Anyone else find photos of themselves unbearable

[Littletinytarzanswingingfromanosehair]

I was at a site meeting at work yesterday and at the day of the day the team leader at the site asked for a group meeting photo. I was pressurised into getting in the photo of them all, it's on LinkedIn today. I look like a monster. I have very bad, shortsighted eyesight so my glasses don't look great. I have gained weight through PCOS.

I could literally cry and I'm trying so hard not too.

I've had eating disorders whole life and this is such a trigger for me.

Please tell me I'm not alone.

I hate it too. There's one photographer who goes to local events and wanders around, his photos aren't posed and i look loke what i think I look like.
Posed photos...I am bright red, 16 chins, about 3 stone heavier than i know i am. Awful.

Not even my own mother has a photo of me as an adult.
I refuse.
I offer to take the pictures.

Through work, I have had to be in 3 pictures.
I haven’t looked at these.
Because I can’t.

I am absolutely hideous. I do not recognise myself.
I get you OP.

I have found my people!!

It upsets me so much tbh my face is getting increasingly less symmetrical so the photos are getting even worse.

I had my photo taken last week for an ID card. My god, it's awful. I'm scared that I look like that in RL.

Me too! All of the above!

I had no idea so many of 'me' out there! No pictures and films for me. I was telling dh the other day that if he needs to provide photo evident of me for whatever reason, he is going to have a hard time finding one!

I look a lot worse in photos than what I see in the mirror, I have no idea what I look like in real life!

Yes. After having been called ugly to my face and laughed at for being so ugly by random strangers 7 times over the years, I absolutely cannot stand my own face.

My work ID card (only use it to open doors) has my picture facing the wrong side so it is just a blank card showing in the ID case.

I have found my people. Yep - can't stand photos & mirrors. I will actively avoid both.

I look horrific in photos. I had to have some taken professionally recently and even the photographer was embarrassed how bad they were.

Yep. Me too. Drives DH to distraction as he always wants pictures of me but as soon as he tries to take one I cringe. And whenever someone does get a picture of me they photoshop in a fat old woman in my place.

I'm exactly the same. Everyone else in photos looks normal. I look absolutely hideous in every single one. I literally abhor seeing photos of myself 😭😭

Yes, totally. But I have always felt this so I know it’s partly body dysmorphia. (I can look back at photos of when I was young and can now be somewhat objective). I am in my fifties though so it’s only going to get worse. I’ve become really jowly lately as I have lost a bit of weight. I was hoping to lose more but I know my face will look even more hideous. I pity those that have to look at me. At least I can avoid photos and my reflection.

I'm the same!!!

I agree with people it's a definate phobia x

I even contemplated not going to the gym tonight after seeing the photo. I just thought I'm destined to be an ugly, fat ogre and I just need to come to terms with it.

God yes. Mainly due to weighing about 4 stone more than I do in my head.

My MIL likes to tell me how photogenic I am however, which I take to mean I look even worse in real life in her opinion.

Me too. I am very short sighted too op (-9.50 both eyes, can’t wear contacts due to medical reasons). My glasses make my eyes look tiny, I’m 3.5 stone overweight partly due to steroids I take for lupus etc but also just because I enjoy eating too much. In my head I am still the same 19 year old me and then I see myself in photos and think wow who is that woman - and it’s 43 year old me. It’s a shock.

But - something I will say is whatever we think about ourselves don’t ever stop taking photos. Take photos of yourself being daft, doing stuff with your kids, living life. Because your kids will love those pictures when you’re gone. It’s so important. And they also need to know you can love yourself even when you’re not feeling like you look your best.

Me too. You are not alone

Same here!
Then someone says "Oh it's a GREAT picture of you!" When you were at least relieved that you didn't look like that in reality...!!!

Yep that’s the worst! 🙈😬

My grandad used to say

"My face, I don't mind it
Because I'm behind it
It's those out in front
Bear the brunt"

I never even think about it till the dreaded photograph appears. Oh and Teams meetings. I look a sight in those too 😞

@Littletinytarzanswingingfromanosehair and others . I am incredibly unphotogenic. People have told me I am fairly attractive in real life but I am seriously unphotogenic. It is a Thing I believe - so eg some models are not as great looking in real life but the camera loves them

I once read something which made me smile re the actor Sean Bean " Do not underestimate how photogenic Sean Bean is , seriously he is I met him once and seriously the camera loves him , he is very very photogenic " 😄

I loathe having my photo taken. My husband gave me a tip to avoid being photographed at public events, might work for weddings etc too. If you close your eyes when you see a photographer heading your way then they won’t use the picture.
I entered a swimming event recently and was appalled to see a photographer when I was in my swimwear. Shut my eyes and pulled a weird face, and was not included in the picture gallery afterwards, so I think the tip worked.

I’ve only ever felt like this when overweight. At a normal weight I might think ‘yikes that’s not a flattering pic’ but the intense self loathing only ever occurred looking a photo of fat me

I look funny enough in the mirror but photos show me the mirror image; the true image, which I'm not used to. One side of my face looks caved in, my hairline is thin and receding, my hair is frizzy, my eyes look half shut and droopy.

My df always insisted on taking pictures photos - posed and candid. When I was a teen, young woman I hated it and tried to avoid it. He reacted as if I was being vain or precious. But who wants to see hundreds of photos of oneself when one feels insecure? And he always showed them to friends and family. Even worse!! He often took photos of family and friend get togethers - when people are eating! Absolutely appalling in every way.