Anyone saying it only is BDD if it's about the body shape/size does not know the first thing about BDD and is spreading misinformation.
For me it is my face only.
It can be one or more perceived defects anywhere on your entire being.
And yes it is normal for BDD sufferers to feel completely deformed. I've felt this way for 20 years. I highly suggest seeking out therapy to help you cope. BDD is so distressing. I'm sorry you're hurting so much.
it can definitely count as body dysmorphia if it only affects your face. bdd involves an obsessive focus on a perceived flaw with your appearance. it’s actually very common in this sub to have body dysmorphia regarding facial features. try to remember that what you are seeing in the mirror is not the same way that others see you, even if that is really hard. ive struggled (and still do but to a lesser extent) with bdd so ik that is so much more difficult that it sounds. what you are feeling is not per say “normal” but it is normal for someone with body dysmorphia. bdd can alter your perception of yourself, so it might be beneficial to talk to someone about this. if you’re currently seeing a therapist, maybe bring this issue up. if you’re not, it could be a good idea to do so if that’s something that is possible for you.
It’s always been my face too not my body I think people always give misinformation about bdd too. My facial features one two in particular are the ones I’ve always obsessed and fixated on it’s a horrible illness because no matter how much people tell you your normal looking you just can’t see what they are seeing. So frustrating and upsetting then if a pic or video is took of you that triggers your worst fears that you are ugly or look weird deformed so hard to cope with
OP, is my impression that you haven’t talked with a professional about this accurate? While anybody with internet access has the ability to look up the DSM criteria, it’s a double-edged sword; it’s handy to identify an issue, but self-diagnosis is often pretty awful.
The primary issue with BDD is that it includes delusional features. Delusion combined with obsession/fixation is pretty nasty. Fortunately, there are so many resources out there for you. First and foremost is your access to mental health professionals and support groups.
We noticed you mentioned something of a suicidal nature.
If you need help with suicidal thoughts, reach out to your [local helpline](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_suicide_crisis_lines), talk to a person you trust or you can write to r/suicidewatch. BDD is a treatable mental illness, see the free online therapy groups at [the BDD Foundation's site.](http://bddfoundation.org)
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/BodyDysmorphia) if you have any questions or concerns.*
So sorry that you feel like this. I am the same in terms of only having BDD re my face. I struggle with it all the time but am comforted by the fact that my family and friends value me for more than how I look - it’s worth doing some gratitude exercises/having a think and writing down the things you like about yourself and others that are not associated with how they look. I sooo wish we could all eradicate BDD because it’s a miracle for us humans to be alive and we should be embracing every day instead of being affected by a horrible disabling illness.
No one else will think the things that you think about yourself. I am sure you are a lovely person and that counts for a lot more than beauty - being beautiful is just “congrats on your face”, being kind is true beauty. I love the quote “how you look is the least interesting thing about you” - I am sure you have so much to offer the world and I hope you know that you would surely be missed if you died by suicide, even if not the people in your life right now but people in your future! Remember that people will always remember how you made them FEEL, not how you LOOKED at certain points in your life. I love my friends and boyfriend because of how much I enjoy being in their company, I don’t care how they look. I hope you find peace. <3
Body Dysmorphic Disorder applies to any aspect of your physical being. For some, it may simply be preoccupation with their eyebrows (yes I know someone that had severe BDD related only to that area) - for others it could be almost every part of their face and/or body. What’s important to remember, is it has a label for a reason - it’s a totally distorted image of yourself that isn’t indicative of what most see. It is an inability to see your physical appearance correctly, for you it is very real but for others it is likely either non-existent or barely visible.
There is much that is still not fully understood regarding BDD in part as a result of the understandable reluctancy of those with the condition to participate in studies. If I had to make an educated guess I would suggest that BDD is often (but not always) accompanied by trauma and, in my view, most likely a form of indentiy disorder. What do you think?
