[Merritt]

I've been noticing more and more how my perception of my body goes absolutely insane whenever I'm outside or around people. I'll feel like my feet are sticking a metre out in front of me, that I'm bordering on looking like a hunchback if I slouch at all, my clothes are all lopsided and hanging awkwardly on me, I'm abnormally short in comparison to everyone else, I have a face like something from a fancy dress shop. My self-perception seems to turn into a funhouse mirror, and I'm constantly paranoid that that's how others are seeing me too.

If I'm alone and look in the mirror, I recognise I'm no oil painting to say the least, but I don't think I look quite so freakish and inhuman. My body seems more unremarkable, my clothes look fairly normal. But outside, where there are people... urgh. And somehow, even if I've just taken a bath, I'll feel dirty, and I'll believe other people think I'm dirty too. 'Dirty' how, exactly? I don't even know. Just dirty.