Anyone suffer with BDD?

Since I can't find a specific forum on BDD, I thought I might ask in here. I suffer with Body Dismorphic Disorder, along with OCD and a few other things, and it's horrible to live with. It's also confusing to me when everyone I know,meet say that I am a beautiful girl. I just don't see it. I've told I am a perfectionist, but nothing seems to be good enough for me. I hate looking in the mirror, and I always need reasurance from the one I love. I see flaws that other people don't. I have really low self esteem also. I take care of myself (work out, try to eat right, dress nicely) even that doesn't help. I've even come to conclusion that I need plastic surgery in order to be happy. Is there anyone else out there going thru this? I'd like to hear other people's experieneces.

I do. Although the severity of it is lessening from years of therapy, it still lingers.

I don't talk about it much because people don't understand. They think you're just hung up on your looks and being vain. I remember once my friends were here and we were hanging out at the pool. I got ready just like i would if i was going out for the day. Put on my make up, did my hair. They were giving me a hard time, joking around saying "what do you think, you're Elizabeth Taylor?"

Truth is, I felt ugly without it and I figured make-up would make me look less hideous.

It's complicated isn't it. How can people see you one way and you so not see that.
So I keep quiet.

I avoid mirrors unless I'm putting on my make-up and then I only concentrate at one thing at a time. I never step back and take in the whole picture.

One of my assignments from T recently was to get feed back from people.

I sent some of my friends here at PC a picture of me with no real explanation as to why I would send them one.

I think I only told one person it was because I had BDD. I brought their reactions into T, who of course pointed out that they all said the same thing.

"Don't you believe them?" she asked.

It's not that I don't, it's more like "How can you NOT see it?"

I got a really good book, The Body Image Workbook by Thomas Cash that I really like and which has helped me:

http://www.amazon.com/Body-Image-Wor...id=1161959126/

Thanks Perna,

I'll will definately check it out.

I have a great book on BDD called The Broken Mirror by Katharine Phillips, MD. If you don't already have it summerflower22, you might want to get it.

Body Dysmorphic Disorder-CLICK HERE

It helped me understand BDD and how it is often trivialized because everyone cares about how they look. But it's not a matter of vanity. That's why it's hard to talk about.

People tend to reassure me that I look fine.

That the distorted body image is imagined.

But it's not like being dissatisfied or hung up with my looks, it's delusional like anorexia.

And even though I know this intellectually, it still doesn't change what I see when I look in the mirror.

I'm wishing now that I never posted this.

I'll ahve to check it out....It is hard to post certain things, but don't feel bad. I'm kinda ashamed that I asked this question, but it's better to know, then to not.

I too understand the PAIN of BDD...... I think the question you asked was the second one that I asked when I joined here 10 months ago..... I have learned alot on this disorder and with the INFO I have been able to fight against it.

Please check out this website(s) and book..... they both greatly helped ME in my search for the truth on BDD.

WEBSITE:

1.) http://www.butler.org/body.cfm?id=239

2.) http://www.butler.org/body.cfm?id=25...TOKEN=62881498

3.) http://www.bddcentral.com/mainpage2.aspx

4.) Screening Questionnaire for Adults - Do I Have BDD?
TEST: http://www.butler.org/body.cfm?id=236

5.) I first realized that I had BDD when I saw ppl talking about it on The Oprah Show.
Oprah: http://www2.oprah.com/tows/pastshows...20050914.jhtml

* * * * * * * *

BOOK: (an awesome read)

....... The Broken Mirror ....... by: Katharine A. Phillips, M.D.

6.) http://www.butler.org/body.cfm?id=129 (BRIEF DESCRIPTION - from the book cover)
7.) http://www.booksamillion.com/ncom/bo...pid=0195167198 (order)

* * * * * * * *

LoVe,
Rhapsody -

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summerflower22 said:
Since I can't find a specific forum on BDD, I thought I might ask in here. I suffer with Body Dismorphic Disorder...

Is there anyone else out there going thru this? I'd like to hear other people's experieneces.

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P.S.

YOU can do a search on here for other threads written on the subject of BDD.... by going to the top right corner of any page and entering BDD into the search box, then click.

I do believe there was one other on PC (back in January) that was dealing with BDD as well.... and it was a HE and not a SHE.

Good Luck....... ((((((( hugs )))))))

LoVe,
Rhapsody -