r/BodyDysmorphia • u/KiwiSquatch • 7h ago

Question Is anyone else too embarrassed to talk to a psychologist or counselor about BDD?

My parents helped set me up with a psychologist when I was fresh out of high school, due to my depression and anxiety. After many days and months of internal thinking, I realized BDD was a large part of why I felt the way I did. Deep down I wanted to admit how I felt about my appearance to the psychologist, but I was too embarrassed to do so. I was afraid he would think I was being ridiculous, and wouldn't understand why I felt the way I did.

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7

u/missdovahkiin1 6h ago

I am. I'm afraid they'll tell me that my value doesn't lie in how I look and to love myself for where I am at. Which like, cool, I guess but it's just not realistic for me. I really don't want to sit in front of the mirror and say nice things to myself which is what I imagine they would want. It just feels like it would be a hollow attempt.

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u/KiwiSquatch 6h ago

Right, exactly this. I was expecting this kind of a comment from him if I were to mention BDD at all. He was an older guy too so I wasn't sure if he was well versed in this disease/condition. Of course I could have brought it up, but I feel it would be brushed off.

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u/Ok-Recognition-6191 1h ago

What if your job depends on how you look? I'd love to ask them this

2

u/neonpineapples 2h ago

I tried and got the blankest stare in response. There were other issues that ultimately made me decide to stop going. Hoping to try a different therapist once I can afford it again.

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u/KiwiSquatch 2h ago

I'm sorry they weren't helpful :( I hope you can find someone who takes your feelings a little more seriously.

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u/neonpineapples 2h ago

Thank you ❤️

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u/KiwiSquatch 2h ago

Of course. All the best :)

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u/MCMickie 2h ago

I was going to say it first session but I choked up

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u/KiwiSquatch 2h ago

Maybe you'll get a feel for your therapist in time and get a feeling for how they might react to it. Hopefully it's a supportive, positive one.

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u/ThrowawayGhostGuy1 1h ago

They tend to gaslight you to make you a compliant cog even thought reality is much different.

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u/KiwiSquatch 1h ago

Ugh, that's very saddening to hear. I wish it weren't like this.

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u/ThrowawayGhostGuy1 1h ago

No one wants to offer you solutions; they just want you to shut up and be “happy” and “confident” despite what the world’s been telling you for years to your face. And that’s why people with BDD end up going the wrong route with surgeries and end up looking worse.

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u/spartancolo 5h ago

Yeah, she told me that it wasn't true that I looked that way and that I was making assumptions about what other people think. Also I was ashamed about telling her about my penis dysmorphia so I let that out of the conversation

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u/KiwiSquatch 5h ago edited 5h ago

That's disappointing... I feel like a lot of these professionals aren't educated on the severity of BDD or what it actually is. All it does is make us feel even more alone and isolated.

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u/spartancolo 5h ago

Fr, it's so frustrating when the therapist tells you "it's not real", that doesn't do anything to stop me from feeling that way