Re: Hates images of herself

April 26, 2009

Perhaps she is gaining a new sense of self awareness. I did not like the way I

looked. I was about 8 when I started wearing my hair IN my face. I would look

down constantly. I would fixate on myself in the mirror and make faces at

myself. I also did not like to see pictures of myself in photo albums or on the

hallway wall.

Throughout my childhood I looked different. It was like I was looking at someone

else even though I knew it was me. I never got the opportunity to rip them up,

but probably would have given the chance.

One thing you might want to try is to give her a disposable camera and let her

take pictures or tell you what she wants pictures of. Then you can help make her

own special album.

Digital cameras are great, you can let her take all the pictures she wants and

then she can help you pick out the ones she likes. You may get better insight

into what she is not liking, if it is who is in the picture or if there is a

light reflective shinyness that she does not like. I would think that if there

is light reflecting off of them that it may bother her and this may be why she

colors or rips them up, not so much who is in the pictures.

Self awareness for some of us on the spectrum comes in stages. We may be aware

of our bodies: fingers, toes, ect...but not recognize our own reflection as

being unique to us. When looking in the mirror we see the reflection but may not

seek ourselves out. Young autistic children may not touch their faces while

looking in the mirror because they do not yet grasp that the little face looking

back at them is their own yet.

As we get older and identify our own differences from others, and realize that

our peers see our differences...the result can be that we respond negatively to

our own videos and pictures. We often study the behaviors of others around us,

but until confronted with a " picture " of ourselves, do not understand how we are

different or what makes us different. This development may confuse some of us

and make us take on a hostile opinion of our individual selves. As a child I was

very confused about my own identity.

Subject: Hates images of herself

Date: Saturday, April 25, 2009, 7:53 PM

ok ladies, i am getting tired of finding my 5 year old pictures all over the

place in pieces, Nadia hates any pictures of her and recently of me too

any insight? why? why would a child hate her own pictures and photos? she will

scribble all over them or simply rip them to pieces

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