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Topic : Self Image

Number of Replies: 1179
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Created on : Thursday, July 07, 2005, 08:53:12 am
Author : dataimport
Do you have a positive or negative self image? Share your struggles and tips with us.

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July 22, 2006, 5:24 pm PDT

Senility?

 I've heard a lot of discussion on mental health but never on progression of mental health according to aging. I'm a 54 yr old female, and am having trouble with memory.  I always write thing down and am always forgetting what i'm doing, names and other simple things that i always could remember before. I've never heard of discussions on what is normal and when should you be concerned.
 
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July 23, 2006, 10:37 pm PDT

I feel like I am loosing a part of me each day. ...

I am so very sad in my life....I have tried to help myself because I do believe that help isn't just gonna knock on the door and say HELLO! My self esteem is so low, and I am over weight, and those things bother me but I think what bothers me the most is to see the love in my husbands eyes and the love I feel inside of me but wont let it out because of the self esteem ..the troubles with my childhood and adulthood...In my dreams ...even day dreams I love him...I jump in his arms when I see him I want to snuggle with him...I still want those same things when I am not dreaming just somehow i feel 'safe' in the day dreams or night dreams....I went to the local gym and tried to get some help from there because I had no clue what most of those machines were for. so they told me they had a trainer for me to meet with and I did I sat there talked about what ever he wanted needed to know and was honest with him as the day is long ....after our meeting he said for me to get a doctors approval for the training in which i so diligently did the next day. Two days later we met again for the plan. He ask me how much weight did I want to loose and I said at least 50 pounds ...there was dead silence....he then repeated the weight to me in like a question ...i said yes. He said that he would design a diet for me and tell me how to use the machines and for what days i would do cardio and the other resistance training . The next day he calls and tells me he is just so booked with pageants and things that it would be  a while before he gets to me .....so i went all on my one walked the treadmill ....looked at the other machines and how no idea whatsoever of how many and what to do with them I was really proud of my self everyday after work i would go and walk 2 miles then one day while i was at work ( there is two ladies i work with one is my age one is older..the one that is my age we work close together she has her office and i have mine but the type of work makes us work close. She had to be out of her office for a while and I was in there in the file cabinet getting a file when the phone rang which i am responsible for as well so instead of running back to my office i just grabbed the phone at her desk and began taking the message I happen to look up and see yahoo messenger chat box opened which was not unusual because we use this to communicate in the office however this time it was different ..i saw my name in there topic ...she was chatting with a girl that use to work there and I was the subject ...they were talking about how big my ass was ...and making bets on how much i hit the scale and ....it really just crushed me ...and I know that two wrongs don't make a right ,,i know i was wrong in looking at her yahoo screen just as she was wrong in making fun of me ......I never did say anything to her about this ....I guess because it is true i guess my ass is big ...but I know that I am trying so hard....and my spirit has been broken and I just don't know where to turn ....any advice would be so helpful ....thank you
 
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July 24, 2006, 9:52 am PDT

Self Image

Quote From: scales74

This is my first time here,so i'm a little scared.First of all just know I do not judge people until I get to know you and then I still might not judge.I have been judged my entire life.I am 31 years young,married to a somewhat controlling man.I am overweight,I am a housewife,no children.We have been trying for 11 yrs.I have a very low self esteem.My husband has always said I am pretty,but for the last month he has said I need to lose weight and exercise.He's not exacly mr.universe.I do not look in full body mirrors because I hate myself and the way I look.I am 5ft7in,and weigh around 230lbs,blonde hair,grn eyes.Last year my husband and i separated for a couple months due to his anger problem.He was put on meds,recommended to go to anger mngment classes.He took the meds for about 3months went to only 1 class.I suffer from panic/anxiety disorder.Hey noones perfect,we all have our downfalls.I am unable to work because of this.I have always wanted to be a country singer,actress,voiceover,etc..I am the type of person who likes to help others.I have a mentally disabled sister,my mom has severe heart disease,my mother-in-law is bipolar and I usually help them whenever i can.I have been through quite a bit in my life.I just don't know what to do about my self image.There are days i do not want to face the world.I just sit and think of how disgusting i look and how fat i am..When my husband comes home from work he asks me if I exercised today.My reply of course "no,didn't have the energy" I do not have the energy,and sometimes my husband makes me feel like i'm a bad wife,cuz i might not have done the laundry,vacuumed etc...He has asked what do you do?I just feel horrible,useless,and alone.Can I actually feel exhausted about feeling like this?Is there anyone who feels like this,or am i actually crazy.I feel very angry at my husband sometimes for things he says to me,or his actions.I know I could never make it without him.I feel so alone.Please let me know if you feel like this.My husband will probably get angry if he finds this,so please only contact me here.Thank you.