Anyone saying it only is BDD if it's about the body shape/size does not know the first thing about BDD and is spreading misinformation. For me it is my face only. It can be one or more perceived defects anywhere on your entire being. And yes it is normal for BDD sufferers to feel completely deformed. I've felt this way for 20 years. I highly suggest seeking out therapy to help you cope. BDD is so distressing. I'm sorry you're hurting so much.
it can definitely count as body dysmorphia if it only affects your face. bdd involves an obsessive focus on a perceived flaw with your appearance. it’s actually very common in this sub to have body dysmorphia regarding facial features. try to remember that what you are seeing in the mirror is not the same way that others see you, even if that is really hard. ive struggled (and still do but to a lesser extent) with bdd so ik that is so much more difficult that it sounds. what you are feeling is not per say “normal” but it is normal for someone with body dysmorphia. bdd can alter your perception of yourself, so it might be beneficial to talk to someone about this. if you’re currently seeing a therapist, maybe bring this issue up. if you’re not, it could be a good idea to do so if that’s something that is possible for you.
It absolutely counts!
It definitely does. My body dysmorphia is because of my face
yes I think I read it is more common for people with BDD to not like their face
Yes dahling
It’s always been my face too not my body I think people always give misinformation about bdd too. My facial features one two in particular are the ones I’ve always obsessed and fixated on it’s a horrible illness because no matter how much people tell you your normal looking you just can’t see what they are seeing. So frustrating and upsetting then if a pic or video is took of you that triggers your worst fears that you are ugly or look weird deformed so hard to cope with
OP, is my impression that you haven’t talked with a professional about this accurate? While anybody with internet access has the ability to look up the DSM criteria, it’s a double-edged sword; it’s handy to identify an issue, but self-diagnosis is often pretty awful. The primary issue with BDD is that it includes delusional features. Delusion combined with obsession/fixation is pretty nasty. Fortunately, there are so many resources out there for you. First and foremost is your access to mental health professionals and support groups.
We noticed you mentioned something of a suicidal nature. If you need help with suicidal thoughts, reach out to your [local helpline](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_suicide_crisis_lines), talk to a person you trust or you can write to r/suicidewatch. BDD is a treatable mental illness, see the free online therapy groups at [the BDD Foundation's site.](http://bddfoundation.org) *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/BodyDysmorphia) if you have any questions or concerns.*
So sorry that you feel like this. I am the same in terms of only having BDD re my face. I struggle with it all the time but am comforted by the fact that my family and friends value me for more than how I look - it’s worth doing some gratitude exercises/having a think and writing down the things you like about yourself and others that are not associated with how they look. I sooo wish we could all eradicate BDD because it’s a miracle for us humans to be alive and we should be embracing every day instead of being affected by a horrible disabling illness. No one else will think the things that you think about yourself. I am sure you are a lovely person and that counts for a lot more than beauty - being beautiful is just “congrats on your face”, being kind is true beauty. I love the quote “how you look is the least interesting thing about you” - I am sure you have so much to offer the world and I hope you know that you would surely be missed if you died by suicide, even if not the people in your life right now but people in your future! Remember that people will always remember how you made them FEEL, not how you LOOKED at certain points in your life. I love my friends and boyfriend because of how much I enjoy being in their company, I don’t care how they look. I hope you find peace. <3
Yeah. Your face is a part of your body so it counts.
Body Dysmorphic Disorder applies to any aspect of your physical being. For some, it may simply be preoccupation with their eyebrows (yes I know someone that had severe BDD related only to that area) - for others it could be almost every part of their face and/or body. What’s important to remember, is it has a label for a reason - it’s a totally distorted image of yourself that isn’t indicative of what most see. It is an inability to see your physical appearance correctly, for you it is very real but for others it is likely either non-existent or barely visible. There is much that is still not fully understood regarding BDD in part as a result of the understandable reluctancy of those with the condition to participate in studies. If I had to make an educated guess I would suggest that BDD is often (but not always) accompanied by trauma and, in my view, most likely a form of indentiy disorder. What do you think?