hi Sam, a couple months ago I was pressured into sending nudes and I kept putting it off because I was/am ashamed of my body. My weight and my skin tone. Everything about me was/is disgusting in eyes. I want to be able to see my self as perfect but I just can't. What do I do? Xx
Hi there,
No one has the right to force you or pressure you into doing anything you don’t want to do. If you have been forced into sending a photo to someone, it's never your fault.
If anyone ever tries to pressure you into sending nudes again, Childline has an app which could really help – the app is called ZIPIT. You can also read more about sexting.
It's very normal to think about the way you look. It’s important to know you aren’t alone in feeling this way. You may think that others are self-confident or perfect, but no one is ever truly perfect. When you feel down about yourself, a good way of coping can be to do some things that help you to build back up your own confidence and self-esteem.
Some young people find that it helps to make a list of positive things that they like about themselves. If you can’t you can think about how the people who care about you might describe you. They don’t always have to do with your appearance either, it could be something you’re good at or even a positive quality you have within yourself, like kindness. Try to remember these when you start to feel down and remember there’s a lot more to you as a person than one part of your appearance.
It's something that people talk about on our message boards too. You might find it helpful to have a look on the self-esteem and body image boards or even post if you felt able to. Sometimes talking to someone else can be a good way to get a different perspective on difficult thoughts and feelings.
You can always speak to one of our counsellors on 1-2-1 chat or by calling on 0800 1111. Remember this is not something you have to go through alone and Childline counsellors are always there to support you too.
Take care,
Sam
You can talk privately to a counsellor online or call 0800 1111 for free.
You can ask me about anything you want, there's nothing too big or small. I read every single letter but I can only answer a few each week. My replies are published here on my page.
