Body Dysmorphic Disorder

Former Member

Hi everyone, I think this is probably a bit of a long shot, but I was recently diagnosed with body dysmorphic disorder and I was wondering if anyone else here suffers from it? If so, do you have any tips on how to cope with it or have you had any treatment that's been effective for it?

Mine is so bad that I barely even leave the house now and I get so upset seeing everyone else getting out there and living their lives and doing fun things whilst I feel trapped between the four walls of my house by my anxiety. It's just absolutely crippling. Would love to speak to anyone who has any experience of it.

Former Member

Hey Ariana xo

I was diagnosed in September, I don't have any tips personally as I honestly haven't paid attention to it which isn't a healthy thing to do but yeah. 

Every day is a struggle but I manage to push through and get out because I know I have to so I can have the life I want. 

If I don't go to college I won't get qualifications and be able to move out.  It's hard but nobody has ever made bad comments about me thus far, the likely scenario is that everything will be fine but i know it's hard xo

it's clear to see it's really having an effect on your well-being. Have you got any support Or help for it? Xx

Former Member

Hi @Past User , it's nice to meet someone else with the disorder. I don't know anybody with it in real life, so feel quite alone with how I feel because nobody really understands what it's like or why I act the way I do.

Well done for pushing yourself to keep going out and going to college. You're doing better than me there! I'm technically studying at uni but I do almost all of it from home now and very rarely actually go into campus. When I do manage to leave the house it takes me 3+ hours to get myself out and I'm just a constant anxious mess the whole time I'm out, convinced everybody is looking at me and thinking I look disgusting. I've lost all my friends except for one just from not being able to get myself out to socialise and meet people and do things. It's really hard.

I've been referred for some therapy but still waiting to hear whether I will get funding for it and when it will be if I do. Everything in the NHS seems to take so long and in the meantime it just feels like everything's getting worse and worse with no support. Are you getting any help for it? 

Former Member

I'm not no.  

My Anxiety didn't qualify for CAMHS and now I'm older there's not really anything down here so I just treat myself the best I can, got student counselling at college but that just helps me talk about how much I don't like college haha. 

Sorry to hear about the wait,  waiting times can be very Long xo

There are other places while you wait such as Kooth,  the 1-2-1 on here,  live chats(support chats)  And the crisis messenger xo

Millie2787

Hey 👋🏻 

echoing what Laine said waiting lists can be fairly long with the NHS due to the fact so many people need them but they work with limited funding
 , Kooth is a good place to seek support if it’s been commissioned in your area . But the 1-2-1 chats and crisis messenger on here are a really good way of getting some support 

Hope your able to find some support on here 

💙

Former Member

Thank you very much @Past User and @Millie2787

You're definitely right about the NHS being strapped for funding. My local mental health services have openly said that my issues are too complex for them and that they can't help me, which is why I've been referred elsewhere, but the waiting game is hard and I feel like there's little support on offer in the meantime. I've never heard of Kooth though, so definitely going to look that up, and I think signing up for an account here was definitely a good decision because everyone's been so kind and helpful so far. Have either of you tried the 1-2-1 chats or crisis messenger yourselves? 

Millie2787

Ariana said:

Thank you very much @Past User and @Millie2787

You're definitely right about the NHS being strapped for funding. My local mental health services have openly said that my issues are too complex for them and that they can't help me, which is why I've been referred elsewhere, but the waiting game is hard and I feel like there's little support on offer in the meantime. I've never heard of Kooth though, so definitely going to look that up, and I think signing up for an account here was definitely a good decision because everyone's been so kind and helpful so far. Have either of you tried the 1-2-1 chats or crisis messenger yourselves? 

Hey 👋🏻 

I can understand I waited around 7 months for me to start my treatment in CAMHS for my anxiety and other things . I remember being told somthing like that 12% the NHS budget is spent on mental health services with only 3/4% of that being spent on services for those under 18. I recommend have a reaserch into other sights that you can find help on 
I have used both of them And both of them are fab but obviously it’s a different experience for everyone so it’s all
about finding what works for you 
💙

Former Member

Thank you @Millie2787 it's good to hear that you found both helpful. I tried the Samaritans once (by email, because I'm too anxious to use the phone) and didn't find them very helpful at all, so been a bit worried about trying something else, but thinking I might give it a go when I pluck up the courage. But talking to you lovely people on here is making me feel less isolated already, so thank you. Did you find the treatment helped your anxiety when you finally got it? 

Millie2787

Heyy

So ive only just started my treatment with CAMHS but so far so good , what you have to remember with any Illness is you will have good and bad days so when you start treatment dont be disheartened if you have bad days as thats just natural we all with have days harder than others.

💙

Former Member

Ah right, I hadn't realised you'd just started. Best of luck with it! I really hope you find it helpful. 

Yeh you're definitely right about having good days and bad days. I'm expecting treatment to be hard work if I do get it. But hopefully it will be worth the effort (and the wait!) 

Former Member

I suffer with Body dysmorphic disorder too, something and really the only thing I have found helpful is taking a photo and looking at that instead of in the mirror, sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't,  but when its in photo form its kinda like looking at someone else? don't know if that makes sense lol.

I hope the treatment works for you anxiety, have you spoken to your team about medication aswell to help it?

Former Member

Hi @Past User , nice to meet someone else who has it and understands. That's interesting that you find taking photos instead of looking in the mirror helpful. I do tend to be less disgusted with how I look when I see photos than when I look in the mirror, so maybe that's something I should do more. I also always seem to look slimmer in pictures and videos than I do in the mirror too (although I'm not really worried about my weight, that's more just a random observation, but I guess it shows that there is maybe a difference in how we see ourselves in them)

I've been on some medication in the past but never found anything except occasional diazepam to be very effective. Antidepressants seem to just give me a tonne of side effects for very little benefit and beta blockers made me ridiculously paranoid as well as making the anxiety worse instead of better. Have you found any medication that's helped you?