Anybody suffering Body dysmorphic disorder?

[Guest]

Erik, you seem like a smart guy who knows how to give good advice but can't seem to apply it to yourself. You and I are cut from the same mold it sounds like to me. I have that same problem.

I know dude, it's crazy.

Maybe that's why we met, to cover each others backs. lol

 

[DoctorHouse]

Life does work in mysterious ways. They always say misery likes company :agree:

 

[Guest]

So true. :hairy:

 

[Guest]

BDD can be cured, ugliness can not....

 

[Guest]

BDD can be cured, ugliness can not....

Actually it's vice versa. A person with a BDD will probably have to suffer of it for the rest of his/hers life, but ugliness can be somewhat "cured" by surgeries. The only way to cure BDD is probably to get enough positive feedback of your appearance, in order to change your personal opinion of yourself. I have been sometimes told I'm "cute", and I've been told I look like someone else. And I've never understood why anyone would take a pic of a reflection on a mirror. Why not just take a regular pic using the timer?

 

[goata007]

I've been told I look like someone else.

do you get that often? Its strange that I used to get that too, a Lot! (when I had hair). People would say I look like someone but would never say who, they would just say I look familiar :lost:

 

[DoctorHouse]

Taug, what's the cure for BDD? Having Angela Jolie drop Brad Pitt for a person with BDD. We already have established you are not ugly and you have said that yourself too. So the only thing standing in your way is your BDD. How you going to cure that? After posting your new avatar, which I still find as kind of gay in a forum mostly of straight men, I am starting to see you are acting like you have developed a case of narcissism which for you might be a step in the right direction. :bravo:

 

[DoctorHouse]

GHG, I know what you mean when people say you tend to look like someone famous. I get the same thing myself, people say I always look like "some doctor" on television. And ironically, I am being dead serious when I say that.

 

[Guest]

I've been told I look like someone else.

do you get that often? Its strange that I used to get that too, a Lot! (when I had hair). People would say I look like someone but would never say who, they would just say I look familiar :lost:

Well not that often, but I have gotten it sometimes.

 

[chino20]

I'm not entirely sure what BDD is, but I'm pretty sure that I have it. The other day I got obsessed after something I read on here, that my chin was too small, or too 'weak', and spent ages trying to figure out if this was true, looking at other people's chins etc. If I'm not thinking my hair sucks, then I'm looking at my nose thinking it's crooked, or too big etc. If it's not hair, then it's something else, I can never be happy with how I look I don't think, and when anyone has said anything positive about my looks, then I've just disbelieved them, while everything negative I've taken to heart. Is this BDD? Or maybe OCD?

 

[s.a.f]

I think you need to find out what is the cause of your BDD. Because even an ugly person will accept their looks if they have a sound mind. Taug I think your BDD could stem from being bullied or possibly the divorce of your parents when you were younger.

 

[Guest]

I'm not entirely sure what BDD is, but I'm pretty sure that I have it. The other day I got obsessed after something I read on here, that my chin was too small, or too 'weak', and spent ages trying to figure out if this was true, looking at other people's chins etc. If I'm not thinking my hair sucks, then I'm looking at my nose thinking it's crooked, or too big etc. If it's not hair, then it's something else, I can never be happy with how I look I don't think, and when anyone has said anything positive about my looks, then I've just disbelieved them, while everything negative I've taken to heart. Is this BDD? Or maybe OCD?

Yeah sounds like BDD, especially if none of the things you're inspecting is true. You're just exaggerating your minimal flaws in your mind, and when you look in the mirror they seem huge and you're sure everyone else notices them and laughs at you (or thinks you're ugly) or something. For example I feel that everyone thinks I'm some sort of hooligan since my hair is buzzed and I got a crooked nose. I'm not even sure if the crooked nose is obvious to anyone but to me it looks so obvious. The other day I asked my brother if he notices that my nose is broken and crooked, he said no, not at all. And he knows me better than anyone. I've developed a new obsession lately: I feel that the tip of my nose is HUGE and ugly. Don't know if it's true but that's how I feel.

 

[DoctorHouse]

GHG, I think Michael Jackson has the most problems with his nose being to big. I think he has around 10 surgeries on his nose to make it look smaller and smaller and now it looks horrible. He happens to be the poster child for BDD.

 

[Guest]

Michael Jackson is one very sick individual.

It's sad that someone so talented could disfigure themselves like that.

I can't even imagine what that guy must have gone through as a kid.

God bless 'em.

 

[chino20]

I'm not entirely sure what BDD is, but I'm pretty sure that I have it. The other day I got obsessed after something I read on here, that my chin was too small, or too 'weak', and spent ages trying to figure out if this was true, looking at other people's chins etc. If I'm not thinking my hair sucks, then I'm looking at my nose thinking it's crooked, or too big etc. If it's not hair, then it's something else, I can never be happy with how I look I don't think, and when anyone has said anything positive about my looks, then I've just disbelieved them, while everything negative I've taken to heart. Is this BDD? Or maybe OCD?

Yeah sounds like BDD, especially if none of the things you're inspecting is true. You're just exaggerating your minimal flaws in your mind, and when you look in the mirror they seem huge and you're sure everyone else notices them and laughs at you (or thinks you're ugly) or something. For example I feel that everyone thinks I'm some sort of hooligan since my hair is buzzed and I got a crooked nose. I'm not even sure if the crooked nose is obvious to anyone but to me it looks so obvious. The other day I asked my brother if he notices that my nose is broken and crooked, he said no, not at all. And he knows me better than anyone. I've developed a new obsession lately: I feel that the tip of my nose is HUGE and ugly. Don't know if it's true but that's how I feel.

That sucks, I was hoping it might be OCD, as I'm fairly sure I have that as well, got some pretty weird things I do. Are the 2 linked at all? Dude your nose looks normal, mine's damn weird though, I have no cartilage at the end so it's just squishy, I don't know anyone else that has this and don't know if it's a problem or not, my mum seems to think it is. Don't really care about that though, it's everything else I obsess over.

 

[DoctorHouse]

Every wonder why we all have BDD? Could it have something to do with women? Society? The media? The bullies we encountered as children? I would say a big YES to all of the above. I think we new to re-evaluate this situation. Why are we letting all these factors control the level of our self esteem and confidence. Come on everyone, we have to rise above all these factors and realize the only person letting these bloodsuckers take our power of control is ourselves. Its time we start to realize we all are great people regardless of our slight flaws which we distort as being such hideous flaws that we hide in a shell and feel depressed and alone. If certain people in society, or women do not accept YOU with all your flaws, then who needs them. Its time to find people who are non-judgemental and positive and support each other unconditionally. I guess such a place may not exist but it would be nice if it did. I think the easiest way to rise above some of these bloodsuckers is to realize they have flaws too and when you find them just realize they are not better than you are. We ALL have problems. Nobody is perfect. The grass always seems greener on the other side but when you live on the other side, that gets old too. I think the best advice I can give is avoid the mirror and avoid letting the bloodsuckers of society take your power away from you. :agree:

 

[Guest]

That's good advice. I spend more time on the internet now than looking in the mirror... it's at least an improvement.

 

[DoctorHouse]

Glad, you are making progress, Erik! :bravo:

 

[DoctorHouse]

Honestly, I would like to break all the mirrors I have, but I have enough bad luck as it is. I don't need any more years added to it. :badmood:

 

[person]

The three most common areas of BDD are the nose skin and hair and i feel I have it in those three aspects.