Can God get heal me from body dysmorphia?
I have bdd but the weird thing is everybody tells me I am gorgeous even strangers without me asking . I honestly dont see what they are talking about! I am not the type to care but I do when it comes to my appearance. Its ruining my life, and I know no one can help/heal me but God but how will I go about doing this? When I am out in public like school I tend to stay away from everyone . I dont like people staring at me but I have confidence to speak when I am spoken to but since this cobdition developed I am more of keeping to myself when I used to be bubbly and outgoing. How do I ask God to heal me from this? I dont want to shed a tear anymore. I cry everyday or 2 days because of how unhappy I am. :'( Please be nice. I also never get healous of anyone I am just unhappy because I dont think I can make myself look as stunning as other girls but im not jealous of them though. Thankss!
Do I have Body Dysmorphic Disorder?
Throughout elementary and middle school I was always teased by other kids and judged a lot about my appearance nearly everyday. Now lately my own Dad occasionally will make remarks about how my skin looks, my hair, my weight, etc. I've turned into a completely different person. When I was younger, I didn't care how I looked. Now, I frequently need to wear foundation on my face when I go out. (I'm a guy!) Whenever I see a reflective surface at school or around town, I absolutely MUST glance at myself to make sure I look as perfect as I can be. Whenever I'm alone in my bedroom I spend countless time in my mirror examining my face and body. I literally do facial exercises to try to make my face more narrowed and less round. I suck my little gut I have in so I don't look fat. I do weights to gain muscle. I specially position myself when standing and sitting to not look fat. I dye/bleach my hair and I always make sure my hair is shiny and soft, I constantly comb my hair with free time. I always watch what I'm eating, how much, etc. I spend tons of money on skin and hair products, like for acne and things like that. I have hereditary dark lines and bags under my eyes - I always need to make sure they are covered up. I HATE taking pictures, the few pictures I do take, I MUST edit in them in some way. I think my face looks fat in pictures, I won't even allow myself to be in pictures taken by friends without freaking out. The list could go on and on. I need some advice, I just don't know what to do. I've heard of this disorder before I feel I have it now because of what I had to go through. I'm 16 by the way. What should I do? Please help!!
How can you tell if you have a body dysmorphic disorder or are just insecure with the way you look?
Everyone has had at least one insecurity at some point in their life. It’s one of the unfortunate parts of being human.Someone with an insecurity will maybe feel kind of self consious. But, they will pretty much forget about it as their day goes on.Having body dysmorphia is a bit different.Your insecurity is something that's always in the back of your mind. No matter how hard you try, you can't help but compare yourself to everyone else. When you look in the mirror, you can't help but feel anger. Anger, because you know you can't really change who you are. That anger eventually leads to tears. Tears that will stream down your face as you lie on the ground.You look in the mirror too often.Or…Not at all.You have your “good” days. When you tell yourself, “Fuck it” and you don't actually think about your insecurites that much. Enjoy those days. Savor them. They won't come very often.As someone who has had body dysmorphia for the past three years, I can say that life definitely sucks, a lot. But, it has gotten better. I don't avoid wearing certain clothing anymore. I try my best to eat enough during the day.It's going to be a long process, but I am slowly learning to love and accept my body for how it is. (As long as my depression doesn't drag me down any further in the next six months or so)If you are thinking you may have body dysmorphia, just know, you're not alone. And, as much as your brain may tell you, other people don't notice your flaws. They don't care. Get this, your body NEEDS food to live. Try your best to eat enough food everyday. If you didn't skip breakfast (or any meal), I'm proud of you.Stay safe :)
What causes body dysmorphia?
People with BDD are preoccupied with one or more aspects of their physical appearance, believing that these body areas look ugly, abnormal, deformed, or disfigured. People with BDD obsess about the disliked body areas for at least an hour a day. Most people with BDD are mostly convinced or completely convinced that they look ugly or abnormal, even though other people don’t see them this way. BDD preoccupations fuel repetitive compulsive behaviors that are intended to fix, hide, inspect, or obtain reassurance about the disliked body parts. On average, these behaviors consume from 3–8 hours a day. They are usually difficult to control or stop. These behaviors may include the following:Camouflaging (trying to hide or cover up the disliked body areas)Comparing (comparing the disliked features to those of other people)Mirror checkingExcessive groomingReassurance seeking/questioning of othersSkin pickingChanging clothes frequentlyExcessive tanningExcessive exercising or weight liftingExcessive shoppingSeeking cosmetic surgery, dermatological treatment, or other cosmetic proceduresSocial anxiety and avoidanceThese preoccupations with appearance and repetitive compulsive behaviors get in the way of day-to-day functioning and the ability of the person to engage in valued life activities such as working, going to school, or spending time with family/friends . The BDD Questionnaire (BDDQ) is a “self-test” that an individual fills out him/herself. Only a trained mental health professional can diagnose BDD, but this test may serve as a helpful guide for whether you should seek help. You may consider bringing your responses on this test with you to your visit with a therapist or psychiatrist to discuss the results and what they mean.
My girlfriend has body dysmorphia. What can she do to realize that she is beautiful? What are ways that I can help?
