Uncomfortable in your own skin

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It’s often said that one of the common traits of AS is not feeling comfortable in your own skin, but I haven’t seen many posts on these forums from people claiming to feel this way. I’ve seen documentaries about transsexuals who describe how immensely uncomfortable they feel in their own bodies, and while I can’t relate to them as far as gender identity goes (I don’t feel like a woman trapped in a man’s body), I still know exactly what they’re talking about. I don’t necessarily believe in souls, but I would also describe it as feeling like your soul is trying to burst out of your skin, like a caterpillar going through metamorphosis. I suspect that this is the reason I’m so fidgety and can’t sit still or stop moving my hands. Can anyone else relate?

I don't feel like a man in woman's body. I stim because I get restless -- IDK if that counts as not being comfortable in my own skin.

I'm not sure what not feeling comfortable in my own skin means. It could be the feeling of not being completely myself and completely relaxed every time I am in the presence of anyone else. It doesn't always feel uncomfortable to be around people, but I do have an intense need to be alone most of the time. I guess I only feel completely comfortable in my own skin when I am alone.

Again I refer to Buddhist teacher Chogyam Trungpa's description of a certain 'Vajra Hell': "There's no windows and no doors. You can't even exist, but this threat of nonexistence becomes the food that keeps you alive." Interestingly enough, that guy had a son who'se profoundly autistic.

After reading certain gnostic material I started weeping b/c it was the first thing I've ever read that described my feeling of being trapped in this fleshy mass and needing to escape it.

As a kid, yes. Not so much as an adult.

This may sound silly, but I remember watching Vincent D'Onofrio's character in Men in Black and relating to it. He plays a human who is killed by a huge insectoid alien who spends the rest of the film using the man's skin as a disguise, and he's frequently shown as being incredibly uncomfortable in the skin because it's just too small. Judging by the responses so far, I'm either in a tiny minority or I'm just doing a poor job of explaining myself, so I'm trying to throw out as many metaphors as possible.

My life is like a movie. It's like I'm watching it and am stuck in my seat and can't get up. Sometimes the movie is scary. What I try and do is to make sure I'm always the screenwriter. I've got to make sure I always make sure I know my role as screenwriter and producer. I'm in charge of the movie. Uggh. Hate being in charge. But for some reason, being a parent is THE best.

I am transsexual, not transitioning at this point, so I know exactly what it means to be uncomfortable in your own skin. It's like your brain has its default wiring and thoughts, plans of action, etc. But when you actually go to experience anything, or put a plan into action...you realize there is a HUGE discrepancy between how your brain planned it, and how it's actually able to be executed.
I feel uncomfortable in my own skin because my brain tells me to behave one way, and society tells me to behave another way. It's a constant internal struggle, and my brain and body never match. My brain tells me I should look one way, and when I look in the mirror I am so shocked. It took me 10 or 12 years to come to terms with the fact that the person I saw in the mirror, was in fact me. It's just a state of constant unrest.

I don't think anyone is truly conformtable in their own skin.

I felt that way when I was younger, but I don't feel that way now.

Well, I'm 6'2 (apologies for the US metric system), with a 6'9 wingspan/arm-span. I'm lanky, with very long legs as well as arms. I've never really felt comfortable in my body, except when playing basketball, where my extreme measurements are commonplace.....

Put me in my kayak on the water and my body is complete.

Day to day stuff isn't bad at all, but when I get overwelmed I feel trapped, like no matter how much I'm moving its not enough, but moving makes it worse so I want to hide. If it gets that bad, hot water (either in the form of a bath or a shower), shows me my body in a way that makes me not feel out of place.

It's rare for me to feel out of place in my own skin, but it happens at points of being upset enough at myself or just overwelmed enough at life.