Mirrors

[Pondering]

Does anyone else have the same issue of not being able to recognize yourself in the mirror? Any time I'm not looking in the mirror, I actually forget what I look like. But when I do look in the mirror, all I see is a stranger staring back and copying me. There is no positive/negative thoughts of: "I'm ugly" or "I'm beautiful". It's just "who is that?". What are your thoughts on this? Does this happen to you?

 

[DogwoodTree]

I don't like looking at my face in the mirror, but I do recognize it when I see it (I usually focus on my hair or my clothes, not my face).

However, the face in the mirror does not match the mental image I have in my head when I picture what I think I look like to other people.

 

[Axeman52]

I don't like looking at my face in the mirror, but I do recognize it when I see it (I usually focus on my hair or my clothes, not my face).

However, the face in the mirror does not match the mental image I have in my head when I picture what I think I look like to other people.

You're seeing your reflection in the mirror where the image is horizontally reversed, whereas other people are actually seeing you instead of your reflection. Since nobody is perfectly symmetrical, everyone looks a little different in the mirror compared to how they actually look.

I am so used to seeing myself in the mirror due to the fact I've just always lived in a house that has mirrors all over the place that I sometimes don't completely recognise myself when I see myself in photos or videos. It's hard to describe it but I guess it's a similar kind of thing. It's like I know that it's me but somehow I have a hard time believing that it's me. For this reason I've never liked people taking photos/videos of me that much.

 

[Balkan1996]

I have that 'who are you?' feeling as well.

I always considered myself ugly. Just recently I looked up for photos from my childhood and noticed that I was better looking than most kids. Hell, I was a beautiful kid! Too bad that fact changed.

 

[Harrison]

I have one mirror and it's the one I shave in. Never liked them, never will.

 

[On the Inside]

I prefer to see myself in the mirror than in photos. I'm uncomfortable seeing myself from an angle I'm not accustomed to, I really dislike seeing myself in profile.

I have one mirror in the bath, and a mirror on a wall in the kitchen, more as a decoration, as it is just a bit too high up to see more than the top of my head.

 

[clg114]

We have two mirrors, one in each bathroom. After a certain age mirrors are not your friend. It can be tough to be old, fat and ugly. However, my wife is still pretty. I just wish she could see herself through my eyes.

 

[DogwoodTree]

You're seeing your reflection in the mirror where the image is horizontally reversed, whereas other people are actually seeing you instead of your reflection. Since nobody is perfectly symmetrical, everyone looks a little different in the mirror compared to how they actually look.

For me anyway, it's more than the reversal issue. On the Inside mentioned angles, and that's part of it, too (can NOT stand my profile!).

But it's also the way my facial expressions look (they never really look the way I imagine they do), and the specific features of my face. For example, I have a tiny mouth, but in my mind's eye, I don't see it that way. I see it as looking more normal, so it's kind of a shock to see what it really looks like when I look in the mirror.

 

[AsheSkyler]

I recognize myself, but I still feel like another person is nearby. I've sometimes covered mirrors that were in my room. I actively avoid making eye contact with the mirror if I'm not doing something like putting on makeup on the blue moon I wear any.

 

[Spiller]

Does anyone else have the same issue of not being able to recognize yourself in the mirror? Any time I'm not looking in the mirror, I actually forget what I look like. But when I do look in the mirror, all I see is a stranger staring back and copying me. There is no positive/negative thoughts of: "I'm ugly" or "I'm beautiful". It's just "who is that?". What are your thoughts on this? Does this happen to you?

You're seeing your reflection in the mirror where the image is horizontally reversed, whereas other people are actually seeing you instead of your reflection. Since nobody is perfectly symmetrical, everyone looks a little different in the mirror compared to how they actually look.

I'm familiar by now with the guy who looks back at me, but he is not the mental image/memory I have in my minds eye. It took me years of positive affirmations, seeing things I like about this face, to get to like it and find attractive qualities in it.
I tried mirroring photos on paintshop, Axeman52, so I'd see myself both ways round and be able to compare, but both still look like someone else to me.
Could this be a form of prosopagnosia, I wonder?

I have one mirror and it's the one I shave in. Never liked them, never will.