Let’s assume that Therapy, though it would be necessary for a lasting and significant improvement, is just not an option.This kind of disorders usually originate during childhood years, very often caused by an absent or abusive parent that didn’t teach her the value she has. This missing reinforcement to believe in herself evolves in low self esteem.Another factor involved is the excessive amount of “model bodies” that she sees in TV, publicity or everywhere, sends the message that to be successful, noticed or happy you need to have good looks.All in all, she only sees the “beautifulness” outside, and worries that since she is not pretty (or just doesn’t realize it), she is not worth much.I would advice some damage control, by being a good supportive partner you can slowly make her realize that you see a lot in her that she could see too. Let’s not focus on appearances, work with what’s inside, let her know all the good traits she has. Make her set up a list of three great qualities she has (being a good listener, a great friend, awesome at math) so she can repeat it every time she doubts herself or focuses badly on her body.As I saw in another answer, getting rid of mirrors is a good idea.The most important thing is to switch the spotlight from body to soul. Also by being caring and supportive you start to fill that void of reassurance and confidence that began in her childhood.Good luck :)
What is body dysmorphic disorder, and how frequent is this disorder?
Body dysmorphia disorder (BDD) is described as a body-image disorder. When a person has BDD they are preoccupied with “persistent and intrusive” defects in their appearance. The defect is usually slight or even imagined. The person suffering with BDD doesn't see things for what they are. The imperfection they see causes emotional distress and may cause problems with every day functioning. Environmental and biological factors play a part in developing BDD but at this point the causes are unclear.Obsessions with BDD are hard to control and makes it difficult for the sufferer to focus on anything except the “imperfections”. Compulsions may help alleviate some anxiety but the action is only temporary, the obsession will return.Common compulsions include:Intense skin pickingAvoidance or obsession with mirrorsOver groomingEndlessly changing clothesTalking about cosmetic surgeries (obsessed with not just once in a while)Seeking out surgeries“Camouflaging"; using clothing, make up, hats,etc to mask their perceived imperfectionThere is no cure for BDD. Suggested treatment is CBT therapy and antidepressants.According to the Mayo Clinic BDD is a common diagnosis with 200,000 new cases diagnosed a year.
Would you be able to date/deal with someone with body dysmorphic disorder?
I'm not gonna lie. That's a tough situation for someone to be in. I've known girls with BDD and I've read tons of articles and seen documentaries on it. It's an incredibly frustrating disorder. It's not just that people with BDD aren't affected by compliments. They're also immune to reason. You could take a picture of a girl with BDD, hold it up side-by-side next to a picture of another girl who is similarly or less attractive, show it to the BDD sufferer, point out that she objectively looks the same or even better than the other girl who is ALSO attractive, and it still doesn't make a difference. If I REALLY liked a girl, thought her personality was great, admired her intelligence, and cared about her a lot, I would make a genuine effort to deal with the BDD on the condition that she was actively in counseling for the disorder. This thing is way beyond the ability of people without specialized training to cope with, and if it's not treated it only gets worse with time. So basically it would be "Look baby, you know I love you. I'm here to be supportive. But you MUST be in therapy for this, or I have to go. I'll help you make your appointments on time, I'll make sure you take your meds regularly, I'll always be here if you need a shoulder to cry on, or just to vent. Therapy is not optional if you want me to try to make this work."
***Does my Boyfriend have Body Dysmorphic Disorder??!**?
I am convinced that my boyfriend is suffering from Body Dysmorphic Disorder. About every few months, he goes into a wild panic about this little half inch section of his hairline – and it baffles my mind because I can never see what he is talking about! He is only 25 and has a head full of beautiful, thick black hair! Here’s a few reasons why I think he has this mental disorder – - He loses himself in it, takes pictures every week in it - Talks about taking drastic measures such as hair transplants and shaving it all off - He is a natural control freak—very successful in school – but the second he feels like he doesn’t have control in his life and he is having anxiety about the future, he starts obsessing about this hairline “flaw” and how he can’t go into the working world without being “perfect” - Every time he starts trying to show me the “flaw”…I can’t see ANYTHING WRONG. - He obsesses about this one tiny part of his hair – but the rest of his hair could be growing out all over the place and he doesn’t notice - They say people who suffer from BDD often had some kind of trauma in their life and it manifests into this OCD disorder – My BF’s dad ditched out on the family and he was homeless for a bit when he was a little kid – a traumatic enough event to convince me. - He has so much anxiety about this and how it affects how people think about him, that he won’t tell anyone except me and his doctor. It is such a secret that he loses sleep over it. - I traveled out to see him 400 miles away this weekend (after not seeing him for 2 months), and when I asked him why he seemed so in his head, he said it was because “his hair was bothering him”. - Last but not least – when he first discovered this “imperfection”, he even told me that if he started losing his hair he would seriously consider killing himself “ rather than going out into the world bald”… meanwhile he has managers that are very bald. SO you see, this probably isn’t my imagination, but it surely is his! I even have a picture of his hairline to prove my point: I told him he needs to get some help last night … but does anyone else understand what is going on here? Can anyone give me a few words of advice on how to help this situation? Thanks so much.