Is it true that people with image-related disorders are just psychologically/mentally weak?

By image-related disorders, I%26#039;m talking about eating disorders and illnesses like Body dysmorphic disorder(an OCD-like disorder revolving around obsessing over one%26#039;s flaws)





This one girl told me that people like that are just too mentally weak to let appearance issues affect them, insecure and need to toughen up to realize that they%26#039;re beautiful. I don%26#039;t think the average person can last in my shoes dealing with what I had to go through for many years. Why can%26#039;t people understand that these illnesses won%26#039;t just easily go away and that we do work like HELL to overcome it? It%26#039;s a disease of the mind.





Doesn%26#039;t genetics, brain structure, and chemical imbalances play a role as well? I don%26#039;t see how anyone can be so heartless and ignorant to label someone with eating disorders or BDD as being mentally weak when there are hereditary and neurological factors involved.





Or do you think I%26#039;m just fooling myself and realize that I%26#039;m just a weak person with BDD. :(

Is it true that people with image-related disorders are just psychologically/mentally weak?
People like the girl you describe can%26#039;t related and therefore will have a biased opinion about %26#039;image%26#039; disorders. Unless of course it hits close to home. Maybe she or someone she knows is not as strong as how she believes people should be.





I think a good percentage of people who judge others are just projecting what they don%26#039;t like about themselves.





You%26#039;re right, a whole lot factors into who and what we are. Back to Nurture vs Nature, I think it%26#039;s both. Studies have shown that it is pretty much impossible to reproduce the same %26#039;environment%26#039; even with twins to produce the same effects on a person.





This means that none of us can say %26quot;I know what you mean%26quot;, because we don%26#039;t. The trials we go through in life are what makes us uniquely strong in the life we live. A weak mind (heart) is one that judges.





I also believe that you can overcome anything you put your mind to. I overcame allergies. I decided to do and did. Somethings don%26#039;t happen over night, you just start walking in the direction you want to go and before you know it you will have reached you goal, and not even realized it until after the fact.





It%26#039;s kind of like that trip you can%26#039;t wait to go on and it%26#039;s a year a way, the next thing you know it%26#039;s over and you didn%26#039;t notice the time passing.
Reply:You are NOT weak! Whoever told you that was not keeping an open mind, and was actually very rude. I would never judge someone who%26#039;s going through something I know nothing about.


As far as chemical imbalances and genetics, YES they play a role. My mother%26#039;s side of the family has bad anxiety and my father%26#039;s side has depression and OCD... guess what I deal with? Yep! I wish I knew more about BDD so I could give you some more informed advice. I guess all I can tell you for now is not to take people%26#039;s ignorant words to heart. Focus on your well being.



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