Body Blindness

Many patients had never truly looked at themselves and only became aware of their weight when confronted by an unexpected reflection or shadow. A complete disconnect between self-perception and physical reality — where people do not recognize their own weight gain — is a common phenomenon. People who are not regularly confronted with their own body image visually tend to lose track of their physical state, a gap that routine mirror use closes. The absence of regular self-observation allows weight gain to go unchecked for years.