Is anybody on here a confirmed, diagnosed BDD sufferer or in general has worked with the disorder before? I'm thinking I might have it, and was hoping I could talk to some people who might have had a similar experience. My utter lack of confidence in my appearances pretty much leave me incapacitate of things like dating (pretty much out of the question, I'm not decent looking enough yet) and it's really starting to distress me. I just wanted to ask..
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Thread: Body Dysmorphic Disorder
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02-27-2011, 12:17 AM #1
Body Dysmorphic Disorder
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02-27-2011, 12:54 AM #2
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lack of confidence is different from Body Dysmorphic Disorder I believe. I think that's when you think or view yourself as like 100 pounds heavier or lighter than you really are. (I.E you are really really thin but think you are overweight or even the other way around, this disorder is common in anorexics and bulimics I believe).
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02-27-2011, 09:45 AM #3
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02-27-2011, 01:29 PM #4
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03-22-2011, 11:49 AM #5
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If the way you feel about yourself is affecting your life, (and you have already taken the step of admitting it, which is a good thing) perhaps you should consider something like confidence coaching, or talking to a head doctor...
I always see the guy on the left when I look in the mirror (Check my before and after pics) even though I know that I now weigh more, and look healthier.
I spoke to someone about it, and it really helped.
I still don't have an accurate mental self image, but it's not affecting my life like it used to.
I'm not at the stage where I feel I can take my top off or wear shorts in summer, but I can date and chat without feeling inferior now.
Do you have a trigger point? Something that made you feel this way?
For me, it was multiple strangers passing comment on my weight while growing up.
"Do you have cancer?"
"Are you sick?"
"Woah dude you have to do something about your arms"
These comments stuck with me for years, like poison.
Recognizing that I'm carrying other peoples negative thoughts (a startling realisation that these thoughts of loathing were not my own) around with me also helped me to say "Shut the f**k up" to them.
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03-22-2011, 11:58 AM #6
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03-22-2011, 11:59 AM #7
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03-22-2011, 12:13 PM #8
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03-23-2011, 12:56 AM #9
I was really skinny and attractive as a kid. I was never really popular and was picked on a little bit but adults generally doted on me a lot cause I was cute, I knew it too.
Between third and forth grade I gained a lot of weight, my blonde hair turned brown, I had to get braces, glasses. It was pretty much looking in the mirror and not recognizing myself. By fifth and sixth grade I was six-foot and a size 38 almost 40 waist. Kids were kind of cruel sometimes.
Mid-highschool I got back down to 36 and now overall a 35.
A "trigger" might be getting bigger in any regard, I am averse to getting larger but because of my frame I NEED to put on muscle else I'll look sickly. But trigger is probably getting bigger, because of the shame I felt when we would go shopping and I had to keep getting bigger and bigger sizes and my mother's comments. My family is very attractive, my brother now is 16 and could probably model for commerical/clothing stuff imo.
I do go to a therapist, though I haven't seen him in a while, and he encourages dating, but I'm a bit hesitant to. I'm not very comfortable with the idea, I mean I've been on a few dates but generally I'm too self concious/critical.
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03-23-2011, 02:07 AM #10
Bro you need to go to a psychiatrist and get serious help because reading all your posts shows that you are in trouble. You are seeking at all these negative things and putting yourself into that position thinking that you suffer from these things but in reality NONE of it is true. I know a lot of people that have this problem. They basically read the symptoms and automatically think that they suffer from this stuff but its all in your head. Please watch the documentary "The Secret" and talk to a professional for help.
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03-23-2011, 10:01 PM #11
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03-23-2011, 10:33 PM #12
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I was never diagnosed with anything, to avoid any kind of mental health record for my future in nursing, but I've had 'episodes' of BDD. It was my psychiatrists way of diagnosing me without any penalties.
I actually like to avoid mirrors, because I never view myself as I really am. At one point, I would go as far as take pictures on my phone of myself and compare. I'm 158lbs with some muscle, but for some reason I can't really see myself as thin, even when I was 107lbs.
It is a bit different than just simply having a lack of confidence or low self esteem. It's extremely frustrating.
My psychiatrist at the time broke it down to me like this: I lost track after high school, and didn't achieve a lot of the goals I had. I associated fat with lack of control and failing, and therefore I saw myself as a failure.
It has gotten much better over the years, though. I notice the more I work at my goals, the less fatter I look, but to my eyes, I'm still about 220lbs.The trick is to keep breathing...
Eat to live; don't live to eat.
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03-24-2011, 01:36 AM #13
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Just a thought...you have been seeing that same therapist but you continue to post these types of threads...poor body image...maybe it's time to find another therapist...Maybe someone new will have effective ways to get you past your continued thoughts....Something isn't working...and if it's not working your wasting you and your therapist's time and energy.....Self
While liftin duh weights I yell out..."You sexy beast"...."Squeeze metal for papa".
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03-29-2011, 01:39 AM #14
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03-29-2011, 11:45 AM #15
self image
I understand in this silly game we are all playing that "you" are your own worst critic. Even at my leanest if I was ever to take my shirt off, I would get the "just stop trying to brag" comments. Hard to swallow when It's coming from people that havent been through an actual contest prep diet. Its very frusterating. Even right now, I am 18 days out of my show and I HATE looking at myself in the mirror. I dont see it as "Lookin good, I've made it a long way", I see it as "OMG, I need to be better here, here, and here" Very depressing!
It is a sickness, and I'm afraid to "see" anyone about it because through my eyes, those are for the people looking for excuses even though deep down I know the Dr's are trained for helping others and probably do a good job at it.
