Blind and Visually Impaired Community
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Self-Image while growing up blind (self.Blind)
submitted by nightoftheghouls
Hello. I'm a sighted person writing a fictional story featuring a character who went blind at around age nine or ten. I'm thinking about this characters experience growing up, and it occurred to me that the last time he has seen himself was as a child (the character is in his 30s while the story is unfolding).
This leads to my rather complicated question, one which I couldn't find much writing on. What is it like to go through puberty while blind, especially when you have a pre-existing visualization of what you look like? Was it scary to know that image becomes less and less accurate? Do you try to imagine what you look like as you grow up and eventually become an adult, and how does this lack of knowing affect you?
My apologies for asking such a heavy question, and even more apologies if this question is insensitive or invasive.
This leads to my rather complicated question, one which I couldn't find much writing on. What is it like to go through puberty while blind, especially when you have a pre-existing visualization of what you look like? Was it scary to know that image becomes less and less accurate? Do you try to imagine what you look like as you grow up and eventually become an adult, and how does this lack of knowing affect you?
My apologies for asking such a heavy question, and even more apologies if this question is insensitive or invasive.
Hallowss 3 points 2y ago
I don't know if this is true for everyone
But honestly it has never bothered me, I have an idea that I'm taller and bigger because that's what happened and my clothes size went up :p.
I had the normal self image issues for a teen girl, but there was no more than my sighted friends. If anything I didn't struggle as much or for as long as them
I have done some crazy things with my hair or outfits though, because if I can't see it what difference does it make to me?
But honestly it has never bothered me, I have an idea that I'm taller and bigger because that's what happened and my clothes size went up :p.
I had the normal self image issues for a teen girl, but there was no more than my sighted friends. If anything I didn't struggle as much or for as long as them
I have done some crazy things with my hair or outfits though, because if I can't see it what difference does it make to me?
DrillInstructorJan 1 points 2y ago
There is a point at which looking unusual makes a difference to you because it changes how other people will react to you. That might be fine, I do crazy stuff too sometimes, but I think people should make an informed choice about it and that will often mean asking someone who can see for an opinion. No, that's not great, as you're then just relying on someone else's opinion and you have to be careful who you ask, but I have met blind people whose choices I really questioned, who then ended up saying "everyone thinks I'm weird."
Personally I'm probably too conventional on average but I guess I'm being safe.
Personally I'm probably too conventional on average but I guess I'm being safe.
Hallowss 1 points 2y ago
I mean more of I'll hair model, I get a free haircut that is sometimes a little 'weird' of bright colours, so it's a high quality hairstyle for free, I'm not going to say no! Also I don't mind what the hairdresser does as I personally can't dislike it
I just wear what I find comfortable though
The way I see it is that i stand out most of the time regardless of my hair colour or clothing
I just wear what I find comfortable though
The way I see it is that i stand out most of the time regardless of my hair colour or clothing
DrillInstructorJan 1 points 2y ago
Oh, go for it, that sounds like a great deal.
I guess everyone likes to wear what's comfortable, although I think if you've never had good sight to get an idea of how people dress, then you might want to be a bit careful. At least in certain situations it will affect how people view you. It's not complicated but... at some point we live in a world full of sighted people and you have to play the game.
I guess everyone likes to wear what's comfortable, although I think if you've never had good sight to get an idea of how people dress, then you might want to be a bit careful. At least in certain situations it will affect how people view you. It's not complicated but... at some point we live in a world full of sighted people and you have to play the game.
Hallowss 1 points 2y ago
I lost my sight old enough to learn that, and I make my housemates check I'm dressed appropriately every time I'm worried xD
siriuslylupin6 1 points 2y ago
Lost my vision very early on like 8 years old. I didn’t give a fuck how I looked my self image issues was more to do with personality and being the same or different as other people, inside qualities. I always thought I was different or something, I felt different, excluded. Not liked. Weird, out of place. I was more concerned with that type of self image.
I think for me this is how and why I got in to this personality self development stuff r/mbti and r/socionics really useful stuff for a novel too by the way as well.
Recently recentish I found out I am a pretty conventional type. Heh! It makes sense the typing and it’s like oh so I am not so unique. I’d probably be defeated or have laughed you off as a teenager if I was told I was pretty ordinary. I went through a r/iamverysmart stage. It compensated for my alienation. Oh well that’s fine but look r/iamverysmart hahaha! Made me feel better. For a long time I thought I was a jungiann intuitive. But yeah. Very different discussion for another day..... I think I am fixing my self image stuff hahaha! Self development stuff helps. A lot.
I think for me this is how and why I got in to this personality self development stuff r/mbti and r/socionics really useful stuff for a novel too by the way as well.
Recently recentish I found out I am a pretty conventional type. Heh! It makes sense the typing and it’s like oh so I am not so unique. I’d probably be defeated or have laughed you off as a teenager if I was told I was pretty ordinary. I went through a r/iamverysmart stage. It compensated for my alienation. Oh well that’s fine but look r/iamverysmart hahaha! Made me feel better. For a long time I thought I was a jungiann intuitive. But yeah. Very different discussion for another day..... I think I am fixing my self image stuff hahaha! Self development stuff helps. A lot.
Laser_Lens_4 1 points 2y ago
Hey, I can chime in on this one. I lost my remaining vision at around 20, but life's had other plans for me. I'm trans and basically going through a second puberty. It's really hard, almost impossible, for me to visualize my changes in my head. I know I look different. I can create a rough image. My hair is longer. Fat's gone to different places. My face is probably more feminine. Things is, I'm not exactly sure what I look like anymore. It bothers me on occasion, but most of the time it's a non-issue. I'm far happier now that I don't know what I look like compared to before when I could see a depressed, overweight gorilla in the mirror.
[deleted] 1 points 2y ago
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