I am sure you are a beautiful person.  You sound so loving.  You can loose the weight, but you have to want to.  You do it for YOU, and not anyone else.  I need to loose some weight myself.  But, some days I just look at myself and say it is impossible.  As you, I have a very low self esteem.  I have panic attacks I think.  I am going to dr. this thursday for a stress test because of the heart and chest pains I have been having.  My husband controls everything I do.  Yes, I see him looking at the skinnier girls, and he makes stupid lude comments.  It drives me even deeper into a depression state. 

These men do not know that they have pretty and loving wives. 

We both need to challenge each other into lossing weight!!!  That would be a good thing for me and you!  Partners!!!! 

I will look for your post!
 

 
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July 24, 2006, 11:14 am PDT

Hi Polly

Quote From: polly1952

 I've heard a lot of discussion on mental health but never on progression of mental health according to aging. I'm a 54 yr old female, and am having trouble with memory.  I always write thing down and am always forgetting what i'm doing, names and other simple things that i always could remember before. I've never heard of discussions on what is normal and when should you be concerned.

Hi Polly 

I have been searching the boards for what you are writing about. According to everything I have read it is" Menopause". The memory problems come from lack of sleep due to "hot-flashes".  I am 52, and going through it for 10 years now. For a while my memory was so foggy, well I found out  that it had to do with the sleeping pills I was taking to sleep. This menopause is a never ending circle of stuff. What I have read, is more vitamins B6......B12......and folic acid, to help with the memory and focusing. For a while I kept thinking maybe its Alzheimer's, but the more I read it is menopause for me. Hopefully one of these days I will have this behind me. 

Linda 

 
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July 24, 2006, 9:37 pm PDT

leg ulcers

hello it would be nice just to know if anyone else had leg ulcers who has been as frustrated as myself.This is my second time around for me and it's the same old treatment day after day.the first time it lasted 10 months this one has been going on for 4 weeks already.are there really any cures for theses or is it a form of cancer or just what are they.my doctor doesn't say a whole lot about them been to a specialish and he didn't do anything either other than tell me to keep it clean and wrapped with intrsite med. maybe someone can give me some incite to what really can be done thank you.
 
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July 25, 2006, 7:26 pm PDT

memory loss

Quote From: linda12k

Hi Polly 

I have been searching the boards for what you are writing about. According to everything I have read it is" Menopause". The memory problems come from lack of sleep due to "hot-flashes".  I am 52, and going through it for 10 years now. For a while my memory was so foggy, well I found out  that it had to do with the sleeping pills I was taking to sleep. This menopause is a never ending circle of stuff. What I have read, is more vitamins B6......B12......and folic acid, to help with the memory and focusing. For a while I kept thinking maybe its Alzheimer's, but the more I read it is menopause for me. Hopefully one of these days I will have this behind me. 

Linda 

just reading about you having menopause. I guess we can't  by pass that stage.I'm 55 and haven't had my periods for 3 years and I still get hot flashes.As far as memory loss I really strengthed that part up by doing cross word puzzles everyday for almost 8 months and have eaten lots of greens. And I really must say there was quite a big difference for the good as now I don't even need a note anymore to go shopping. Before I had to write everything thing down from hour to hour. It feels so good to know I too didn't have alzheimer's as that was my thoughts when I was forgetting everything.And also reading does wonders and keep reading everything in sight.It was good to read someone else around my age with the same problems.And I do hope your problems will pass very quickley and you have a good day.
 
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July 27, 2006, 12:11 pm PDT

definate negative

I have always had a negative self image since going thru what I did in my home life. I always see myself as ugly, and cant seem to stop feeling negative about myself.
 
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July 30, 2006, 7:19 am PDT

Thanks

Quote From: hisjewel

it's hard to say what to do unless you know the person.  I myself suffer from an eatting disorder and I wonder so much of the time is there anything anyone can do.  Well, I don't know but I do know she needs love and to feel like she truely belongs, affermation and so much more.  I only wish I could tell you the one thing that could help your mom I know this must be hard for you and I am so sorry that you have to go through this pain.  Each person is different, even when there are so many things that seem the same.  Well, be here for you the best we can!!  Again, you have no idea how sorry I am that you have to be put in such a situation.  Don't think she doesn't think about how it hurts you and others because I am sure she does and the pain of that only feeds the eating disorder to continue and for her to need it more. 

