Free therapy...

I think some of the best free therapy for someone with BDD is to get out and volunteer to help someone.

Working so closely with people or animals who are less fortunate than you really make you appreciate what you have and what you have to offer besides your looks.

My friend worked with the Ronald McDonald House and she said that she was learning that there is more to life than obsessing about your looks. She said that she has more reason to live life to the fullest.

My other friend works with animals. She said that animals don't judge you and they depend on her for their care. This shows her that her worth is more than looks.

I volunteered with children who are being raised by their single grandmothers because their real parents are drug addicts.
I work tutoring them while their grandmother is working a second job.
It was very empowering to actually tell a young boy, that was interested in drawing and math, that there was such a thing as architecture or design. No one had ever told him he was good at something and that his skills could get him into college. If this child ends up going to college rather than jail, then I have actually helped society. This makes me feel less helpless in the world.

We all have some other value besides our looks. You also meet new people who are less shallow than most!!!!

Meriwether, it's wonderful that you're doing this! You should be proud of yourself Thank you for sharing it with the rest of the forum. I hope others will contribute with ideas/experiences of their own.

This is great advice! Last year my cat passed away, and honestly, it was one of the hardest losses I've ever dealt with. I realized that my cat, who I'd had from the time I was 11 till I was 25 years old, was more than just my buddy and a good pet and companion. He had developmental issues and tended to always latch onto me, and always remained at about the mental function and behavior of a kitten, and as a cat, he was the perfect friend for a BDD sufferer sometimes. No matter what I felt like I looked like, I never felt like my cat cared, obviously. He's a cat! His death led to one of my darkest BDD periods in several years actually, I think because I had a feeling of "now the one character in my life who always loved me unconditionally is gone." Now, a year later, I realize what a blessing he was to me, and I actually don't doubt that without him I might not have made it through some of those years. He was a good cat

A few months later a kitten turned up on my doorstep, and she's been here ever since. She's a sweetie, but also totally weird, haha! Kinda dumb, kinda mangey, and TINY! Fully grown and only 4 pounds! I seem to have a knack for attracting strange kitties