BDD SUCKS

Overcoming Body Dysmorphic Disorder - My Story of Living With BDD

"It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see."
~ Henry David Thoreau

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This is the Story of My Life Living With Body Dysmorphic Disorder

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Overcoming BDD by Saying Screw it

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You really have two choices

  1. You can let life pass you by while you hide in shame in the shadows of your illness
  2. You say “screw it” and you live life anyway

The first option will bring you pain, sadness and endless misery

The second option will open up life in ways you could only imagine. But it is going to be painful. You are going to have to force yourself to do things you don’t want to do, you are going to feel uncomfortable the entire time, you are going to at times want to crawl back into the hole – because it feels safe in the hole.

The “safety” you feel in the hole isn’t safe at all – it is a waste of your time, your life, and the gift that BDD gives you.

What is the gift?

The gift is empathy, understanding of the human condition, love for human beings, a warmth that defines the essential nature of life. The essential nature of life being that we are indeed not defined by our outer appearance and that we as humans are most beautiful when we are our most vulnerable.

You know this to be true, but until you can tap into it, and use the BDD as your force to do good in the world, you will remain limited, restrained by the imaginary confines of the judgement, that you place on yourself. And it is you who has placed these limitations on yourself, no other person can do this to you.

As I overcome my BDD, I am thankful for the very nature of my illness. I can see it not as an illness but as a force for good in this world.

Because how many people feel shame?

Lots, let us no longer be forces for more shame, but the defining factor in the war against it.

Books Worth Reading

Shattered Image: My Triumph Over Body Dysmorphic Disorder

This is a wonderful book written by Brian Cuban – The brother of famed billionaire and tech mogul Mark Cuban from The Shark Tank. It is great to finally hear a man’s voice in this space. The book is honest, timely, and gives practical advice that we can all use to overcome BDD. The book is also available in the Kindle Lending library which is how I found it. This is a must-read.
The Broken Mirror: Understanding and Treating Body Dysmorphic Disorder

A fantastic, concise, and essential book to understand the diagnosis and treatment of Body Dysmorphic Disorder. It is a fairly short and easy read, that is full of top-notch information! Material is complete and presented in an organized and useful way. The understanding enabled for both client and therapist is one of the main traits of this book. And the author is obviously committed to the betterment/healing of her clients.
Feeling Good about the Way You Look A Program for Overcoming Body Image Problems

This is a wonderful book!  Written by the Director of the MGH OCD and Related Disorders Program, and Founder of the Body Dysmorphic Disorder Clinic, this book offers individuals suffering from Body Dysmorphic Disorder with critical tools to understand BDD and to bring their disorder under control. The step by step approach detailed in the book is exactly what is needed for patients and clinicians alike. I have enthusiastically been recommending it to all of my clients who have BDD, and to colleagues interested in learning more about it. This book offers new hope to the millions of people worldwide who live with this troubling, but treatable disorder.
The BDD Workbook: Overcome Body Dysmorphic Disorder and End Body Image Obsessions

This workbook really delves into the thought processes of a person who suffers from this exhausting illness. The worksheets and exercises really cause you to challenge the beliefs which have been ingrained in your memory for decades. I would highly recommend this workbook for anyone who is self-directed and able to work through the exercises on their own.

About Stephen

My name is Stephen and I was officially diagnosed with BDD in October of 2012. I have lived with it my whole life. This blog is my story, my shame, and my path to recovery. It starts on Day 1 of my new life. To live, and love myself, to teach others how to do the same, and learn more about what it means to live with body dysmorphic disorder. Here are some resources that I use...

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