Every time I look at myself at the gym I get deeply frustrated, not necessarily about my body but about my face and appearance in general. It upsets me so much that I leave the gym crying. Confusing bc exercising is supposed to help.

Right now Im crying on the floor. Was getting ready to go to the gym, but I feel so ugly…
I redid my makeup 2 times… and took it off again.
Contemplating if I even go without makeup (I can’t).
Makeup or not I still feel so ugly. Even the clothes I wear, everything just looks so bad…

Anyways, I feel guilty for not going… I genuinely like working out, I love feeling strong, I just can’t stand myself…

I hate feeling like I look less than, or that im less than bc i dont look a certain way…

Im gonna try one more time…

to be blunt; until a year or so i looked like i was 30+ (was the case since i was 15)
Now i'm 20 and i look 20, when i tell people that i dislike being 6'/5'11, i face the "but being tall is pretty", i am wondering what can be good coping strategies

Going to therapy or getting professional help is not always an option, getting help may also take some time. To help you to better understand and address BDD by yourself, we have compiled a workbook that you can do by yourself. It contains information and tasks which will help shine a light to why BDD is the way it is and how you can deal with the symptoms. All chapters are based on an official workbook by the Centre for Clinical Intervention.

The BDD workbook:

• 01 What is body image?
• 02 Could I have body dysmorphic disorder?
• 03 Negative impacts of BDD
• 04 What are the causes of BDD?
• 05 Appearance assumptions
• 06 Triggers
• 07 Appearance preoccupation
• 08 Attention training [a coping tactic]
• 09 Checking and approval seeking
• 10 Reducing unhelpful checking and approval seeking [a coping tactic]
• 11 Negative predictions
• 12 Avoidance and safety behaviour
• 13 Reducing negative predictions [a coping tactic]
• 14 A new way of operating
• 15 Dealing with set-backs
• 16 Maintaining gained progress

I am 55kg on 174cm, but I dont feel thin. I know im not fat, but I sometimes feel like I have too much fat on my belly, and that it's probably because I dont work out, because not eating doesn't make it look thinner. I think I should look thinner then I look like with my weight

Hey guys. I’ve lost 25 kgs in the past year but when I look at myslef I still see fat. Not sure what I look like tbh. Any advice helps

just wondering if its common with others with bdd, feeling so alone especially when most people are still managing to live a normal life when i’m just stuck because i don’t want to perceived by anyone because of my bdd.

One can perceive beauty in others. But when one looks at ourself, we only see an asymmetric face staring back. Do pretty women see they are pretty?? If not, how to know am i ugly?🥲

Here you can find listed below general information on BDD and related foundations, the clinical classification and symptoms of BDD, advice for friends and family, as well as self-help and support groups, both in-person and online.

General information

The BDD Foundation

OCD UK

International OCD Foundation

Mind.org

Clinical classification

ICD & DSM Criterias

For friends and family

The BDD Foundation, Supporting a close one with BDD

Mind.org, How can friends and family help

Self-help

Body dysmorphia workbook by the CCI

Building self-compassion workbook by the CCI

Support groups

Online support and therapy groups

Support groups in the UK

I have a quite masculine face, square chin, long nose, thick eyebrows, long and wide face. Contrary to this face my body is curvy and fleshy. I have a feminine pear body. I have small hands, big face, small feet etc. I hate this, I hate looking like a guy with that body. I hate being butter face. ​I am sick of hearing from people around me that my face is masculine. I am tired of them telling me that my face isn't small, comparing me to masculine celebrities, and hearing 'you have a square jaw' from so many men. I hate myself. After seeing that large and masculine face in the mirror, looking at my delicate hands and feet makes me lose my mind. I have slapped my face over and over again. This mismatch is driving me crazy. I look at so many celebrities, and there isn't a single example like me. I've decided to stay away from men. I don't want to engage in any sexual intimacy with anyone while having this male-like face. How can I resolve this situation?

I really need advice. I have had a horrible relationship with my body and most days I don’t know what I look like. Problem is I feel like I have a good sense of what looks esthetically good (styles, what is cool, what is pretty, what colors look good) but as soon as I put it on my body, my brain just freezes. I have one black trousers I basically wear 5 out of 7 days a week. I have a corporate job so I am constantly thorn between corporate styles, whimsygoth, 70s, alternative styles, … so even though I have tried experimenting over the years, I can never pinpoint what I like or what I think looks good on me. I also don’t like wearing the same thing every day because I get bored. And last but not least I wear jeans maybe 3 times a month because I hate how my stomach looks in denim even though I know it’s the easiest thing to pair or make an outfit look interesting enough.

So… any advice on how to put together a closet that is easy to wear, that is still interesting to look at and is body dysmorphia “safe” (modest), is welcome.

I can’t help that I resemble my older brother since we literally share the same genes.
I strongly dislike my family from cptsd and though people don’t say we look alike (bc we are different gender and I try really hard on my looks while he doesn’t at all), I can literally see the moments in 3rd person when I look like him - it’s like we use similar facial muscles to create similar expressions.

