Your reflection in mirrors, etc.

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I have this problem with my reflection in mirrors, windows, et cetera, namely that I can't stand my face. It's not that I'm hideous or anything, it's just that my mind seems to be shocked at the realisation that "Oh yeah, that's what I look like." It has nothing to do with my specific looks, it just seems that I'm most comfortable to see myself 'from the inside'.

Same with seeing myself recorded on camera. I saw a talk show that featured an autistic savant, and he also didn't like seeing himself on video.

Anyone recognise this? Is it specific to (some) autistics?

I have that problem too, though not with my face. I have it more with my body and my voice.

The absolute creepiest thing ever was when I saw a video of me as a 3 or 4 year old and I heard my voice as a young child. Now THAT was weird.

I absolutely hate seeing myself on film of any sort. I also don't like hearing my voice on tape.

I always think that I look odd. Not bad or anything, but it doesn't look the way I feel about myself.

Did you know that your mirror reflection is slightly different than how you really look to other people? If you want to see how you look to other people take a photograph of yourself.

I find it kind of weird too, the worst for me is my voice as it sounds nothing like what I fee; like my voice sounds like, it is alot deeper, personaly I feel like my voice is the same as when I was younger but apparently no. It is quite weird, I get a feeling that I can figure someones identidy by looks but it feels like my face is not much like who I am. I have a couple of times had a look at moving my body and head and thought that it is like two different people, and then my mind is kind of different from my face. One thing tht has been a bit of interest to me is the fact that my face does not realy to me appear symetrical, kind of like two halves of slightly difering identicle twins.

I do it too and have always done it.
The same with film.
It seems to be a bit better now and I suppose it has something to do with self image.

Thank you for your input, you guys!


It's funny how this has actually gotten weirder now that I'm an adult (and not more comfortable). The inverse of what you said, Kirska, I guess I slightly more comfortable with my reflection as a kid.

I recognise the voice sounding weird on tape, this may have a lot to do with that our ears also hear our voice while the sounds are generated inside of us. Naturally, it will sound differently to someone standing outside. One of my non-autistic friends had the same sensation of weirdness concerning his own voice; I think a lot of people do.

Venger, I have my picture on my ID card, it doesn't look too different from my reflection, except that everything's mirrored in my reflection.

Well, you're obviously not a narcissist!

Most people don't like seeing themselves on video or hearing themselves on tape. Of those who like it, many have narcissistic tendencies--not necessarily full-on narcissism, but a sort of unshakable self-confidence, a tendency to see yourself in the best possible light, just a little bit more than healthy self esteem.

I don't like to see my reflection (part of it is I often don't recognize myself, part of it is I don't like what I see). I also despise seeing myself on video or hearing my recorded voice.

I don't like looking into a mirror, most of the time when I shave, I go by feel. What does it feel like if I rub my fingers here. So I shave there.. Hearing myself on tape or other recorded means made me realise I don't remember my own voice breaking...

No one likes their voice played back, I can't stand hearing my actual voice, I want to plug my ears. I think I look better in the mirror than I do in photographs. I don't know which one is more how other people see me, but I prefer mirror me to picture me. I do have a fear of mirrors though. I can't look in the mirror too long or I start to panic. It's one of my many weird phobias. I always think my mirror self is going to move, or something in the mirror is going to change or pop out or something. This has been shown in some movies and I can't stand it. That new movie "Mirrors" that's coming out, I have to turn my head whenever the preview comes on.

The proper term for phobia of mirrors:

Catoptrophobia

Whenever I envision myself in my head, it looks nothing like what I see in the mirror.

I can never remember what I look like. Whenever I see my reflection I'm always a bit surprised. I think, "Oh, that's what I look like." Sometimes I think I look terrible, sometimes I think I look pretty good. But it's always a surprise as to what I actually look like. I am always staring in mirrors because I'm curious and I want to experience the surprise over and over.

Is that weird or what?

^Agree with this. And it seems most people agree with me, that I look better in real life than I do in pictures. But whatever.

I've never seen myself for more than a few seconds on video, not really long enough to make a judgment, so I'm not sure if I look as bad on video as I think I do in pictures.

the meat is not the self. you intrinsically understand that, so when faced with a representation of your meat, your self objects. perfectly normal for anyone who exists outside of meatspace.

I was absent intentionally when i knew school photos were coming round, particularly as I got into middle teens.

Yet how I've changed. I'm coming out in a magazine soon and am looking forward to seeing me!

I think it was to do with the s**ts around me that at school would want to 'do me down'. They couldn't handle my talents or abilities. I now see that my parents and maybe whole family were backward and with so little confidence or vision.

I've worked alone for 25 years which I consider to be a great luxury. And from having a small mirror at work as a a private thing now see that I am okay looking - far at odds with my self image for many years. I think it does one good to have a mirror. Its useful to use one when on the phone. Shuts me off from that 'aspi rant'.