A 19-year-old NEET aspirant from Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, has attempted suicide three times in two years due to body image issues. Diagnosed with body dysmorphic disorder, she struggled with her appearance despite reassurance from family and friends.Gorakhpur,Nov 12, 2026 12:08 ISTA 19-year-old student in Uttar Pradesh's Gorakhpur preparing for a medical entrance examination has attempted suicide three times in the past two years because she feels she is not beautiful enough."Everyone says I am beautiful, but when I look in the mirror, I see an ugly person.

I have tried to kill myself three times, but each time, fate has saved me," she told her psychologist.Her repeated suicide attempts have left her parents deeply worried. After consulting several doctors, they eventually took her to a psychologist, where she opened up about her distress.Following counselling, the psychologist told her parents that their daughter was suffering from body dysmorphic disorder.

The student also told the psychologist that she always sat at the back of her classroom so that nobody would notice her.Despite her struggles, she scored good marks in Class 12 and is now preparing for NEET. Her mother is a teacher, while her father is in the administrative services.

The student told the psychologist that she has good friends and loving parents but spends much of her free time struggling with her reflection in the mirror.Her distress, however, begins every morning when she stands in front of the mirror.One look at herself makes her feel that her nose is crooked, her face is unattractive, her stomach sticks out and her hair does not look good. She repeatedly tries to fix her appearance while standing in front of the mirror."Sometimes I try to make myself look better with makeup, and at other times, I use filters on my phone before clicking pictures.

When I go to college, I feel that everyone is looking at me and laughing at my flaws. That is why I sit at the back of the classroom, so nobody notices me.

Now, I am even afraid of getting photographed. I hide my face in group photographs.

Because of all this, I no longer want to live," she told the psychologist.Three suicide attempts in two yearsThe psychologist said the student had been a cause of concern for her family for the past two years. She has attempted suicide three times, including once when she cut her wrist.

She underwent treatment at several places in Kanpur and Gorakhpur.When there was no improvement, her parents brought her to the psychologist in April 2026. During counselling, the psychologist found that she was suffering from body dysmorphic disorder and needed proper counselling.With the help of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), the girl has shown considerable improvement over the past seven months, the psychologist said.- Ends