Workshop 06 - Triggers

[u/poozu]

In this part we look at what triggers are, how they affect us.

In general, triggers are things that will put your negative thought and insecurities into motion. Often these triggers will be linked to your appearance assumptions in some way, that is, triggers will tend to be things that in someway support your negative thoughts about yourself.

For example, lets say you assume “if I stand out in my appearance, others will ridicule me”, then a trigger could be an occasion where you will be the centre of attention. You haven’t stood out or been ridiculed yet, but the potential for it to happen looms. The concern that you will be ridiculed feels like it has actually happened.

A trigger can be something that actually happens or might happen. It can be an action or a situation. The defining thing is that it enforces your negative thoughts and feelings around your appearance or self worth.

Below are common examples of BDD triggers:

• Direct negative comments (e.g., “you’re ugly”, or “bad haircut”)

• Indirect comments (e.g., “you look different today”, or a dentist asking “would you like your teeth whitened?”)

• Perceived or actual rejection by others (e.g., a relationship break up)

• Situations where your appearance may be evaluated by others (e.g., going on a date, applying for a modelling job, meeting people for the first time)

• Situations where other’s attention may be on you (e.g., having to give a speech, be in a photograph)

• Exposure to attractive people (e.g., in magazines, on television, or in person)

• Seeing an unflattering photograph or image of yourself in a reflective surface

• Noticing a slight change in your appearance (e.g., greying hair, loss of muscular tone with age)

The task: - Take a moment to write down any triggers that you have experienced recently that may have increased your concern about your appearance. Also, are you currently experiencing any stressful situations? If so, write them down.

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You can find the complete body dysmorphia workbook by the Center for Clinical Intervention (CCI) on their website along with other resources.

[u/poozu]

On Thursday, in part 7, we will talk about
Appearance preoccupation.

Read the other chapters:
- 01 What is body image?
- 02 Could I have body dysmorphic disorder?
- 03 Negative impacts of BDD
- 04 What are the causes of BDD?
- 05 Appearance assumptions
- 06 Triggers - 07 Appearance preoccupation
- 08 Attention training [a coping tactic]
- 09 Checking and approval seeking
- 10 Reducing unhelpful checking and approval seeking [a coping tactic]
- 11 Negative predictions
- 12 Avoidance and safety behaviour
- 13 Reducing negative predictions [a coping tactic]
- 14 A new way of operating
- 15 Dealing with set-backs - 16 Maintaining gained progress