With a Foreword by Professor Katharine Phillips and an Introduction by Professor David Veale and Doctor Rob Willson. Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is characterised by a preoccupation with a perceived defect, or defects, in one's appearance. These 'flaws' are either unnoticeable to the outside eye or seen as nothing more than a normal physical variation. To the person with BDD however, the abhorred aspects of their appearance cause significant shame and distress. Some hide away and become housebound, sometimes for many years. BDD affects males and females almost equally and has one of the highest suicide rates of any mental illness. Despite the extreme suffering experienced by people with BDD, it is possible to learn to cope with and even completely move beyond it. The stories in this volume powerfully attest to this. Gathered here are thirty-six lived experiences of people with BDD and their loved ones. They are stories of tremendous bravery, immeasurable determination and incredible hope.
False Bodies, True Selves explores the phenomenon of growing numbers of people in western society and beyond completely embedding their sense of identity in their appearance. Unlike other books which address either theoretical models of appearance-focused identity struggles or explore lived experiences of appearance-based battles, False Bodies delves into both. Importantly, the spiritual aspects of what it is to become enemies with one's body are given centre stage in the context of Donald Winnicott's theory of the true Self and the false Self. The book begins by looking at some of the myths, superstitions and fairy tales related to mirrors before moving on to western society's current obsession with appearance, which seems to have been compounded by the mass media. After looking at some of the most common manifestations of appearance-focused anguish including eating disorders and body dysmorphia, it begins to unpick the possible underlying meanings beneath such struggles with a particular emphasis on issues of a systemic nature.
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