Annemarie OConnor - Body Image Problems and Body Dysmorphic Disorder: The Definitive Guide and Recovery Approach

Body Image Problems

& Body Dysmorphic Disorder

The Definitive Treatment and Recovery Approach

By Lauren Callaghan (CPsychol, PGDipClinPsych, PgCert, MA (hons), LLB (hons), BA), Annemarie OConnor (CPsychol, DClinPsy, PgCert, BSc) & Chloe Catchpole

Trigger Press is proud to introduce this unique and inspiring self-help book. Written by a woman who has suffered from debilitating body image issues and two leading clinical psychologists, it provides simple yet highly effective self-help methods to help you overcome body image concerns and Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD).

THE AUTHORS

Lauren Callaghan (CPsychol, PGDipClinPsych, PgCert, MA (hons), LLB (hons), BA), is an industry-leading psychologist, and an expert in the field of obsessive compulsive disorders, including BDD. She appeared as a treating clinician in the critically acclaimed and BAFTA award winning documentary Bedlam, and is a frequent speaker on radio and TV. Lauren also co-founded the global charity The Shaw Mind Foundation.

Annemarie OConnor (CPsychol, DClinPsy, PgCert, BSc) is a national specialist in treating people with body image concerns and BDD, and OCD. She is a regular speaker at international conferences for BDD, and her opinion is regularly sought for articles, radio pieces and TV programmes about body image issues. Annemarie has also worked with cosmetic surgeons to help them offer appropriate support to people with BDD.

Chloe Catchpole has suffered from BDD since her mid-teens. Using the techniques in this book, she has learnt how to manage it and is following her dream of being a writer and film reviewer. Chloe is extremely passionate about raising awareness for body dysmorphic disorder, a little-known disorder which can be utterly debilitating.

First published in Great Britain 2017 by Trigger Press

The Foundation Centre

Navigation House, 48 Millgate, Newark

Nottinghamshire NG24 4TS UK

www.trigger-press.com

Copyright Lauren Callaghan, Annemarie OConnor & Chloe Catchpole

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission in writing from the publisher

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

A CIP catalogue record for this book is available upon request from the British Library

ISBN: 978-1-911246-10-7

This book is also available in the following Audio and e-Book formats:

MOBI: 978-1-911246-13-8

EPUB: 978-1-911246-11-4

PDF: 978-1-911246-12-1

Adam Shaw and Lauren Callaghan have asserted their right under the Copyright,

Design and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the authors of this work

Cover design and typeset by Fusion Graphic Design Ltd

Project Management by Out of House Publishing

Printed and bound in Great Britain by TJ International, Padstow

Paper from responsible sources

Dedicated to all the sufferers of any mental health issue and their loved ones, and to those working tirelessly across all spectrums around the world to bring a better understanding and awareness of mental health issues through research, support and treatment.

Why have we called our books Pullingthetrigger?

Many things can trigger mental health issues. So what do you do if something makes you feel bad? You stay away from it, right?

I bet youve been avoiding your triggers all your life. But now we know that avoiding your triggers only makes things worse. So heres the game changer: you need to learn how to pull those triggers instead of running away from them and our Pullingthetrigger series shows you how. Your recovery is within reach, we promise.

This is more than recovery, its a way of life.

Adam Shaw & Lauren Callaghan.

Thank you for purchasing this book. You are making an incredible difference.

All of Pullingthetrigger products have substantial enterprising and philanthropic value and generate proceeds that contribute towards our global mental health charity,
The Shaw Mind Foundation

MISSION STATEMENT

We aim to bring to an end the suffering and despair caused by mental health issues. Our goal is to make help and support available for every single person in society, from all walks of life.

We will never stop offering hope. These are our promises.

The Shaw Mind Foundation (www.shawmindfoundation.org) offers unconditional support for all who are affected by mental health issues. We are a global foundation that is not for profit. Our core ethos is to help those with mental health issues and their families at the point of need. We also continue to run and invest in mental health treatment approaches in local communities around the globe, which support those from the most vulnerable and socially deprived areas of society. Please join us and help us make an incredible difference to those who are suffering with mental health issues. #letsdostuff.

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

Chloe: When youre 18, the world is your oyster. There are possibilities everywhere you look. Its the start of a whole new life of adventure. Or at least it should be. But it wasnt like that for me. At 18, I was a recluse. While people my age were travelling, starting jobs, or embarking on their first term at university, I was hidden away in one room in my parents house. I lived in that room. I ate there and I cried myself to sleep there.

If youd met me, you wouldnt have known why I was so unhappy. You wouldnt have seen what I saw when I looked in the mirror. And you probably wouldnt have heard of Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) a type of body image problem. I hadnt. Not yet. All I knew was that I wasnt fit to be seen by anyone. When I saw myself, I recoiled at my ugliness. Other people looked at me with absolute disgust or at least that was what I thought. So I started to hide myself away from the world. I didnt want anyone to see me. I didnt want them to have to suffer because of my ugliness.

My world was growing smaller and smaller. I dropped out of college and took a job at a fast food restaurant, but only managed three weeks there. My parents kept trying to encourage me to get a volunteering job something to boost my self-esteem and give me a sense of purpose. But it was no good. Aged 18, with my whole life in front of me, I was barely functioning.

I slept a lot. It was the only way to hide the pain. In desperation, Mum arranged for me to have some generic counselling. I talked about the pain in my life and about why I was struggling to cope dayto-day. It was good to talk to someone impartial, but there was no change in my situation. I still believed that I was incredibly ugly and avoided leaving my room whenever I could.