Just curious how many women out there have suffered from bdd. Due to years of acne (which is somewhat in control) I basically have a fear of what people think of me. I have always made friends and know one ever pointed out my flaws but it's been very hard dealing with acne and in turn has made me turn obsessed with my looks. I am constantly thinking of how I look and how people look at me. Like when I drive in my car, I think people are looking at me and my acne. It's been really hard on me although I have great support from family and my boyfriend. My question is, I just started prozac for this condition (day 2) and wanted to get opinions if this is a good approach to helping me deal with this condition that can be so depilitating. Thanks for any responses

OH MY! I never realized there was a term for that! I have felt that way for a long, long time. I am afraid to get close to ppl for fear of being ridiculed. I am constantly worried that someone is mad at me. I don't know if prozac will help or not. I took it years ago, and it didn't anything for me at all. I hope it helps you!

Just curious how many women out there have suffered from bdd. Due to years of acne (which is somewhat in control) I basically have a fear of what people think of me. I have always made friends and know one ever pointed out my flaws but it's been very hard dealing with acne and in turn has made me turn obsessed with my looks. I am constantly thinking of how I look and how people look at me. Like when I drive in my car, I think people are looking at me and my acne. It's been really hard on me although I have great support from family and my boyfriend. My question is, I just started prozac for this condition (day 2) and wanted to get opinions if this is a good approach to helping me deal with this condition that can be so depilitating. Thanks for any responses

Saira, I have not been diagnosed with bdd, but I know that I have had periods of time that seem like I have it. These times are short lived, maybe like a month and then it goes away. It has been over a year since it happened to me. The last time it happened, I got obsessed with the way that my nose is asymmetrical. I sort of have a little bump on one side of my nose where I have more of a dent on the other side. I was so obsessed with it for a while, that it was popping into my mind about every 5-10 minutes. I felt like everyone was looking at my ugly nose. AND, the weirdest thing is that I had to keep looking in mirrors at it. At work I would go to the bathroom around every half an hour to look at it. I tortured myself over it. I've done it with other body parts too, but it always passes away in a few weeks. There is not just one flaw that I am fixated on. They come and go. Weird huh?

I think that prozac will help you very much. I am just going off a drug that is in the same family as prozac, but I think prozac is a better choice than mine was. I think it is great that your doctor is prescribing the medication because this type of feeling is beyond our control. It is so hard to talk ourselves out of it, even though we know our thoughts are unreasonable. I have a feeling that you will find, probably around a month from now, maybe less, that the prozac will make you stop fixating on your skin and stop making this such a big issue in your life. Actually, I can almost say I am certain it will help.

Do you see a therapist? Another thing that would be neat to do in your battle is to fight this thinking, to the extent you can, mentally, meaning don't just rely on the medication. Since I have bouts of thinking like you do, I bought myself books for women on loving your body, and I bought these power thought cards that are affirmations to yourself, about your value as a person, and meditating on these "power thoughts" has worked wonders for me.

And guess what? As your skin is healing from the acne you are going start feeling better and better about your appearance, even without medication. I used to have acne, and you can't tell at all. My skin has healed wonderfully from that. Just keep taking care of it, and do what you can to promote the healing, with good quality products, medication, and vitamins.

I wish you the best in this and I sympathize with you. I think a lot of us here have similar insecurities.

Let us know how things go. Adjusting to prozac is going to take some patience.

I hope this helps.

~~Josie~~

Saira, I have not been diagnosed with bdd, but I know that I have had periods of time that seem like I have it. These times are short lived, maybe like a month and then it goes away. It has been over a year since it happened to me. The last time it happened, I got obsessed with the way that my nose is asymmetrical. I sort of have a little bump on one side of my nose where I have more of a dent on the other side. I was so obsessed with it for a while, that it was popping into my mind about every 5-10 minutes. I felt like everyone was looking at my ugly nose. AND, the weirdest thing is that I had to keep looking in mirrors at it. At work I would go to the bathroom around every half an hour to look at it. I tortured myself over it. I've done it with other body parts too, but it always passes away in a few weeks. There is not just one flaw that I am fixated on. They come and go. Weird huh?

