# How much is your appearance a part of your SA?



## ACCV93 (Sep 6, 2012)

On a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being the highest and 1 being the lowest, how much does appearance play a part in your SA?


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## tbyrfan (Feb 24, 2011)

10. It's basically all of my SA and the biggest problem in my life.


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## millenniumman75 (Feb 4, 2005)

Five - it's more my thinking.

I have been told that I look like Prince William several times, so that is not it.


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## PickleNose (Jul 11, 2009)

I'd say maybe a 2. I'm not attractive at all and have many odd things about my appearance but I've kind of just learned not to let it bother me too much. I was a lot more self conscious about it many years ago.


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## ShadyGFX (Jul 18, 2012)

Big ol' ten. I'm ashamed to be out in public.


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## BrookeHannigan (Mar 29, 2012)

10

Im a woman who lookes like man id rather be 500 pounds than having this extremely masculine face


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## Cam1 (Dec 4, 2011)

2-3. As long as I don't fall out of exercise habits I feel well about my appearance :stu


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## Nitrogen (Dec 24, 2012)

7. I'm afraid to approach others in regards to my looks. I know I'm not attractive but I can't seem to get my mind off of it, considering that I've seen people who aren't all that attractive either, but have plenty of friends and a decent social life. If I were more attractive I wouldn't be so nervous to take first steps, probably.


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## Brasilia (Aug 23, 2012)

It's been 10 at one point, right now I'd say it's 6.


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## No more Elysium (Oct 13, 2012)

10^10 + 1

How much? My whole life is standing in front of mirrors, worry what others think of me, unable to do the stuff I want because of this. Blegh


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## pastels (Sep 18, 2012)

10. thats what started my s/a i think i suffer from bdd it sucks


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## Barette (Jan 17, 2012)

Well I hate my personality most days, but I hate my appearance SO much it's hard to talk to people sometimes, so a 8?


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## Nekomata (Feb 3, 2012)

Probably a 9 >< my shyness and personality also play big parts in it too, but most of the time I look in the mirror to examine how terrible I look to the general public... doesn't help that people including my sister insult my appearance too of course.


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## BeyondOsiris (Nov 2, 2012)

I rated it a 5 because even though I don't think I look that bad, I always have the feeling that other people might think differently. Most of my SA stems from the fact that I think I'm an extremely boring person who never has anything interesting or funny to say.


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## dingleberryz (Nov 7, 2012)

Its a ten ;-;


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## Awkto Awktavious (May 11, 2011)

5 at the worst. Speaking of looks, am I the only one surprised at how many guys here are so fixated on how 'ugly' they look.


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## TryingMara (Mar 25, 2012)

8 to 10, depending on the day. Appearance isn't the only thing I'm anxious about though. I've always had difficulty with interactions and conversing. I have not always been extremely insecure about my looks.


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## deanman (Dec 27, 2012)

8 or 9. I hate to be in public, i never speak up in a group of people, even if i know someone is telling something wrong. my self esteem It's not the best due to my looks, so i tend not to talk so i dont call attention. i dont have many friends. i dont go out at night cause honestly i dont like, it should be changed to "find a b1tch at random bar night", so yeah! 8/10.


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## gof22 (Dec 25, 2012)

I put an 8. Mainly because I am sure my weight is a big factor of my SA. I am always afraid when I go out or go to work that people are going to make fun of me for my weight. Pry one of the reasons why I am scared to talk to women.


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## JamesM2 (Aug 29, 2012)

10 - my social anxiety very much stems from my BDD. If I thought I looked good, I wouldn't be where I am now.


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## SPC (May 14, 2011)

7.


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## Mani14 (Oct 23, 2012)

i'd say a 7. i am not confident about my looks at all. i always felt if i was prettier i'd have way more self confidence than i do now and it wouldn't be as hard to be out in public. but it's really hard to say whether how much it would really affect me, since i'm not quite sure how well i'd manage the anxiety if i really was prettier. but, overall i'd say it affects me quite a lot.


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## anonymid (Oct 16, 2005)

1. Not really a factor.

Which isn't to say that I feel super-confident about how I look. It's just not something that I think about often, one way or the other. I have a lot of negative beliefs about myself that contribute to my anxiety and depression, but none of those beliefs has anything to do with my appearance.


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## erasercrumbs (Dec 17, 2009)

9.

I'm hideous, but also a bore. So even if I weren't so eye-meltingly awful to look at, I'd still have the personality of a steamed turnip.


