Everyday. I sleep naked and see a glimpse on the way to the shower in a full length bedroom mirror and in the bathroom mirror. Also while toweling off in the bedroom. I use my socks to dry off some more under and beside all my “stuff” and under my gut before putting on my underwear, and I look at that too. :o
Yes, there is something wrong with refusing to see yourself naked. You’re an adult now, and as such, you need to start taking responsibility for your own health. Part of this is knowing what’s “normal” for you, so you can be aware of any changes that occur. Also, if you do suspect that something has gone wrong “down there,” you should be able to take a look and see what’s going on.
Are you able to do breast self-exams?
Shagnasty: Are you saying that she should be committed to a mental hospital because she refuses to look at herself naked? 
Are you saying she is more messed up than a serial killer? Surely you can’t be serious. I do think that she does have some sort of a problem, and should probably seek professional help to work through it, but I just don’t see how her hang-up can be taken as evidence of a major mental illness.
Well then, it’s good to see that you didn’t say things like:
That makes me feel very warm and fuzzy.
Good, then you know all about harmful dysfunction. I’m not experiencing subjective distress by not looking at myself naked. I wasn’t even going to start this thread because I really don’t even think about it that much, but then Cisco said something in the linked thread that made me think that people would be interested in hearing this. <Shrug> I may be wrong about that. But this whole self-nudity thing doesn’t plague me day and night. I just don’t look at myself naked.
Can I see a cite for that?
Guh? A serial killer harms people. In fact, he does more than harm people. He takes their lives away from them often in demeaning and torturous ways. I don’t want to look at myself naked. Am I harming anyone? Am I still fully functional? Can you even successfully argue that I am harming myself? How are those even in the same ballpark?
How is this even germane?
Shagnasty, I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt that you didn’t mean to be insulting, but it certainly came across that way.
Thanks to all who have been supportive/kind.
FWIW, I’ve seen myself in my underwear. Don’t know if that makes a difference.
I generally put my contacts in right after my shower, and unless it’s winter and I’m wearing a robe for warmth, I’m nekkid. So the first thing I see clearly most days is my own naked body. It’s not the most pleasant sight in the world due to my excessive girth, but it’s not shocking or shameful or repulsive. It’s just my body, you know?
I’ve looked at every single inch of my body at some point or another. I’m prone to getting infected pubic hairs and unsightly crotch pimples, so I check out my external genitalia on pretty regular basis. When I was a teenager, I got a couple of cysts in my labia, which made me haul out the mirror to check things out. I’ve never made the effort to look at my vulva since then, because I don’t find it all that interesting a sight, but if it were readily visible I wouldn’t actively avoid looking. And as I said before, I see my breasts in the mirror pretty much every day.
And in all fairness, AwSnappity, if you’re going to ask a group of people if there’s something wrong with you, you have to be prepared for somebody to say yes.
I never had an issue with seeing myself totally naked until one day I got out of the shower, looked in the full length mirror, and found that my head was on my mothers body :eek: :eek: :eek:
When did I get that little roll around my tummy? Where did those dimples in the back of my thighs come from? Not to mention my tits pointing straight ahead instead of the perky little tilt I remembered them at 
Luckily I’m married to the incredible Mr. Adoptamom who quickly reassured me that those little quirks were the things he loved most about my body. Nice save honey 
CrazyCatLady, you’ll notice that many people have said there’s something wrong with me, but I singled out Shagnasty. Now, there’s a reason for that. Most have said, “I think you may have some issues you’ll need to work out, possibly with the help of a therapist.” Shagnasty, on the other hand, came in here and basically called me deluded and more dangerous than a serial killer. You’ll also notice that I decided to give him the benefit of the doubt, but I let him know that the way he worded his message was offensive to me. You can disagree with me, but if you do it in an insulting manner outside of the Pit, I’ll take issue with it.
If the serial killer’s statement is “I’m carrying a magical bologna sandwich between my bumcheeks,” I might agree with you. But if said serial killer’s statement was something along the lines of “I’m going to skin you alive,” AwSnappity’s little hang-up really seems a trifle less serious.
I agree that not ever seeing oneself naked is strange, but this kind of online diagnosis and judgement, Shagnasty really seems a bit…harsh, rude, harmful, completely out of line…
I mean, jeez, you’ve actually studyed psychology and this is the most deluded thing you’ve ever heard? C’mon, now.
Aw, he didn’t just say that there was something wrong with her. He said that she was worse than a serial killer and ought to be thrown into the loony bin!
Hmmm. “I’ve never heard of your condition. Obviously, you must be a psychopath.”
