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Body Dysmorphic Disorder? Ocd?

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Kd121

New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 19 Jun 2005
Posts: 19
Location: Uk
Body Dysmorphic Disorder? Ocd?
Posted: 07-11-05 21:54pm

There are two things about me which have led me to think I have a mild form of ocd and also body dysmorphic disorder...

First of all, pretty much whenever I get a chance, I look in a mirror and sometimes tell myself "i hate you" when I look in the mirror...This is because I just hate the way I look...I could say a bad point about pretty much all of my facial features and body parts...I sometimes stare into a mirror for as long as 15-20 minutes at a time just trying to see if i'm actually better looking than I thought...Sometimes i'll think I look better than I usually do but then I start to concentrate on my bad features...I don't like my eyebrows, I don't like my nose, I don't like my chin, I don't like my cheekbones I don't like my neck etc etc...It really makes me feel depressed. Once when I walked into a clothes shop, in the dressing cubicle the mirrors inside allowed you to look straight ahead and see a profile of yourself...I looked at myself and was horrified at the disproportion of my body and face...Although I know i'm not hideously ugly, this just sent me into a debilitating depression that I couldn't shake off for a few days...

One thing that makes me think I have some kind of ocd is I often dwell on things i've done or said in the past that made me look bad in any way and I immediately think of graphic self harm as a kind of way to counter the regretful thoughts...I even sometimes carry out the motion of cutting my arm immediately when I get one of these thoughts (i only rarely actually self harm, and when I do it's not as extreme as drawing blood...More like punching walls, punching myself etc.) this is making me think I have ocd as it's like a reflex thought that pops into my head as a defence mechanism or something?
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Assena

Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 12 Nov 2004
Posts: 328
Location: Georgia

Posted: 07-11-05 22:26pm

Sweetheart it sounds like you have a case of poor self esteem. You probably have clinical deppression as well. Dwelling on the past is not usual for people with ocd... That usualy has to do with repetative nature and order. (ie you have to lock and unlock the door 6 times before going in the house.... All the time)

this may be hard but it is something I do to try to counter my self loathing (or what I call reverse vanity) feelings is I try to find 1 think I like about my self.. Just one thing and go with it. I find I have less rage and feel a little better.
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jurplesman

Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 24 Jul 2004
Posts: 139
Location: Sydney Australia

Posted: 07-11-05 23:22pm

I think assena hits the nail on the head.

You seem to have a combination of depression and that has been focused on the physical self-image.

First you need to treat the depression, because this is a physical disorder contrary to popular opinion.

It is mainly caused by hypoglycemia, that inter alia also cause you to put on weight. Hence the connection between depression and obesity.

You can help yourself if you are prepared to study the contents of our web site at:

www.Hypoglycemia.Asn.Au

read the following articles:

“what is hypoglycemia?”

“the serotonin connection”

“depression a nutritional disorder”

“beating anxiety”

these articles tend to be somewhat technical and if you have problems following these, please discuss with a doctor or a therapist.

Then you need to study the self-help psychotherapy course. There are eight chapters and if you study one chapter a week and carry out the mental exercises, you should start to feel better about yourself.

Also pay particular attention to the topic:

“the wooden leg argument” (google search our web site)

that explains how you can get rid of a negative self-image that is related to your physical features.

This cannot be resolved over night and you need time to study and do the psychotherapy course. If in problems consult a therapist.

Cheers jur

jurriaan plesman, ba (psych) post grad dip clin nutr
for more articles see
http://www.Hypoglycemia.Asn.Au
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tvproducer

New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 09 Jun 2006
Posts: 8
Maybe I Can Help
Posted: 06-09-06 12:41pm

I'm a producer with a new talk show in ny called the Dr. Keith ablow show. He's very interested in covering stories on body dysmorphic disorder with hopes of spreading awareness of this disease. We're looking for stories similar to yours that can hopefully educate and help other people that might be suffering from it.
If you're still going through this, please email me if you might be interested in speaking with Dr. Ablow.
Her etohelp1234@yahoo.Com
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norman12

New User, Becoming EHEALTHy
Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 23
Location: new jersey
Kd121 Hang In There
Posted: 06-11-06 15:59pm

I wish you recovery w/ this illness. I can relate to what you're going through b/c I go through it too. I also have body dysmorphic disorder and think i'm ugly/disproportionate as far as my facial deatures go and I spend too much time in the mirror. I did get some relief from a hypnotherapist a while back and this seemed to lessen some of the symptoms.

You may want to try this kd121, don't look into mirrors, avoid them as best you could. Instead look into a pane of glass-you may get a different image. Also, what do other people (family, friends) say you look like. Do you resemble a specific actor/musician. Give us some more feedback about yourself so we could be of more help to ya.

For me, I feel that I have distorted facial features and not an attractive face. Bdd is mostly about my facial features but also somewhat my body. I spend hours infront of the mirror and I try on hats, glasses just figuring that what I see in mirror-don't make sense. I'm generally seen by friends, women, family as a very handsome guy. I've been compared to actor james caan (sonny from godfather). Others have said vin diesal. And i've heard bruce willis too.. For me, my image changes when I look into a pane of glass-i look more attractive. Looking into the mirror does not work for me. And even when I was in high school, I thought the girls were being cruel when I heard that they found me attractive. "why wouuld they lie to me, that's so cruel" I used to say
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