I think that prozac will help you very much. I am just going off a drug that is in the same family as prozac, but I think prozac is a better choice than mine was. I think it is great that your doctor is prescribing the medication because this type of feeling is beyond our control. It is so hard to talk ourselves out of it, even though we know our thoughts are unreasonable. I have a feeling that you will find, probably around a month from now, maybe less, that the prozac will make you stop fixating on your skin and stop making this such a big issue in your life. Actually, I can almost say I am certain it will help.

Do you see a therapist? Another thing that would be neat to do in your battle is to fight this thinking, to the extent you can, mentally, meaning don't just rely on the medication. Since I have bouts of thinking like you do, I bought myself books for women on loving your body, and I bought these power thought cards that are affirmations to yourself, about your value as a person, and meditating on these "power thoughts" has worked wonders for me.

And guess what? As your skin is healing from the acne you are going start feeling better and better about your appearance, even without medication. I used to have acne, and you can't tell at all. My skin has healed wonderfully from that. Just keep taking care of it, and do what you can to promote the healing, with good quality products, medication, and vitamins.

I wish you the best in this and I sympathize with you. I think a lot of us here have similar insecurities.

Let us know how things go. Adjusting to prozac is going to take some patience.

I hope this helps.

~~Josie~~


thanks for the responses. i have been dealing with this condition for such a long time and it's affected my choices of careers and finishing school. i'm 32 now and i just want to feel better finally. i have come to grips that maybe i have to be on medication to control these feelings and thoughts and may have to stay on it for long periods of time. i know that realistically i have alot of good things in my life but then i get my acne (it comes and goes) or my hair doesn't work and it all falls apart. i really want to look in the mirror and say that you are "ok" but i have yet to really ever do that. josie.. i wanted to find what medication you were on and if you are continuing another type of medication.. also why you are on the medication in the first place.. i really hope the prozac works for me.. i was on zoloft about 10 years ago for 3 years and it helped somewhat but it didn't take away the obsessive tendacies that are very apparent as i speak. it's just so hard..... thanks for any help or further responses..

I feel I may have BDD as well. Like so many others I completely hate the way I look. I feel as though I am only tolerable to look at if I am totally dressed to perfection and have a great make up day.

I once worked in the cosmetic industry so I could learn all the tricks. I then became obsessed with the gym and lost 4 dress sizes, at 6'0" tall I wore a size 8 (pretty good right?) NOt for me.

Later became pregnant with my first child at age 28. I took such a "break" from my worries and focused on my son. I let myself go and gained 60 pounds and then had problems with water that I literally lost 42 lbs the day after having my son.

However, it left my body so stretched and disgusting. I would like to have a nose job, tummy tuck. lippo however, fortunately I can't afford it so I am saving myself the pain of not really being fixed anyway.

As a teen I had severe acne and was bit by a spider that I was in a hospital for 11 months to have several surgeries on my leg that I just sat and stared at it all the time. Ever since I have believed that there is still posion in my body that won't come out.

For this I am a severe skin picker and become fixated on just one spot of my body and lose hours with the hard concentration of that area. I often feel that if I can just get the ugly out of me I will feel better and every little bit that gets dug out of my skin is a little more ugly I can wipe away.

I am often told I am very pretty by piers, husband and family. I see my sons face and he looks just like me however; to me he is so much more beautiful than I am. I don't understand it.

I tried to wear gloves to keep myself off my skin but, and just can't control it.

I shower at least 3 times a day. I am afraid of smelling bad.

I have been diagnosed with Social Anxiety and depression. The thought of going outside for longer than a few minutes scares me. I can't shop in a store if it is too crowded. And by crowded I mean more than 3 or 4 people. I always make a list of everything I need and need to do and try to go as fast as possible so people don't have to see me. I grocery shop at 10pm so I don't have to pass people in the isles.

I feel there is no point in looking nice because underneathe is just an ugly woman!

I have been on medications before but, I just feel so fake! I just feel as though the problem gets burried.

Every career move has been about how many people have to look at me and how long to I have to face them. I now suffer severe stomach problems due to the anxiety of people looking at me! I just want to be free of this!!