“How can I help a burn victim feel less self-conscious about his appearance?”

Being a burn victim can stir up many different things inside. It can limit his capabilities and actions, undervalue his talents or self representations of who he is. He is obviously more then just what happened to him. I commend you for looking beyond his appearance, choosing him and wanting to help him. However, you need to first ask him if he wants the "help" from you. We don't want to assume that he needs help or that he is already attempting to do this alone. When we are self conscious about our appearances, we need to consider that perfectionism is a form of self abuse. Don't focus on your own appearance and talk about other things with him that have meaning then one's looks. Offering him the reassurance that we are all flawed in many ways and we can't necessarily control what has happened to us. Besides he was chosen by you regardless, that means something much bigger. Self consciousness is mostly about how others see you, speak about this less in your relationship together yourself. It's all about perspective , encourage him to feel less paralyzed by his looks or comparing himself to others. We can't ignore his strengths as well, so highlighting this when appropriate is an important part of the relationship with him. Ask him if he wasn't a burn victim what would he be doing differently? As a supportive partner you would want to lean into those ideas. Stay curious about his dreams, passions and interests. We all have control over our own thoughts, include more of the positive ones in these talks together. Insecurities kill our spirits.

Perhaps by emphasizing that you are attracted to his "insides" more than the exterior such as his personality, sense of humor, character, kindness etc. That these aspects more constitute what makes him beautiful!

Hi,

Thank you for your question. There are lots of things you can do to help a burn victim feel less self-conscious about his appearance. He can work on having realistic goals for becoming more secure about his appearance.

I wish I could say you could fix or change their feelings, but you cannot. The choice to feel less self-conscious is only up to the individual. We can do a lot help and encourage, but the final decision is going to have to be theirs. I would encourage counseling, you cannot force it, but encourage it. I would also encourage and demonstrate positive self-talk.

TELL HIM THAT PERSONALITY IS WHAT REALLY COUNTS

Take a look at this link....
https://msktc.org/burn/factsheets/Understanding-And-Improving-Body-Image-After-Burn-Injury