If that's you in your avatar Harrison, I think you're a handsome chap, you just have to recognise it yourself.
This goes for everyone who hates their face, expressions and all.. they're yours folks, learn to love 'em!
I spent years avoiding all reflective surfaces, believing I was a deformed mutant, but a lot of positive thinking has changed that considerably.. I can't be bigheaded about it, but I honestly now think I'm reasonably good looking.. on a good day

 

[Harrison]

If that's you in your avatar Harrison, I think you're a handsome chap, you just have to recognise it yourself.

It is indeed me, so thank you for that.

My dislike of mirrors is more to do with their mythology, at least where my father comes from, and what you can do with them

 

[Spiller]

It is indeed me, so thank you for that.

My dislike of mirrors is more to do with their mythology, at least where my father comes from, and what you can do with them

The pleasure of seeing your serene countenance pop up has always been mine, my friend.
I'm also aware of some of the mythology surrounding mirrors.. I'm interested that you feel such an ingrained sense of caution though.. admittedly I get anxious in that situation where you''re standing between two facing mirrors and the reflections go on to infinity.
I have no heritage of.. superstition (is that an ok word to use?), maybe it's a genetic memory thing?

 

[Harrison]

The pleasure of seeing your serene countenance pop up has always been mine, my friend.
I'm also aware of some of the mythology surrounding mirrors.. I'm interested that you feel such an ingrained sense of caution though.. admittedly I get anxious in that situation where you''re standing between two facing mirrors and the reflections go on to infinity.
I have no heritage of.. superstition (is that an ok word to use?), maybe it's a genetic memory thing?

I don't think I'll share my experiences of mirrors on here as I'd like to stay a mod and member for some time yet

Suffice it to say I have an old friend who's a professor and quantum theorist who is still debating as to whether some of the stuff he's seen was 'real'.

 

[Spiller]

I don't think I'll share my experiences of mirrors on here as I'd like to stay a mod and member for some time yet

Suffice it to say I have an old friend who's a professor and quantum theorist who is still debating as to whether some of the stuff he's seen was 'real'.

Damn! You've intruigued me now

 

[zurb]

I've always been fascinated by facing mirrors. Only problem is my head keeps getting in the way!

 

[smebee]

Mirrors have never bothered me in that sense, but my sister (who is terrible with eye contact) cannot help but look in the mirror when talking to people. She looks as though she is talking to herself at times. I'm not sure if she finds mirrors strange too, and this is why she does this? Do you find eye contact difficult? Is it related somehow?

 

[NewOldAspie]

I try not too. Helps make the reflection presentable, but don't like to dwell.

 

[SonoranPrincess]

I have always been judged better looking than average, and thin. But, in my adult life it's something I've tried very hard to achieve. I looked at myself as a "project." I made staying thin a "no excuses" aspect of my life, and have weighed (+ or -) 4 pounds my entire life. If I don't like what I see in the mirror, I change it. I look at my physical body as something that was assigned to me, that I'm responsible for, but I don't have a particular attachment to it. I also know I'm female, but don't identify with that more than my "male self," that's on the inside. I'm happy I have the capacity for grooming. I have a cousin, whom I'm convinced is also Aspie, who doesn't comb, cut or color her hair, doesn't use sunscreen (so is extremely wrinkled), doesn't have her teeth cleaned, doesn't care for her nails and never wears makeup. Each time I see her I want to take her somewhere for a makeover...I don't think she owns a mirror. HA!

 

[Cerulean]

I try to spend as little time as possible really looking at myself. I also have a slight fear of reflective surfaces- metallic Christmas ornaments, old tvs before they were flat screen and dull, pots and pans, my iphone when it's not on. I feel like there's always something there off to the side that I can't see. I don't have that problem with mirrors but other shiny things make me nervous, and always have. Yay quirks.

 

[epath13]

It happened to me a few times. I thought there was a different person in the mirror. I'm not sure what it's related to, but I don't think it's because of Autism. I've had moments similar to that, like for instance I suddenly think that I have forgotten how to drive, that red light isn't really red but green. There were a couple other things like that, I blame it all on migraine those moments don't usually last more than 10-30 second.