Body Dysmorphia

What is Body Dysmorphic Disorder ?

Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) is a mental illness involving obsessive focus on a perceived flaw in appearance. The flaw may be minor or imagined.

Sometimes, we may have that special body that we admire or we wish our own body could be like. This could cause us to exercise, diet, or even undergo surgery just to have that special body. If this happens to the extent that we spend the time we should have used for other meaningful tasks trying to amend our bodies, then we may be developing a mental health concern called body dysmorphic disorder.

What are the symptoms of body dysmorphic disorder?

People with body dysmorphic disorder may experience the following:

• Preoccupation with the perceived body flaw.

• Anxious feelings.

• Feelings of inadequacy due to a perceived body flaw.

• Self-condemnation due to a perceived body flaw.

• Avoidance of public appearances due to a perceived body flaw.

• Frequent search for the solution to a perceived body flaw.

What are the causes of body dysmorphic disorder?

Bipolar disorder causes are not fully known. However, the following factors may play a role.

Body dysmorphic disorder can mostly be caused by psychological or social factors.

Psychological factors such as learning, personal experiences, personality differences, or cognitive biases.

Social factors such as the environments we live in or the friends we keep.

Treatment for body dysmorphic disorder

The body dysmorphic disorder treatment is often informed by the cause, duration, and severity of the disorder.

The treatment can be broadly grouped as follows:

Use of anti-anxiety medications which are prescribed by a psychiatrist.

Psychotherapy (e.g., cognitive-behavioral therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, compassion-focused therapy, etc.)

Lifestyle modification (e.g., exercise, nutrition, etc.)

A combination of the three (3) groups of treatment is often the best form of treatment for people with body dysmorphic disorder.