

Sqad, you old ******!

[rinkins]

sqadlet

:-P

[Sqad]

What?.....eh!......what have I said?

[sara3]

lol at snags!

lesson for Sqad..

;o) is my winking face.

before the bit you want in italics and at the end, with no spaces. you can swap the i for a b for bold, or a u for underline.

[misslideaway]

Thanks Sqad. I hope that helps you more than it helped me

[sara3]

okay, that didn't work! I'll try again

< i > at the beginning and < / i > at the end

with no spaces!

[Sqad]

iThanks sarai....it didn't work

iwhat am I doing wrongi?

[sn�gs]

^ not like that ya numpty...

[Sqad]

<itrying againi>

Come on sara...this is ridiculous.