| In
my opinion, BDD is not a problem in itself, but rather a set of
symptoms masking a more serious problem. Think of a common cold,
and the symptoms associated with it-sore throat, stuffy nose,
coughing. Although these symptoms may make you miserable for a
week or two, they are not the problem, and are actually there
to prevent you from becoming more ill. These symptoms come about
because your body is trying to protect itself from a foreign substance
that shouldn't have been there in the first place. To me, BDD
is exactly like these miserable symptoms, connected with the common
cold, which try to prevent you from further harm. It is a coping
mechanism, created by your subconscious mind.
The
problem with this coping mechanism is the fact that we haven't
convinced our minds that it is outdated and no longer necessary
in our daily lives. We may have needed help from our subconscious
minds in the past, but now, it's not needed and it's difficult
to convince our minds to let us take back complete control of
our actions and thoughts.
You
may be wondering why on earth you'd ever have needed a coping
mechanism in the first place, especially such a frustrating
one. Well, the truth is, there are many different reasons, probably
differing from person to person. Your BDD coping mechanism will
display itself in a variety of intriguing ways. Although these
behaviors seem to be the real problem, and the cause of all
your BDD anguish, it is really just a set of actions that are
repetitively done to keep you from more significant problems.
Even if these obsessive actions related to your coping mechanism
were all instantaneously wisped away, you'd find that your problems
would actually be multiplied. Most likely, you would not know
how to deal with life free of BDD behaviors. That is why it
is important to tackle the real problems behind BDD rather than
the obsessive behaviors.
People
with BDD have a number of actions that help them cope. Most
do not understand why they perform these rituals, but partake
in them anyhow. It's a very interesting phenomenon, similar,
in my opinion, to Tourette's Syndrome. The actions performed
during a BDD episode are entirely voluntary, but, involuntary.
This may seem like an oxymoron, but the truth is, the victim
is entirely in control of his actions, but has differences in
opinion between the subconscious and conscious mind. While the
victim would like to keep away from performing ritualistic behaviors,
they feel compelled to do them, and can do little to prevent
them from happening. It's almost like an addiction that can
be overcome, yet every inch of your body screams for the addictive
agent.
Overall,
I believe that BDD is a very predictable response to uncommon
life circumstances. It is estimated that around 2% of the population
has BDD. In my opinion, these 2% had living circumstances quite
similar to one another, but very different from those around
them. There are endless combinations of ways that one could
have been raised, and there are also several "strains"
of BDD. Each case, although similar, is unique. But from personal
experiences, and learning from others who are suffering from
BDD, all cases seem to be a natural human response to life circumstances
that deviate from the average person's.
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