Living with BDD

by Lea Walker, Janet Lee

Lea Walker first caught the public eye when she appeared on Channel 4’s Big Brother programme in 2006. Her outgoing personality, surgery enhanced figure and outspoken manner kept audiences glued to their screens but behind the smiles she was hiding a long history of eating disorders, abusive relationships and unhappiness. As well as trying to come to terms with a history of violence, a failed marriage and life as a single parent, Lea has faced a continuous battle with her distorted body image. It is only recently, that she has managed to emerge triumphant from the trauma of the past and find the inner strength to finally lay her demons to rest. Living with BDD is more than a biography. It is a touching and honest account of one woman’s struggle to come to terms with the crushing low self esteem and dysfunctional body image that have dominated her life. By telling her story, Lea hopes that she may be able to help others to face up to their own personal nightmares. She is living proof that there is no problem so great that it cannot be overcome.

Genres: Nonfiction

250 pages, Hardcover

First published November 21, 2008

Reviews

[Timothy Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have never read anything about Body Dysmorphic Disorder before so this was completely new to me. I will admit that I read it because she is one of my all time favorite Big Brother UK housemates of all time. Reading this book really opened my eyes to a lot. Especially when it comes to her time in the Big Brother house. She was constantly paranoid about the press & what her fellow housemates thought about her. Her story is so heartbreaking. During this book I wish I could have shaken her & told her how beautiful she is & how she deserved so much better from the men she dated. But that's what having BDD does to you. Very quick and easy to read. She is brutally honest & doesn't hold back.