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Could this be autism or a body image problem?

saturn333

Ever since I was really young i’ve hated wearing any clothes that didn’t “feel right”. I don’t like wearing certain materials like jeans or clothes that feel too tight or that i can feel around my body. When i go out i try to wear nice clothes because I don’t want to be judged for looking weird showing up in loose pyjamas but i constantly feel stressed and fixate on the way the clothes feel on my body and what my body looks like in them. For example if i’m wearing a crop top i don’t like the feel of the air on my stomach because i can’t feel the air on the top part of my body. I can’t wear trainer socks because i don’t like the bare feeling on my legs but not my feet. As soon as I’m alone i change back into comfy clothes which i re wear over and over because they’re the only ones that feel okay because otherwise i won’t be able to focus on anything else and will end up getting irritable and stressed and overwhelmed. 

However, I also struggle with body image issues and have a fear of gaining weight. If my clothes feel tighter (even if they still fit) i won’t be able to wear them because they feel different and i don’t like the change. it’s also a constant reminder that i’ve gained weight because they feel different on my body and i don’t like thinking about that and it’s all i can think about if i feel something on my body. It means that if i have to go out somewhere and the clothes feel tighter i will end up crying and panicking and won’t be able to go out because everything will feel different. i also can’t wear belts if clothes are loose because i don’t like the heaviness so when i lose weight and the clothes become looser i also can’t wear them out. It means I miss out on lots of events because i have nothing to wear!! 

I also panic that people will judge me for what i look like in certain clothes or notice that i’ve gained weight and i end up cancelling plans because i think i’m too fat to go out and everyone will see even if i have only gained a pound. 

I really don’t know what to do because I haven’t been diagnosed with autism even though i show a lot of traits, i haven’t been diagnosed with an ed or ocd or body dysmorphia. I do have social anxiety but i feel like this may be something else. Does anyone have any ideas? Could this be part of autism if i did have autism? Or could this be something else? Any solutions? 

Parents

  • Oh, I think you'd need a professional opinion to really know the answer and more than one thing could be in play. The clothing sensitivities do seem to have a sensory component to them, (I don't like close fitting clothes either), but the worrying about how other people judge you for what you're wearing could be a general social anxiety or social anxiety rooted in autism or something else altogether.  You obvious worry about your weight too.

    It's hard for me to know what to say on the social judgement basically because I've never cared what other people think and worn what I like. I begrudge having to make compromises for work dress codes even. It does sound to me as though you need to find a way to bolster the old self-confidence though, so you can have faith the important and valuable things about who you are, have nothing to do with your weight or your clothes. Maybe you need a clothing style  which is uniquely you; expresses you, yet makes you physically comfortable.

    I hope some one who has maybe been through this can offer better insights than me.

Reply

  • Oh, I think you'd need a professional opinion to really know the answer and more than one thing could be in play. The clothing sensitivities do seem to have a sensory component to them, (I don't like close fitting clothes either), but the worrying about how other people judge you for what you're wearing could be a general social anxiety or social anxiety rooted in autism or something else altogether.  You obvious worry about your weight too.

    It's hard for me to know what to say on the social judgement basically because I've never cared what other people think and worn what I like. I begrudge having to make compromises for work dress codes even. It does sound to me as though you need to find a way to bolster the old self-confidence though, so you can have faith the important and valuable things about who you are, have nothing to do with your weight or your clothes. Maybe you need a clothing style  which is uniquely you; expresses you, yet makes you physically comfortable.

    I hope some one who has maybe been through this can offer better insights than me.

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