No smiley yet created can convey how highly dubious I am about your qualifications.
AwSnappity, it is a bit odd, and I can’t imagine how you can function without ever seeing your genitals… but I suppose blind people manage. I would suggest it might be indicative of some deeper issue though.
Okay <sigh> I took the plunge. I did it. Looked in the mirror naked.
I forgot to mention: I couldn’t have done it without someone’s help. 
The reason I asked is that I am, well, almost completely opposite :D.
I sleep naked probably 75% of the time, and on weekends I get out of the shower and don’t put clothes on until I absolutely have to leave my apartment.
AwSnappity - I’m sorry for what Shagnasty said. It was rude and uncalled for. I will say though that your hang-up can be harmful though and I encourage you to try to work through it. You need to be familiar with the sights and feels of your body in order to detect things like skin cancer, breast cancer, etc. I know your doctor probably does those things but that’s not enough. You need to keep up with it constantly. Like someone else said: you’re an adult now and you need to be responsible for your body.
Let’s see, other questions…do you have any idea of the source or cause for this hang-up? How long has it been going on? Surely you ran around naked when you were a kid, right? Are you religious?
Thanks for starting this thread by the way. It’s been…interesting :).
Perhaps you should try to see yourself completely naked, just once, just to see if this is all for nothing. What is the worst that can happen from seeing yourself naked? Turn to stone? Have a stroke?
I don’t mean to be judgmental, but the concept boggles my mind. I’m not going to go so far as to say you are serial-killer deranged or anything, its just…wierd. Are you comfortable about other people seeing your naked body? What if you were making love with someone and they wanted to see who they were making love to? Would you deprive them that?
Hey! Credit me, credit me!
Shagnasty,you said something was seriously wrong with Awsnappity and that she must seek help. I have a degree in psychology as well and I disagree with you.
I don’t know about you, but I’m from the school of psychologists that practices the adagio: if it ain’t broke, don’t try to fix it.
Norms for behavior are statistical averages, not standards for “normal” behavior. If a person or those around him are not troubled by their behavior, or its consequences, we are wasting our time and theirs if we try to tell them they have a problem or if we try to “correct” them.
Questions, questions, questions. Now for the answers.
I don’t really have problems with other people seeing my naked body, although I don’t go showing it off to just anyone. So far that’s only been one person, although if I were in a committed relationship with someone else, I’m sure they’d get to see my glistening nude body as well.
In my family, you just don’t talk about sexuality. You don’t watch it on TV, you don’t read about it, you don’t even acknowledge its existence. I was raised Lutheran but I stopped practicing a couple years ago. My family isn’t very religious at all. I don’t for sure know the exact source of this issue.
Don’t remember running around naked when I was a kid. Don’t remember ever sleeping naked or anything.
Tonight marks the first time in 19 years that I, AwSnappity, have ever seen myself naked. My reaction? “Blech.” It wasn’t that bad, but I didn’t get up close and poke and prod and examine. I gave myself a once-over and got dressed.
Let’s arrange a nakedDope or something. I still have some issues that need to be worked through…
Am I normal now? Still on par with a serial killer? Or have I moved down to a mere domestic abuser?
wtf, Shagnasty? Unless you are a licensed mental health professional with a graduate degree, you have no business saying these sorts of things to anyone, especially someone you have never even met! And believe me when I tell you that no one with those credentials ever would say such things (I fervently hope). It’s a good way to not stay licensed very much longer, at least in my state.
Pay no attention, AwSnappity, and congratulations on having the nerve to take a peek 
Bloody normative comparisons of individualistic, ideosyncratic behaviours made by some herein make my blood boil. Yes you are normal now and have always been so. Whatever that means.
Aw, don’t get a hang-up about what others may consider a hang-up. Do whatever comes naturally to you and avoid the thought that your own standards/habits/customs are somehow weird. To thine ownself be true.
Now, if you want an independent arbiter of how your body compares…
Or a non-reflecting, non-judgmental mirror…
I’m your man.
Cites in the form of photos would be welcomed.
So, have you ever acknowledged your own sexuality in any way? Have you ever masturbated, made out with someone, had sex, or even said to yourself, “I, AwSnappity, am a sexual being”? Or have you pushed those thoughts away like you have the sight of your own body? I’m just curious, because of your apparent connection of nudity and sex, and your family’s refusal to acknowledge the fact of human sexuality.
Am I the only one here that thinks Shagnasty’s “whoosh” is pitching a shutout?
Or does Shag have a history of batshit-craziness of which I’m not aware?