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About
Description
History of BDD
Theories of Causes
Personal Accounts
Glossary of Terms
FAQ
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| Frequently
Asked Questions |
If
you have any questions that you would like addressed dealing with
Body Dysmorphic Disorder, please write to us at brit@bddcentral.com,
and we will post your questions along with the answer.
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Q:
When
does the onset of BDD usually occur? |
A:Studies
claim that adolescence is the most common time of onset. But, I've
heard of numerous cases where people started displaying symptoms
as early as five years old. I personally have had BDD since I was
10 years old, and the obsessions became more severe as the years
went on.
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| Q:
Everyone is dissatisfied with their appearance in some way, so wouldn't
everyone have BDD? |
A:No.
BDD seems to have much less to do with appearance, actually. BDDers
usually dislike every aspect of themselves to the point of total
self hatred! The question at hand is, how often do you think about
your appearance concerns? With BDDers, their concerns are obsessive.
They spend hours a day thinking about everything from appearance,
to communication, to mistakes they've made, and they can't stop!
They often perform rituals, looking at themselves in reflective
surfaces repeatedly, or ask for constant reassurance. Additionally,
depression is often an unwelcome visitor that accompanies BDD. To
top it all off, BDDers have the unsatisfying bonus of having BDD
attacks, which is a time when BDD feelings get so intense, that
the only viable option is to commit suicide. I don't know many people
who dislike their looks so much that they'd rather die than live
looking like they do. Another thing to remember, is for an official
diagnosis, the appearance concerns must be so intense, that the
victim is impaired socially, occupationally, or in other important
areas of functioning.
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Q: Is Anorexia and BDD the same? |
A:
Technically, they are two different disorders, anorexia nervosa
referring to people who have a distorted view on their body weight
and proportions. BDD deals with face, hair, and all body parts and
proportions. I guess that sometimes, it would be a tough call, deciding
if it was BDD or Anorexia, as many people with BDD are concerned
with only their body. I also believe that Anorexia and BDD may be
very closely related, although there is no official evidence stating
this.
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Q: How many people have BDD? |
A:
The true incidence of
BDD is unknown (I've heard estimates of around 2% of the population,
but it could be more, due to the secrecy of the disorder, and the
fact that many people with BDD have social phobia and are afraid
of visiting the doctor), but it has been diagnosed in 1.9 percent
of nonclinical patients and in 12 percent of psychiatric outpatients.
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| Q: Is
it possible to entirely cure BDD? |
I
give this question an enthusiastic, definitive, all out, yes. The
question is, what you consider "cured", though. Taking
medication and masking the symptoms of BDD is not a cure to me.
Living a life where I can look forward to the future, be confident
to try new things, not perform rituals, feel ok when I look at myself
in the mirror, and be productive, happy, BDD attack free with minimal
chances of relapse, and self sufficient is what I consider
a cure. And yes, that's 100% obtainable. You'll even notice that
BDD has left you with some positive traits, like compassion, analytical
thinking abilities, understanding, and a desire to do good for others.
Now, this all sounds too good to be true, right? Well, it's not,
because you have to put in a lot of effort to get there. You have
to make lifestyle changes, be patient, make mistakes, face fears,
use willpower, challenge your old beliefs, and keep a positive attitude
throughout. This may be the hardest battle you'll ever face, but
I guarantee it's definitely worth overcoming in the end!
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