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## SilentLyric (Aug 20, 2012)

an 8


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## Cletis (Oct 10, 2011)

I said 9.

Being teased about being skinny as a kid really hit me hard and I never got over it even though I'm now on the north side of 200 lbs. and not skinny anymore. It's as if my mind is stuck in the past.


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## Otherside (Jun 8, 2012)

1. Because I honestly have more important things to worry about than how I look. And to be quite honest, half the people don't give a toss how anyone looks, and they won't ever say anything. So it doesn't affect me.


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## gusstaf (Jan 1, 2012)

Sometimes I suspect that my BDD caused my social anxiety, not the other way around. It's amazing how different my social interactions when I'm not feeling all self-conscious about my appearance. On the rare occasions when I feel good about how I look, I can actually be quite outgoing.


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## Minkiro (Nov 22, 2012)

I'd say 5. It's mostly my height that makes me self-conscious. 
I'm short, 5ft1, though it's not abnormal i can't help but feel inferior to others. I get intimidated easily; everyone towers over me.


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## anxious dreamer (Dec 23, 2012)

5.
The other half is me knowing I'm weird and having no confidence in my social skills.


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## harrison (Apr 14, 2012)

I voted 1 but would have voted 0 if there was that option - my appearance has nothing to do with it at all.


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## fanatic203 (Jun 23, 2010)

2 - I'm not exactly good-looking, and I still have acne at 22, but I know that that's not really what determines how many friends you have. For me, SA is about my behaviour.


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## SupaDupaFly (Sep 1, 2011)

10


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## Revenwyn (Apr 11, 2011)

I said 7.

I've said it here before: I have trichotillomania and I am bald. If it were not for that fact, I might actually feel pretty okay about myself at this weight. I do wear wigs but they really hamper my ability to do certain social activities. I know. I tried several activities and ended up getting "scalped" and ridiculed as a result. 

So I don't bother doing ANYTHING social anymore. And I don't talk to girls because girls laugh at me as soon as they find out.


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## Diacetylmorphine (Mar 9, 2011)

2 maybe. I've never really cared/ put much effort (bare minimum) into appearance. I doubt being ridiculously good looking would change anything for me.

If you had asked me 5 - 6 years ago, my number would probably be a bit higher. High school and all.


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## Abenthy (Oct 9, 2011)

3

As long as I exercise regularly and I don't feel like I'm overweight, I'm fine with my appearance. I'm not great to look at, but I'm not exactly hideous. Most of my anxiety is tied up in my insecurity regarding my intelligence.


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## Invisiblehandicap (Jul 31, 2011)

1. Dont care, nothing to do with my problems. Its pretty much my personality that people hate.


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## ACCV93 (Sep 6, 2012)

4s not getting any love lol guess nobodys a 4


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## sheblushed (Dec 29, 2012)

7


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## SAgirl (Nov 15, 2003)

10. I have always known that I am less attractive than others. 

It has alot to do with my depression. I do not care about the next fashion fad, I hate shopping, I do not wear makeup, I hate dresses. I feel like the opposite of what most girls adhere too. I love hoodies and jeans.


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## Dane (Jul 27, 2009)

2 or less. I'm average looking, and I'm ok with it. 

The only time it might play a small part is if I'm around extremely good looking women.


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## aquilla (Aug 18, 2011)

Eh, 4-5 maybe. I can life with it. But "bad-looks" days for me occur often. At one time it was 10 though - ohhhh school, hated myself back then.


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## BrookeHannigan (Mar 29, 2012)

Usually its a 8-10
But now a 0 cus i have more important things to worry about lol


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## mik (Dec 11, 2011)

0


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## InTheEvening (Dec 30, 2012)

10, I think my appearance is the main cause of my SA


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## heysam (Jan 14, 2013)

3


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## Mourn4UrSelf (Nov 2, 2012)

9

I can't stand the way I look and it depresses me to no end. I would probably say it's THE reason for my SA.


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## thewall (Feb 1, 2009)

10.


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## Spritz11 (Jan 8, 2013)

10. Gotten to the point where I can't look in the mirror and see anything nice looking back at me :/


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## RenegadeReloaded (Mar 12, 2011)

Since I'm a boy and looks don't count, it still worries me like a 2-3 how I look, how i dress, how I do my hair, etc.


