Looking for Support for Possible Body Dysmorphia

[Lily]

Hi, girls
I don't like the term body dysmorphia because it implies that your feelings of ugliness are untrue, but it seems very similar to what I go through.

I am in my young twenties, but I have obsessive worries about my appearance. I do not make a substantial living ( less than $30,000 a year), but I am obsessed with purchasing beauty products and anti-aging products. Though others tell me my concerns are crazy (not that they would be honest if they weren't) I constantly feel as though the skin on my face is sagging off. I can feel it sagging at my cheeks, around the jawline, chin area, and eyebrows. It feels like it is melting off and everyone is staring at me. I will buy products as high-end as $250 an ounce, I do see some improvements with these, but not fully what I'm looking for.

My eyes I also have big issues with the dark hollows beneath them. Eye creams are another thing I spend big on and they have shown no signs of improvement. Makeup helps a bit, but never enough. It's not just the skin and under eyes, I also hate my jawline, my teeth, my lips, my nose, the shape of my eyes, the shape of my eyebrows, the way my hairline falls on my face, etc.

I dream about one day being able to afford all the cosmetic surgery I want (though, I need to stipulate, I am not after that "porn star" look, I want to look "naturally" beautiful). This drives my boyfriend crazy because he does not see the flaws. I cannot see anything but them.
Even when I am alone I am constantly running to the mirror to stare at it and dream about all the things I could change that would finally make me feel beautiful. At work, I should be getting things done, but I'm looking up reviews for surgeries or high end creams.

I'm partly afraid to get help because I feel that if I stop caring about it, the things will never improve and my looks will deteriorate, but it is getting rather costly and debilitating.

For anyone who answers, thank you so much.

 

[cissi]

I know the feeling, think i have something similar although i try to ignore it, to not be too affected by it.

I dont think any creams or surgeries could help. It's on the inside. However you look, you might never be satisfied enough with your looks. There's always something that could look better or yeah. And why waste so much money (!), energy and time worrying about it and fixing it? I hope you have better and more valuable things in your life to focus on, for example your boyfriend

If you dont think you can get better on your own, go see someone to talk to, some therapist or similar. You have to change this thinking.

send a pm if you wanna talk in private about it, or keep it in this thread

 

[Christine Mattice]

I think that you should probably get some professional counseling to help you to deal with this issue. I think that it's important that you learn to accept and to love every aspect of yourself, inside and out.