Hello there
Thanks for your letter telling me about your feelings around your body image. It sounds like these feeling started when you were bullied in year 7 and although your parents and your doctor say that you are a healthy weight you still feel horrible when you look in the mirror. Perhaps you could bear in mind that what bullies say is not necessarily the truth and it could be they were saying these things because they wanted to knock your confidence.
I am wondering if there is anything about yourself that you like or think is OK? What would it be like to focus on that aspect of yourself so when you look in the mirror you can see that positive thing rather than negatives? You say that all your friends are skinny and pretty, what would it be like to talk to them about body image and how they see themselves? It might be that they are not happy with the way they look. You might find it helpful to visit the 'How you look' page in Explore, and perhaps think about posting a message on the ChildLine message boards to see what other young people are saying about their body image. We also have some tips on building up your confidence and self-esteem which you might find helpful.
Your size, shape and the way you look will change throughout your life. At age 12 you are probably going through puberty which is when the body undergoes physical and emotional changes. You can find out more about puberty on the NHS Choices website.
You say that you are going to the gym and its good that you have started to think about your fitness level. However, it's important to eat healthily and to exercise in moderation. You can find out more about healthy eating on NHS 5 A Day and about fitness on the NHS Physical activity guidelines for children and young people.
If you would like to talk some more about any of the things you raise in your letter, why not speak to a ChildLine Counsellor. You can do this by phoning free on 0800 1111, or have a 1-2-1 chat online which is accessed from the ChildLine website. What you say to ChildLine is kept confidential unless they are worried that you or someone else is in real danger.
Take Care
Sam