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## Freddio42 (Oct 8, 2011)

It used to be a 3 i'd say when I was younger, I've always been shy partly due to my teeth. But ever since I had my braces (with really bad results) I've been a bit obsessed with my appearance and it's pretty much the only reason I have S.A anymore. If not for that, I'd still be a little bit shy but nothing to stop me living a normal life..


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## BrookeHannigan (Mar 29, 2012)

RenegadeReloaded said:


> *Since I'm a boy and looks don't cou*t, it still worries me like a 2-3 how I look, how i dress, how I do my hair, etc.


Lol delusional much?:roll


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## RenegadeReloaded (Mar 12, 2011)

BrookeHannigan said:


> Lol delusional much?:roll


neah, it seems that reality confirmed my ''illusions'' :teeth


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## Andres124 (Oct 23, 2012)

I'd say a 5


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## FunkyMonkey (Nov 26, 2012)

10 

Although its not the main cause of my SA its still 1 of the main reasons


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## Relz (Oct 31, 2011)

SAgirl said:


> 10. I have always known that I am less attractive than others.
> 
> It has alot to do with my depression. *I do not care about the next fashion fad, I hate shopping, I do not wear makeup, I hate dresses. I feel like the opposite of what most girls adhere too. I love hoodies and jeans.*


I feel the same way.
I've never understood wearing expensive and/or uncomfortable clothes and spending hours on makeup and hair just to... wear it for a few hours and wash it all off? I leave my apartment every day with a naked face and comfortable (if slightly baggy) clothes and shoes. I know I'm not good-looking, but I'm not trying to impress anyone. I'd rather look like me and be hated than paint on a fake face everyday and be smothered with attention. :stu


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## AussiePea (Mar 27, 2007)

It's really what caused it in the first place for me and then lead to the low self esteem and the snowball effect from there.


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## IllmaticJJ (Dec 29, 2013)

Only a little. Took me time tho


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## mezzoforte (May 16, 2010)

It used to be a big part of my SA, especially throughout middle school and high school. I remember being more afraid to interact with people because I was embarrassed of how I looked and worried about people treating me poorly because of my appearance. I still worry about that stuff sometimes, but not nearly as much as I used to. Now the lack of confidence in my social skills, avoidance/lack of exposure, and social rejection play a larger role in my anxiety. I voted 5.


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## Paper Samurai (Oct 1, 2009)

mezzoforte said:


> *It used to be a big part of my SA, especially throughout middle school and high school. I remember being more afraid to interact with people because I was embarrassed of how I looked and worried about people treating me poorly because of my appearance. I still worry about that stuff sometimes, but not nearly as much as I used to. Now the lack of confidence in my social skills, avoidance/lack of exposure, and social rejection play a larger role in my anxiety.* I voted 5.


How did you read my thoughts so well  ... my SA is pretty much identical to what you posted.


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## mezzoforte (May 16, 2010)

Paper Samurai said:


> How did you read my thoughts so well


:high5
Mom didn't tell you that we're twins?


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## waldorfs (Feb 18, 2013)

5? Depends on the day. Sometimes 0, sometimes 10. I've gotten to a point where I like my appearance and generally think I look at least decent. My SA has more to do with feeling inferior to others and just irrationally feeling like people are judging me.


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## Paper Samurai (Oct 1, 2009)

mezzoforte said:


> :high5
> Mom didn't tell you that we're twins?


I already have a twin :b triplets maybe?


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## KILOBRAVO (Sep 17, 2011)

a year or two ago..... may have been 8, 9 .
bad mirror / reflection avoidance. felt ugly... etc.. 

I made a long conscious effort to do lots of material things, clothes, shave everyday aftershaves. Wash every day, lots grooming facial and bode grooming. Contact lenses, hair cut regularly and styled my myself everyday..

it helped me a good deal and now i only voted a 3.

I used to believer that ll my problems were image perception, but now, sadly I realize with the image improved, I still dont feel all that much I can be a success with women. Even though I have been told several times I am handsome /good looking ( which I believe to a degree)


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## Persephone The Dread (Aug 28, 2010)

I was going to say no, and it certainly goes further back than me being aware that my appearance was a problem. But I actually think the fact that I look young and I'm small makes people treat me like I'm young and sometimes they explicitly patronise me, and it exacerbates the problem because I feel like I'm somehow inferior and different from other people and I can't be their equal. 

The above has actually even happened once on this site since I've posted videos/photos before -.-

But mostly my SA was caused by my parents due to their behaviour/personalities, probably a bit by genetics, and then made worse by certain people I hung out with for an unfortunately long amount of time growing up.

