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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Stop the Madness

By

Overcoming BDD

I went out without makeup on my nose today, inspired by a story I saw on the news about a childhood burn victim.

Her face was horribly disfigured in a car accident when she was 7. Her face had melted off, separated from its bony scaffolding.

The doctors debated whether or not to let her live, trying to decide if she could ever have a descent quality of life.

She hid indoors for years once her childhood innocence had passed, afraid of what people would say.

Then she lifted the curtain.

When she began to see her beauty, what the trauma had taught her, how she had grown as a person… she let go.

She even found love and is now married.

Because love cannot be disfigured, it is pure and unconditional.

Watching her story I realized I didn’t have it that bad.

A modeling agency is doing a photo shoot of her, showing that even when we are disfigured we are beautiful because we are human beings.

So even if I can’t shake the feeling that something is wrong, I can accept who I am.

And even if this means I will spend my life disfigured in the mirror, I don’t have to live this way inside or on the outside.

Love is unconditional, beauty comes from the love we have of ourselves, of our life.

It’s time to stop this madness and live life again.

photo credit: AlicePopkorn

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...