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

Contact | About | Resources Archives

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

You are here: Home / Gratitude Journal / Worthy Now

Worthy Now

By

First gratitude:

  1. I am grateful for this quiet early morning, the kids are still asleep and there is silence, pure motionless silence and that is blissful.
  2. I am grateful for children: Their smiles and their laughter, their joy and when they are little at least, their innate ability to love. It is a breath of fresh air, it is a reminder of what makes us human.
  3. I am grateful for me, for my life and this very moment.
  4. I am grateful for healing, in all its forms, whether this is physical or emotional. It can happen and that gives me hope.
  5. I am grateful for my sister, who has had to overcome her own body issues, she is a constant source of love and inspiration.

Worthy Now

When we can let go of what other people think and own our story, we gain access to our worthiness – the feeling that we are enough just as we are and that we are worthy of love and belonging.
When we spend a lifetime trying to distance ourselves from the parts of our lives that don’t fit with who we think we’ere supposed to be, we stand outside of our story and hustle for our worthiness by constantly performing, perfecting, trying to please and proving.
Our sense of worthiness – that critically important piece that gives us access to love and belonging lives inside of our story.
The greatest challenge for most of us with BDD is believing that we are worthy now, right this very minute.

Worthiness doesn’t have a prerequisite yet I know I have created a long list of them:

  1. I will be worthy when this scar isn’t so prominent on my face.
  2. I will be worthy when I have perfect skin.
  3. I will be worthy when my body is in better shape.
  4. I will be worthy when I make money online selling my art.
  5. I will be worthy when I can never make a mistake.
  6. I will be worthy when my nose heals and it isn’t so red and disfigured looking.
  7. I will be worthy when no one calls me out or puts me down, or challenges my way of thinking.
  8. I will be worthy at a party when I am the center of attention and everyone wants to talk to me.
Here is the secret to overcoming BDD:

Worthy Now, Not if, Not when.

We are all worthy of love and belonging right now, right this minute. As is.

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...