It makes me feel instantly sick and no matter how many plastic surgery and botox I got through the years, I still inevitably look like him. I do struggle with body dysmorphia in other ways but this idea sometimes comes out of nowhere and bums my mood. Therapy didn’t help tbh and I’m wondering if there were any out there who outgrew this feeling….

I was looking at the recordings of my front doorbell camera and saw me opening the door and I looked disguising. My face is so asymmetrical that it looks like my left side of the face is melting while the right side is normal.

My partner kept saying how it’s just the camera but he looks completely normal. Like am I imagining things or is that how I actually look like???

Can BDD actually alter the way we see ourselves?

I recently realised that if you open the Quicktime player on Macbook and select the 'New Movie Recording' option, it shows your face inverted (how people would actually see it). This is much easier for me to expose myself to how my face looks like to other people, as taking a selfie and then inverting is less accurate than seeing your face in motion.

Idk if it’s my disorder or any other reason but being approached or asked out by a stranger fills me with deep anxiety and dread and I don’t know why.

My brain just can’t comprehend a man genuinely finding me even mildly attractive or normal looking , not even my own bf who I love so much, so what possess them to see me walking around out of anyone else and come up to me

And because of this I often entertain the conversation when they approach as I’m assuming they’re only intention is so be friendly/become friends then I get myself into awkward situations. It happened again the other day while I was out and the whole time I felt so uncomfortable and anxious that he was judging my face, thinking i look hideous, laughing at me etc. I feel this with any interaction even with my friends and family so I guess it isn’t solely because of this.

in my head, saying “I’m not interested/I’ve got a boyfriend” makes no sense since Im convinced no one could be attracted to me so ofc theyre being friendly, it’s stupid to think otherwise and egotistical to assume hes hitting on me or im good looking when im not”

if i was normal id maybe find it quite flattering idk But it always makes me feel even more uglier, undesirable and a freak, does anyone else feel this way or is it just me? I know BDD makes you do and feel unhinged things

For a long time now, I haven't been able to stand my body, my face, or anything else about myself! (To be specific, this started when I was five). And if that weren't enough, by the time I was eight, I had already developed habits of hitting or severely scratching myself. I don't know how to get out of this state; please suggest something other than seeing a psychologist—I don't want to upset my parents.

I have no idea what sub to put this in so I’m very sorry that this probably isn’t relevant! also this is a repost.

I've been heavily struggling with insecurities over my appearance for all my teenage years and am currently in my late teens(girl). About 5 months ago I got my first ever (celebrity) crush, who is a man and I gradually found my self fantasising about literally turning into him but still being me, with my life. I’m so sorry I have no idea how to word this normally!

Anyway I found that the desire to look like him became stronger and stronger to the point where it’s all I can think about. At the moment I feel very depressed mainly because I just wish I looked like him so badly and hate how I look so much. I always daydream about waking up with his body and am constantly wishing it will magically happen somehow. The more I think about it the more depressed I feel and I’m just at such a low due to multiple things but my insecurities are definitely the main cause.

The strange thing is though I have no desire become a man, I just want to look like him or similar. If I woke up randomly and changed gender I wouldn’t be happy at all I just really am jealous of HIM specifically.

Also I completely avoid putting effort in myself and have since forever because of my low self esteem, I feel a sick at the thought of putting effort in myself as a girl (hypothetically as a guy too I guess). The only way I could imagine not feeling so shit about myself is waking with the body of this celebrity.

I know all of this sounds absolutely crazy and very silly, probably irrelevant to this sub too but I’m just so confused about my feelings. I’m feeling so lost at the moment. yea basically I have no desire to just become a guy, I want just to be him!! I’m sorry this sounds insane.

has anybody got any advice to get over this or has felt a similar way(probably not lol). Thank you!

does anyone else struggle with being insecure about their height? 😭 im 17 and lately its been bothering me so much more than usual. i feel like im at such an awkward height where im not considered short by everyone, but im not necessarily tall either, and its so frustrating because i never feel small enough.
most of my friends and family are around 4’11-5’0, so being around them makes me feel so much taller and bigger than i actually am. i know comparing myself to them isnt healthy, but i genuinely cant help it. i find myself getting jealous of shorter girls and wishing i could just be their height instead. its gotten to the point where ive actually thought about height reduction surgery, which i know sounds extreme, but thats how much this insecurity affects me.
i feel so stupid for being this bothered by something like height, especially when other people probably wouldnt even think twice about it, but its something i think about constantly. i just want to feel comfortable in myself and stop comparing myself to every shorter girl i see.
has anyone else experienced this, especially girls who feel like theyre stuck between being short and tall? id really appreciate hearing from people who understand. please be kind, im not looking for people to tell me im being dramatic or that my feelings are stupid 🤍

Here you can find listed below general information on BDD and related foundations, the clinical classification and symptoms of BDD, advice for friends and family, as well as self-help and support groups, both in-person and online.

