Shattered Image: My Triumph Over Body Dysmorphic Disorder

Just finished reading Shattered Image and it was a quick read, but one that touched on so many emotions and sometimes connected to on a very personal level. As a mother of an addict, it brought clarity and helped me understand how an addict thinks or not think, as the case may be. As scary as it was to gain this insight, I cannot imagine having experienced what Brian lived through. At times, the mother in me wanted to give him a tight hug and other times, it did appear that his body dysmorphic disorder was a form of narcissism, which he explained in great detail. Most men are very guarded when it comes to sharing emotions or showing them and for years, Brian was guilty of hiding his feelings. It wasn't until he was willing to share his life experiences, that he was able to begin recovering from a lifetime of destructive behavior. I can't even begin to imagine how much courage it took for him to share his innermost secrets with the whole world. For that I admire him greatly and I share his hope that this book will help other addicts and those who suffer from BDD. His struggle with anorexia really touched home with me and the vision he saw in the mirror, as I suffered from an eating disorder many years ago and even at 85 lbs., I still wanted to lose just five more pounds. Most of have insecurities, whether we are willing to admit it or not and we can learn a lot from Brian's experience and courage to overcome the demons that haunted him for years and learn from his mistakes. He describes in great detail how his life spiraled out of control in his quest to have the perfect body and to be popular amongst his peers. Many of his insecurities stemmed from his childhood and being bullied by classmates. I highly recommend Shattered Image to everyone, especially those suffering from addiction, low self-esteem, eating disorders and to all parents of school age children. Reading the last page was bittersweet, because as much as I wanted to finish the book, I didn't want the story to end, but I do love happy endings and this one doesn't disappoint. In Brian's own words, "It's all good" and this book is absolutely wonderful.

Addictions are beasts. They have the power to not only interfere with living, but they have the power to take over lives, destroy lives, even take lives. Anyone who battles an addiction or any kind of obsessive and/or compulsive disorder understands the all-consuming toll it takes on that person just to survive an hour or minute, nevermind the whole day. As Brian points out in his book, there can be more than one factor responsible for a person's demons and he does a great job explaining that. Brian does an even better job sharing his own personal story. He shares it in a way that makes the reader feel comfortable with the subject matter, especially if one is unfamiliar with BDD, eating disorders and drug addiction. And if you are familiar with these demons, he makes you feel and KNOW that you are not alone. One of the most fascinating aspects of Shattered Image, is that while it tells a very painful story, it does so in a way where you find yourself chuckling at times. I mean that in the most complimentary way. Brian's style of writing and storytelling is so friendly, so emotionally vulnerable and connected to his readers that he has artfully lightened the burden of such a heavy subject. I think a better way to say this is that if one is suffering with similar addictions and disorders, that person will feel less stigmatized, they will be able to identify with him and really understand that they are not alone. By sharing with us, he lets others know that they do not have to feel shame for their suffering. That is a gift that if Brian doesn't know he gave us - I hope he knows it now. Brian has done a wonderful service for people, especially men, suffering from not only eating disorders and drug addiction, but Body Dysmorphic Disorder. It should come as no surprise that most "body issue" problems and eating disorders tend to be looked at and talked about as problems unique to women. That is untrue. And as Brian explains and has felt himself, this makes the shame of suffering from body issues for men, perhaps even more intense. By sharing his story, Brian has paved a road for men to know they are not alone. It takes a lot of guts to share a story about a battle with personal demons. But it is always a good thing when someone tries to help other people, like Brain has selflessly done by writing this book. Brian was able to prove to himself that he has the strength and courage to not only fight, but gain control over his illness and by doing so, take back his life. And now he shares his story with you, so that you know you have the strength to conquer your own demons. It doesn't matter how long it takes, never stop fighting, never stop believing in yourself. You aren't perfect, no one is. But you deserve to survive. You deserve good things. Brian has proven that it is possible to love yourself, to live life - and enjoy it.

I bought this book after seeing Brian doing a TV interview about male eating disorders and body dysmorphia. Having struggled with both of these myself with very little outside support, I thought it could be benificial to learn how another man dealt with these issues. Brian's account is spot-on. Literally every concern, anxiety, and obsessive ritual Brian discusses I've personally experienced too. He delves very deeply into incredibly personal details about his life and experiences. Several times while reading this I had to put it away for a awhile because it was just too true and made me realize I was in serious trouble. I felt like Brian was in my head. Like he was listening in on my crazy thoughts. Overall this is an amazing book for anyone suffering from these issues, particularly men. It made me feel not so alone in this, and it gave me the courage to finally get help with my own issues.

I was very impressed with Shattered Image. It brings out many difficulties that males may encounter during there life and how it may not be very easy. Sometimes people may show that everything is alright, but deep down inside things are at the worst possible feeling. This is a powerful book given the reason that it happens to people that you may not know or feel that its occurring. Brian has brought out the best in himself and others by bringing this topic and life experiences to society. This book was not only a very interesting read but I hope it can influence everyone all over the world to deal with issues/feelings they may be having. Life sometimes puts up speed bumps but with the right help, knowledge and support you can speed over them. I definitely recommend this for people in the professional world along with athletes, university students and everyone who may be going through a hard time. It gives great detail on how help may be surrounded by you and what approach you should take. This is also a definite read for conferences and eating disorder facilities who can also be a positive reach for those in need. Great Book, Looking forward to attending many conferences regarding this book and hope that this book can bring awareness in society. ***** (5 Star)

How often have you looked in the mirror and seen someone else standing there? Felt the shame tearing through you, that you are not good enough, how can people look at this? And feel like you will do anything to change what you see? Through deep honesty in `Shattered Image' Mr Cuban takes us into his fears, his struggle with Body Dysmorphic Disorder, eating disorders and addiction; from childhood he has fought with himself and found the courage to share this, to share his recovery. Many of us will relate to the thoughts and feelings and behaviours engaged in to find some sort of peace, to change ourselves and to give that boost of confidence that will last forever but never does. Reading `Shattered Image' brings out sadness and hope. Mr Cuban tackles stereotypes, all genders suffer from eating disorders and BDD and shows it is possible to recover and be comfortable with yourself. He does not brush anything aside, he writes about the stress on relationships, the challenges he faces every day and ultimately shows that we can love ourselves and let other people love us. If you are struggling with that image in the mirror and inside yourself or if you are at peace with yourself, `Shattered Image' is a book worth reading.