With my Job, (911 Supervisor) 99.9% of the time the people I have to talk to on the phone arent having such a good day. They ALL have problems one way or another, wether its people being drunk and assaulting me, or my mom/dad/son/daughter is laying in front of me dying...I've taken those calls and everywhere in between. After doing this for almost 16 years, it weighs on you. Dont get me wrong, I do like my job, and it does feel good to help people, (best one is i delivered a baby over the phone a couple months ago..:-) ) but more often than not, its people are already torqued and want me to solve all their problems!
back to my issues......I wish there was an easy solution to make me have a better "self image" about myself....from the neck up, i think i am BUTT UGLY!! from the neck ----> down, decent, but no more than that!
really struggling right now......sigh
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03-29-2011, 03:27 PM #16
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I kinda sorta have the same issue, I work out 5 days a week doing 1 hour of cardio a day for the past few months. I'm 24 weight 180 lbs and I'm 5' 11", but somehow I still see that fat 240 lbs weak fat boy I was 2 years ago. I only feel this way on my rest days, I get scared to take my protein or eat sometimes cuz I'm scared to be fat again. I dont think I need proffesional help tho, I learn to deal with this with plenty of exercise and my gf helps tons also =)
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03-29-2011, 05:48 PM #17
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04-01-2011, 04:34 PM #18
I'm loosing my hair...just got back from the doctors, went to confirm what was going on with my scalp, I noticed it was thinning; turns out I have mpb...this ****ing sucks. I can't win. I really can't. I don't think I'd even look good without my hair...how the **** am I going to be able to like my looks now if I wont have any hair? I'm only ****ing 21...how the hell am I going to be attractive without hair?
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04-01-2011, 05:25 PM #19
Take a objective rational look at yourself. Don't let your feelings tell you that you don't look good. Feelings never prove anything. Many people are overweight or underweight and they could care less.
About balding... It's a quite common thing. Don't let it bring you down, cause there's nothing you can do about it. It won't be so bad once you accept it.
Idk, maybe you just need friends or a girlfriend. That's a huge factor in self esteem.Last edited by naqeft; 04-01-2011 at 05:30 PM.
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04-01-2011, 05:35 PM #20
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04-01-2011, 05:45 PM #21
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04-01-2011, 09:33 PM #22
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04-02-2011, 03:50 AM #23
Have a ton of friends. Though I'm pretty picky with girls, and generally don't think I'm good looking enough to date really so...I mean if I really like someone I'll go out to lunch and stuff but in general, not good fit enough to be in the dating pool.
I don't know how to objectively look at myself, I can rationalize and write down all the stuff I do and am good at and quite frankly that makes me an interesting, engaging and extremely talented person, but quite frankly it's not good enough....
like I don't think I'd be remotely attractive without hair/shaved/buzzed hair....I think I'd look creepy...
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04-03-2011, 11:41 PM #24
I swear I have this.
There are days where I'll look in the mirror and think "I look decent enough to be social today."
Then there'll be days where I think I look hideous and not want to leave the house.
It's retarded, I wish I didn't care so much.
Bodybuilding has helped a ton though... My confidence is based on how good I think I look (as vain as that sounds) and i've made solid progress since I started weight training.
And don't panic about your hair, there's solutions out there. If you have the money, you can get a hair transplant.. there's been a couple guys in the forums who've had successful hair transplants. Or you can go the finasteride + rogaine route, which should re-grow some hair or at least maintain what you have right now.
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04-03-2011, 11:53 PM #25
Yeah picked up some rogaine, I'm trying not to care but it still hurts. I normally have my hair kinda long and it's kinda curly so people generally have always been really receptive to it; definitely one of my best features. Which is why I'm feeling particularly sour about the situation. It's like one of the few things I like about myself is taken away.
I know I have many, many, many redeeming qualities and maybe for most people, above average looks but I still harp on myself too most of the time, which is weird because aside from my hair I should feel great! Considering I just learned from the doctors I not only lost 12 lbs, but I've been mainly been doing pushups this past month just cause of rehearsals for a play at school so time is limited- and not only can I see my chest getting better and better, but my "pushup" count just keeps getting higher and higher and that feels great....I've been doing all sorts of amazing artistic stuff, often tired but my producitvity in terms of creative stuff is great.
But I dunno, I'm still not satisfied, still not happy. But I should be. I mean, one of my friends just had me actually SIT for them as a model to do photos for her photo class. She said I'd be pretty easy to photograph/for her to not mess up hence why she asked me, which I still can't entirely get my head around either.
I'm going to see my therapist for the first time in a while, maybe that will help...
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04-04-2011, 08:18 AM #26
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04-04-2011, 02:24 PM #27
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04-13-2011, 12:47 PM #28
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04-13-2011, 02:09 PM #29
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This is a disease that everyone has to some extent. Your story is very similar to mine. I graduated high school in 1999 at 6,2", 135lbs. Beleive me I got F#ucked with. But back to what I was saying, anyone who tells you they are 100% satisfied with themselves, are the same people who say they never masterbate! Their lying. The only thing I can recommend is just try your best to see some positive things about yourself. Stop being so concerned with what other people thik about your body or whatvere. Workouot for yourself, and not for others. I still look at myself at times and still see the skinny tall kid from my youth, but then I hold photo up and know, its bs! Stay motivated and keep working towards your goal and screw negative comments.
When the mind fails to comprehend, the body must be punished!
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04-18-2011, 12:51 AM #30
For me it's the inability to reconcile the image of what I want to be with who I am (how I view me) which itself is probably different than how others view me and how I look.. I know a guy who is SO charismatic and entertaining, he's very popular and girls love him. He is not in great shape at all and kinda overweight even. I look much better than he does and yet I still think to myself " I'm still not good enough" at times. It really sucks.
Getting a gf is an entirely different issue.
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