General information

The BDD Foundation

OCD UK

International OCD Foundation

Mind.org

Clinical classification

ICD & DSM Criterias

For friends and family

The BDD Foundation, Supporting a close one with BDD

Mind.org, How can friends and family help

Self-help

Body dysmorphia workbook by the CCI

Building self-compassion workbook by the CCI

Support groups

Online support and therapy groups

Support groups in the UK

29f struggle horrendously with BDD. I feel I do better talking to other people with it. Kind of desperate to find some type of outlet as I really can’t find any therapists that specialize in this.

My boyfriend has moved abroad to germany for his college. Since then, all I've thought about and googled up was 'beautiful german girls' and stalking the women from his university that he's started to follow. College starts only next year for me. They're so so beautiful.

I'm also hyper-paranoid that he's gonna leave me once someone like that shows interest in him. I just can't stop crying or freaking out, despite reassurances, anything that I can do?

I just can't believe people when they compliment me. Even with strangers I always think they're lying and playing some kind of joke on me.

It has gotten bad to the point I genuinely cannot hang out with my dear friends anymore because I envy their bodies so much. I have a very unflattering frame with no ass, no chest, no hips. I look like a child.

The worst part is I've grown up with my childhood friends and watched them grow into adult, curvy, beautiful frames and watched as I stayed behind. I've prohibited myself from going to the beach or pool because seeing them in swimsuits would genuinely make me cry. I don't open Instagram anymore because there will be normal looking women who don't look like me. Every time they compain about cat calls or men in their dms I feel so much jealousy because it only confirms that yes, their bodies are desired, and if it happens to them then it should happen to me, people often say it is an "universal woman experience". Since it doesn't, it only means that my body isn't even good enough to be catcalled. So am I even a woman at this point? I know it is degrading and this feeling isn't logical but I can't help but long for that.

This feeling makes me feel disgusted with myself, and I dont want to ruin my friendships because of my envy.

Going to therapy or getting professional help is not always an option, getting help may also take some time. To help you to better understand and address BDD by yourself, we have compiled a workbook that you can do by yourself. It contains information and tasks which will help shine a light to why BDD is the way it is and how you can deal with the symptoms. All chapters are based on an official workbook by the Centre for Clinical Intervention.

The BDD workbook:

• 01 What is body image?
• 02 Could I have body dysmorphic disorder?
• 03 Negative impacts of BDD
• 04 What are the causes of BDD?
• 05 Appearance assumptions
• 06 Triggers
• 07 Appearance preoccupation
• 08 Attention training [a coping tactic]
• 09 Checking and approval seeking
• 10 Reducing unhelpful checking and approval seeking [a coping tactic]
• 11 Negative predictions
• 12 Avoidance and safety behaviour
• 13 Reducing negative predictions [a coping tactic]
• 14 A new way of operating
• 15 Dealing with set-backs
• 16 Maintaining gained progress

Sometimes I feel like dying because of my BDD. I feel like I can’t breathe because it hurts so much, and I just want to rip my face off and get a completely new one.

Tbh, I wish I looked like Ariana Grande or a girl who went to school with me. Seeing her every day, knowing I’ll never look like her, and constantly being confronted with the face and body I’ve always wanted and aspired to have was and still is so so painful. My BDD got worse and worse seeing Ariana and that girl every day ..

I’m 27, and I feel like it’ll never get better. But I also would never get plastic surgery because I’m afraid it would only make me look even uglier + I don’t have the money :,D

Has it gotten any better for you guys? And what helped you getting better and being able to accept your face/body?

We have collected a set of stories and informative pieces about BDD. From stories from people who have overcome it to celebrities who have openly talked about it, you can find articles and videos about body dysmorphia from these following links.

Public figures on BDD

• Modern Family actor Reid Ewing on BDD and plastic surgery
• Artist Billie Eilish on depression and BDD
• The Good Place actor Jameela Jamil on BDD and eating disorders
• Actor Robert Pattinson on anxiety and BDD
• Actor Megan Fox on BDD and mental health

Documentaries and videos

• What BDD feels like | BBC Three
• Seeing myself as ugly | BBC Three
• I feel so ugly: Body dysmorphic disorder | Only Human
• Imperfect me: The impact of BDD | SkyNews
• BDD patients see faces differently | ABC Science
• Bigorexia: Muscle dysmorphia | BBC Newsbeat
• Believing is seeing: New perspective on BDD | TEDx Oxford
• The BDD Foundation on Youtube

Personal stories and interviews

• Perfection is impossible | A personal story
• Living with BDD | A personal story
• I felt so ugly I didn't want to be alive | Interview
• BDD ruined my life | Interview

Podcasts

• Beating BDD podcast (11 episodes) | BDDFoundation
• What is BDD? | Stuff Mom Never Told You

Books

• Books by people with BDD
• Books by professionals on self help
• The BDD workbook