Essentially I need for people to take me seriously, they're less inclined to do that it seems because of how I look... Therefore I need to project a certain personality way more than the average person does, but with SA I can't do that. So it's a bit of a cycle.

But because 'lol she looks like she's going to kill you dude' I now generally have two faces to people who don't know me well creepy, psycho killer girl or cutesy child. :/ I don't want to be seen as either really.


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## probably offline (Oct 8, 2012)

I usually don't talk about this, but it's a big part of it(and why I'm depressed). For reasons I've never shared here, and don't want to share. So yeah, I voted a high number.

(ps. I don't have BDD)


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## McFly (Jul 15, 2014)

11 out of 10


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## cosmicslop (Nov 24, 2012)

Not much. When I'm out in public, there's a lot of other things running through my head that's making me socially anxious. I mostly hate that my meds made me gain so much weight, but I've been trying to fix that. I think I'd be more confident once I reach my goal weight.


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## InfiniteBlaze (Jan 27, 2011)

Half is due to being hideous and half is due toe being a PDD-NOS having weirdo who got harassed in school so I voted 5.


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## idoughnutknow (Apr 7, 2014)

7-10 depending on my mood


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## Istachrissta (Oct 1, 2014)

7 now it was a 9 growing up. Having a twin sister that had straight teeth and no acne made growing up with confidence impossible. Also having your dad and boys you like tell you that she is the prettier one and you have the "personality" didn't help either. I just residently started looking strangers in the eye. Ugh I still hate to be looked at. But it's no ones fault but my own I should love who I am and be thankful.


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## Freiheit (Dec 8, 2008)

2. When my skin breaks out and cracks during the cold seasons I feel bad about how I look but otherwise I don't feel ugly.


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## hmweasley (Sep 12, 2013)

I put a 2. It used to be a lot more, but I've become much less insecure about my appearance in the last couple of years, especially in the last year. I don't think I'll ever be one of those people really happy with my appearance, but it isn't really something that bothers me anymore either.


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## iKenn (Jul 30, 2013)

Sometimes 7 or 8 depending how I look.
When i'm at my highest point I would say 3.


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## Andras96 (Mar 28, 2014)

9 out of 10. The only reason that it's not a solid 10 is because I've always been anxious even before I realized that I was unpleasant to look at.


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## Canadian Brotha (Jan 23, 2009)

It's a prominent factor, but it's mostly do with how I rarely feel comfortable with how I'm dressed & how messy my hair usually is than general physical features


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## coffeeaddict (Mar 19, 2012)

Currently its the main reason for my anxiety. I can talk on the phone quite relaxed most of the time but if I need to be face to face with people.. my mind goes crazy..


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## Thedood (Nov 27, 2013)

9.

I have virtually zero confidence in my appearance and always feel like I will be judged negatively because of it.


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## truant (Jul 4, 2014)

9

My life would be far easier if I weren't so hideous. I don't have hangups about my intelligence or personality, I just don't like it when people look at me. If I were better looking no one would care about the rest of the things that contribute to my SA, including me.


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## Bbpuff (Sep 1, 2010)

I'd say 7-8. I always hated my face, so ever since about 5th or 6th grade I would try to hide behind my hair. I used to refuse to put my bangs up, or brush them to the side. And I hated getting haircuts, since they revealed my entire face in public... I also would wear baggy sweaters/oversized shirts because I never liked my figure. I can't help but assume people never talk to me because I look scary and intimidating to them..


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## coeur_brise (Oct 7, 2004)

I voted 3 because in the beginning it wasn't so much looks even though being self-conscious about looks was a part of it, but it was more about having confidence and being able to talk to people.
. Never avoided people because of how I look but lately like Persephone mentioned, I'm extremely self-conscious about my appearance and age, thinking people will judge my character or think I'm infantile because I look 16 (and sort of act that age) at 28.


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## tea111red (Nov 8, 2005)

It's pretty high up there. I feel like people are thinking hateful thoughts about the way that I look/my features every time I'm around them (I know not everyone thinks hateful thoughts of the way that I look, but still, I can't shake that feeling). It's hard to deal w/ this stress and tune those thoughts out so I choose to not be around people if I don't have to.


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## Meanderer (Apr 2, 2013)

2. I'm not attractive, and for the most part I'm okay with that. Attention from guys makes me really anxious. So if my looks continue to deter that from happening, that would be great...