I thank you for you sympathy, even though it's not your fault..  I know that she loves me, that there is nothign i can do about it. But i do tell her that she is Buetiful and Perfact that she doesn't need to lose wieght. She throws up every morning and after dinner, she says its the medicanie she takes, but i know its not. I know this because I know her. I ask if she's okay, and she says yes. I mean i can't just be like you need help.. she doesn't thinkt hat there is anythign worng.. 

  

I mean then she yells at me.. because i have an eatting disoder also, she tells me to eat but it's so hard to when she isn't eatting or when she does she just gets sick, it's like why should i listen to her about what is healthy for me when she is unhealthy herself... 

 

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August 10, 2006, 10:22 am PDT

Self Image

Quote From: youngfannn

I thank you for you sympathy, even though it's not your fault..  I know that she loves me, that there is nothign i can do about it. But i do tell her that she is Buetiful and Perfact that she doesn't need to lose wieght. She throws up every morning and after dinner, she says its the medicanie she takes, but i know its not. I know this because I know her. I ask if she's okay, and she says yes. I mean i can't just be like you need help.. she doesn't thinkt hat there is anythign worng.. 

  

I mean then she yells at me.. because i have an eatting disoder also, she tells me to eat but it's so hard to when she isn't eatting or when she does she just gets sick, it's like why should i listen to her about what is healthy for me when she is unhealthy herself... 

sorry it has been so long i went out of town......  yeah there is no way that you can make her see she needs help and that is the saddest and hardest part about it.......  there is probley a part of her that see's it but she can't accept or admit it........  as much as one may seem to like what they are doing it only causes more pain, shame and guilt which only causes one to need the addiction more.....  one's thoughts are very different from others thoughts........  what they think and see is real to them so it's not a lie they believe it so when others think the addicted person/ eating disoreded person is lieing it truely is not a lie for them.... they believe that.............  i know it is soooooo hard to live with.....  you know sometimes people would think i was not thinking about others but actually i was thinking about them but it made me angry or something else which also made it worse.......  so one thing is try all you can to just show her love and hmmmmmm yeah...............  she probley thingks she deserves the abuse she is giving herself although she doesn't ....... there is a reason she feels that way..... it's not really about her weight it is about much more......
 

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August 10, 2006, 10:41 am PDT

Self Image

Quote From: youngfannn

I thank you for you sympathy, even though it's not your fault..  I know that she loves me, that there is nothign i can do about it. But i do tell her that she is Buetiful and Perfact that she doesn't need to lose wieght. She throws up every morning and after dinner, she says its the medicanie she takes, but i know its not. I know this because I know her. I ask if she's okay, and she says yes. I mean i can't just be like you need help.. she doesn't thinkt hat there is anythign worng.. 

  

I mean then she yells at me.. because i have an eatting disoder also, she tells me to eat but it's so hard to when she isn't eatting or when she does she just gets sick, it's like why should i listen to her about what is healthy for me when she is unhealthy herself... 

yeah it can be hard to listen to the unhealthy but sometimes even when i know what is healthy and am not doing it well ....... gosh how do i explain this........  let's see......  like i would throw up and starve myself and all that but i knew healthy things but all the other reasons caused me to not live in reality of the truths i knew........  my fears stepped infront and i went for the illisional feeling i recieved rather then the reality of the truth i knew.......  so just because i was doing what i was doing doesn't mean that i didn't "know" things....... yet to me even though i knew all the other things it is and has been so real to me i mean my fear of weight gain and seeing myself fat and all that.......  so we see things distorted for ourselves so it doesn't matter how much we know it's making it past the distorted view of ourselves and to apply the truths and healthy things we know........  it's very hard for us and it makes it super hard for others.......  i only wish i could give you a true glance inside the head of an eating disordered or even and addicted persons mind........  hmmmmmmm........  i actually did a 20 page research paper on addictions and all that and still relapsed....... yep....... that shows it's about moer then just weight or doing drugs or whatever the case may be it's about a root issue...... something that has not been faced or is to hard to face and stuff........ think about what has happened in her life and see if you can find anything....... maybe something happened that you don't know about..........  you never know...... shame and guilt feed it and she is stuck there
 
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