Diagnosing ugly people with BDD is cruel

I don't know why anybody bothers anymore but as has already been said by someone who actually spoke to a therapist, if you're appearance issues are totally proportionally justified they will not diagnose you with BDD.

So how does that discussion go. Patient :"Umm,Dr i have some real concerns about my appearence
and it's making me very depressed.I think I may be ugly".
DR: " Yeah, your concerns are totally justified because you are clinically "Butt Ugly". Sorry I can't help you . Have a nice life."

I'm thinking that's not going to happen .Of course they are going to diagnose them with BDD what choice do they have. I have read many people here say that their dr's have told them their appearance has no bearing on the diagnoses.

BDD is not just some made up disorder they use to give to people who are horribly disfigured so they can somehow be merciful to them or something. It a serious mental health condition that is incredibly difficult to treat especially part in due to the resistance many people put up when faced with the condition spurting out things like 'oh it's not real', 'they are all having a laugh at my expense', 'it's a conspiracy', 'the world is out to get me'.

No one is disputing that but as I said you have the other situations also like above.
I've seen cases of drop dead beautiful women thinking they are hideous.So yes it is a legitimate condition but you the cases like above which are a no win situation.

I'm thinking that's not going to happen .Of course they are going to diagnose them with BDD what choice do they have.

practicing self-acceptance, coping with peoples' comments, understanding that appearance is not nearly so important that having flaws means you're any less of a human being, understanding that you can be happy regardless of your flaws.

that is essentially what my therapist told me when I asked what she would do if my flaws were real.

Do you honestly think every eh-looking or ugly person that has walked into a psychiatrist/psychologist's office and told them that they have concerns with their appearance gets a diagnosis of BDD? The diagnosis rate would skyrocket if that were true.

abstracted wrote:Do you honestly think every eh-looking or ugly person that has walked into a psychiatrist/psychologist's office and told them that they have concerns with their appearance gets a diagnosis of BDD? The diagnosis rate would skyrocket if that were true.

There's a difference between concerns with appearance and disabling body image obsession. The point of BDD is that it's not about a subjective value judgement as to looks, so "eh-looking or ugly" still qualify for the diagnosis if the behaviour is present. Disfigurement is different though as that qualifies for an adjustment disorder instead.

I have issues with the BDD label anyway. I think it's too vague and covers too broad a spectrum of behaviours to be particularly meaningful.

There's a difference between concerns with appearance and disabling body image obsession. The point of BDD is that it's not about a subjective value judgement as to looks, so "eh-looking or ugly" still qualify for the diagnosis if the behaviour is present. Disfigurement is different though as that qualifies for an adjustment disorder instead.

The context is important--I didn't mean people with crippling, ritualistic, exaggerated obsessions concerning their (real) flaws. The way Sam23 worded their post(s), they seemed to imply that anybody who is genuinely "ugly" and talks to a therapist/psychiatrist about it will get labeled with BDD. No matter the context.

I agree with you, and I think the behaviour matters just as much as the appearance.

Do you honestly think every eh-looking or ugly person that has walked into a psychiatrist/psychologist's office and told them that they have concerns with their appearance gets a diagnosis of BDD? The diagnosis rate would skyrocket if that were true.

Yes I do. They are never going to preach acceptance of being ugly. They will tell them there are no unattractive people and you have a perception problem (BDD) Telling a very depressed person to accept it may push them to suicide. If you think otherwise you are naive. If the dr told you you were indeed unattractive what would you have done ?

sam23 wrote:

Do you honestly think every eh-looking or ugly person that has walked into a psychiatrist/psychologist's office and told them that they have concerns with their appearance gets a diagnosis of BDD? The diagnosis rate would skyrocket if that were true.

Yes I do. They are never going to preach acceptance of being ugly. They will tell them there are no unattractive people and you have a perception problem (BDD) Telling a very depressed person to accept it may push them to suicide. If you think otherwise you are naive. If the dr told you you were indeed unattractive what would you have done ?

Sam, have you been to see a psychiatrist regarding your appearance concerns before? What was the outcome?

hiddenbeauty wrote:

sam23 wrote:

Do you honestly think every eh-looking or ugly person that has walked into a psychiatrist/psychologist's office and told them that they have concerns with their appearance gets a diagnosis of BDD? The diagnosis rate would skyrocket if that were true.

Yes I do. They are never going to preach acceptance of being ugly. They will tell them there are no unattractive people and you have a perception problem (BDD) Telling a very depressed person to accept it may push them to suicide. If you think otherwise you are naive. If the dr told you you were indeed unattractive what would you have done ?

Sam, have you been to see a psychiatrist regarding your appearance concerns before? What was the outcome?

No I haven't been to any psychiatrist ,I couldn't afford it

Seeing oneself as either "ugly" or "not good looking enough", whether it's true or an illusion, and being so obsessed about it that one checks mirrors dozens of times a day, everyday, and dwells on it, frets about, broods about it, or sometimes even exults in it, stems from a profound existential identity crisis, and DSM body dysmorphia theory does not have the depth or subtlty to understand it or know what to do about it. CBT might help, but barely and temporarily, and only for some. We are what we are. We look like what we look like. People will see us and respond to us emotionally and aesthetically as they will. And these can be very bitter pills to swallow. Integrative and existential psychologies may be the only ones that has a slim chance of helping us. Or maybe some form of spirituality, of which there may be many. As long as "BDDers" remain in the infantilistic mentality evidenced on this forum, which they're constantly coddled into doing, their torment will go on, and on, and on, and on....

heracles wrote:Seeing oneself as either "ugly" or "not good looking enough", whether it's true or an illusion, and being so obsessed about it that one checks mirrors dozens of times a day, everyday, and dwells on it, frets about, broods about it, or sometimes even exults in it, stems from a profound existential identity crisis, and DSM body dysmorphia theory does not have the depth or subtlty to understand it or know what to do about it. CBT might help, but barely and temporarily, and only for some. We are what we are. We look like what we look like. People will see us and respond to us emotionally and aesthetically as they will. And these can be very bitter pills to swallow. Integrative and existential psychologies may be the only ones that has a slim chance of helping us. Or maybe some form of spirituality, of which there may be many. As long as "BDDers" remain in the infantilistic mentality evidenced on this forum, which they're constantly coddled into doing, their torment will go on, and on, and on, and on....

I hate to say it, but you make good points. When I was hospitalized, many of the therapists also shared your view, albeit very hesitant to actually say it out loud. I think psychiatry would like to imagine they have the answers to it, but it's doubtful.

As long as "BDDers" remain in the infantilistic mentality evidenced on this forum, which they're constantly coddled into doing, their torment will go on, and on, and on, and on....

I'd like to know what you're referring to with that statement.

I have seen a lot of gross, touchy-feeling infantilized approaches to mental health and I really don't see it on this forum--unless I am missing the point, which could be the case.