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## spiritedaway (Aug 5, 2014)

10. I'm not attractive and I haven't learned to come to terms with that yet. I feel embarrassed whenever I have to go out in public because I just feel so ugly compared to everyone else. Whenever I'm having a conversation with someone, I spend the entire time worrying that they're judging me.


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## Cheesecake (Feb 2, 2007)

It's hard to assign a number. My appearance definitely makes it harder for me to be in public. I end up feeling self-conscious and ugly. If I was not unattractive, I would feel more comfortable in public, but I don't think talking to people would be any easier.


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## LolaViola (Jun 23, 2013)

8.


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## feels (Jun 18, 2010)

I voted 3. I'm not very confident in my appearance, but I've become way more comfortable with it. That's really all I can ask for. I'm never gonna think I'm attractive, but I can at least accept the way I look. That's what I've done for the most part. Some days are better than others. It's not really a big factor in my SA at all. It's always been more about personality for me. I'm much less comfortable with who I am as a person. I'm afraid to show that to people. It's getting much easier, but there's still a lot that I hide.


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## scooby (Jun 24, 2009)

It really depends on the actual thing that is making me anxious. My SA over making phone calls isn't affected by my appearance. When I'm out and about, usually its okay for me. Maybe a 4. That's as long as I don't think there is some reason that is drawing peoples attention to me. Just being another face in the crowd. If I feel people are watching me and judging me, it'll skyrocket. I get this way doing stuff like doing grocery shopping, or just any shopping, buying medication. 

When in situations where I have to interact with people though, my appearance does play a massive part. I am very negative about my looks. I don't feel attractive enough to date anyone, and being among guys I become incredibly self-conscious because they will all be better looking than me or have features I wish I had. Just an overall feeling of inferiority. I am constantly comparing myself to other guys, and always come to the conclusion that I don't measure up to them. I'd say in that sense my appearance would be around 9 or 10/10.


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## oood (Nov 1, 2012)

About 9. It's not only that I'm unattractive, I have a deep-seated belief that I genuinely look very strange and may get noticed for it. I see it as kind of an animalistic instinct that I fear the threat of unwanted attention from 'competing' humans, so to speak. It makes me scared to hang around people my own age because I feel like they'll be automatically repulsed by my obvious physical disparities to them. I wish my face was more conventional for a person my age.


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## Unknown0001 (Aug 2, 2013)

3.. It's my way of thinking.


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## JustThisGuy (Mar 24, 2012)

7


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## lisbeth (May 18, 2012)

My appearance is the reason I'm at home on SAS tonight instead of out. For once I could've gone out on a Friday night, but it was people I didn't really know and I felt too ugly. It's a common theme throughout my life. Sometimes I feel too gross to be seen by anyone. Like, unworthy of existing in public, and I'm too embarrassed. So I stay home. I think it's actually the reason why I surgically attached myself to the internet as a teenager. On the internet it doesn't matter what you look like.


Anyway: my appearance caused my SA, really, because I got bullied severely for my appearance when I was a teenager. I grew up believing I was really ugly. Sometimes I feel okay, other times I slip back into that. When things get really bad, though, the reason I hate my face isn't so much what it looks like and more because it's me. So to some extent my self-hatred causes my feelings towards my appearance as much as my appearance causes my self-hatred. Nice vicious cycle.


I picked '8'. Even if I looked exactly as I wanted to, I would still be socially anxious. I'd still feel afraid of people and I'd still feel ashamed of my own personality. I don't think my appearance is necessarily the source of my SA so much as something that I pin it on.


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## extremly (Oct 25, 2012)

I say a 30%. Not because I inherently dislike my appearance but because I always feel I look "inadequate".


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## monotonous (Feb 1, 2013)

i have sa purely because im an ugly asian guy


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## Willow Sky (Oct 4, 2014)

About a seven. It affects me deeply, especially when approaching someone I wouldn't normally interact with, and I feel like their judging me on what I look like. However, above all it's my mindset that contributes to my social anxiety. There's a constant reminder in my head that I'm a freak, people will always hate me no matter what I do, that wears me down more than anything. My appearance is secondary to it, although it's still a pretty prominent part of my anxiety.


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## The Linux Guy (Jul 11, 2013)

I think my problem is more personality then appearance. You really can't do very much for either one.


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## Ignopius (Mar 19, 2013)

A 3 or 4. I have an ugly ***. >.>


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