Some common appearance related assumptions that BDD sufferers hold include:[3] X Research source “If people see the real me, then they will be repulsed. " “If I can see the problem, then everyone else must be noticing it too. ” “If I relax my standards, then I will let myself go. " “If I do not look perfect, then no one will ever love me. " “If I look attractive, then I will be successful in life. " “If I am ugly, then I have no value. "
For instance, if you are at a social gathering, spend time focusing on how few people have made negative remarks about your appearance and how positively people have responded to your presence at the event or how many times you have been complimented.
If you hold beliefs that your appearance dictates your value as a person, remind yourself of the many qualities that you value in others. Notice that these other qualities are not affected by appearance and that you yourself have the ability to value people aside from how they look.
This can be especially difficult considering the fact that many BDD sufferers receive frequent reassurance about their appearance that seems to have no impact.
The most common habits that accompany BDD are:[9] X Trustworthy Source HelpGuide Nonprofit organization dedicated to providing free, evidence-based mental health and wellness resources. Go to source Checking your appearance on reflective surfaces. Checking yourself by feeling your skin with your fingers. Cutting or fidgeting with your hair, always in attempt to perfect it. Picking your skin to make it more smooth. Comparing yourself against models in magazines or people in the street. Frequently talking about your appearance with others. Camouflaging or otherwise hiding your appearance.
The most common habits that accompany BDD are:[9] X Trustworthy Source HelpGuide Nonprofit organization dedicated to providing free, evidence-based mental health and wellness resources. Go to source Checking your appearance on reflective surfaces. Checking yourself by feeling your skin with your fingers. Cutting or fidgeting with your hair, always in attempt to perfect it. Picking your skin to make it more smooth. Comparing yourself against models in magazines or people in the street. Frequently talking about your appearance with others. Camouflaging or otherwise hiding your appearance.
Be advised, you may want to gauge how you use knowledge of your triggers based on the intensity level of the disorder. If you are in the throes of BDD, either housebound or in 24/7 obsession mode, you may be too sensitive to begin exploring the roots of the problem. It will be easier to get some distance by avoiding painful triggers before getting in deep.
For example, a girl who is concerned with a slight bulge in her stomach may be asked to go in public wearing a tight fitting t-shirt then observe how many people are actually staring at her stomach. Directly viewing the disparity between what you see and what others are doing can be a strong motivator for changing beliefs. Please note that the purpose of this exercise is to rattle you deeply. That said, do not expect to expose yourself in this way without significant levels of distress. According to most psychotherapists, this degree and type of distress is a necessary though uncomfortable part of the healing process.
Eat nourishing food. Get plenty of rest. Take up a new hobby, like gardening or cooking. Join a reading club, or other group-oriented activity.
If you are opening up to people in your life, you may find that fair-weather friends are not adequate support systems, but those who accept you unconditionally will help you learn to treat yourself in a similar manner. Think deeply about who you feel most yourself around, not just people whose praise you find satisfying, before sharing. Be aware that the purpose of finding a community of people with common problems will not be helpful if it is used as a platform to indulge members’ insecurities and affirm dissatisfaction with appearance. The idea is to share similar feelings, not evaluations, judgments, or other thoughts. If you notice people accidentally sharing their favorite ways to judge themselves rather than coping skills, you may want to reconsider joining that community.
This is an advanced coping skill that is well-suited to those who are already curious about the workings of the social world. Be aware that in some cases, acknowledging the problem’s existence in society over and above its existence in oneself may lead to further denial of one’s own symptoms.
It is very likely that your therapist will prescribe a combination of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy and medication. SSRIs are the most commonly prescribed pharmaceutical drug for BDD. SSRIs are also used to treat depression, anxiety, and obessive-compulsive disorder. [18] X Research source
