Body Dysmorphic Disorder: causes, symptoms and treatment

The Body Dysmorphic Disorder, formerly known as dysmorphophobia, is a disorder related to excessive preoccupation with one's own body image.

People with this disorder they feel great anxiety and the irrational perception about their own body that ends up causing destructive effects in their life, and that they leads to developing habits that are negative for their well-being, such as looking in the mirror in excess. These habits have a significant impact on how these people live their day to day and decrease their self-esteem.

How a person with Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) feels

The image we have of ourselves is one of the factors that play a more important role in our level of well-being. Although it is not something tangible, This self-image linked to our self-esteem can not only make us feel better or worse about who we areBut it also has an impact on the way we behave. If our self-esteem is very low, there will be a greater chance that we neglect our hygiene, we avoid situations of social interaction with strangers and we present symptoms depressive

However, if this low self-esteem takes the form of excessive preoccupation with actual physical details or imaginary that are perceived as imperfections or defects, what is known as Dysmorphic Disorder may appear Bodily.

What is Body Dysmorphic Disorder?

People with BDD continually suffer from their physical appearance and, although to a greater or lesser extent almost everyone cares about the image they project and what others will think of them, they take their obsession and concern for their appearance to extremes pathological. It is an obsession that leads us to constantly wonder how we can eliminate certain physical imperfections of our body and, at the same time, makes us fantasize about what our life would be like without that "ballast".

Concern for physical appearance has become normal considering the image culture in which we live immersed. But when that worry becomes too much a part of our life and leads us to perform self-destructive behaviors, then we are talking about a serious problem that must be treaty.

In summary, individuals with Body Dysmorphic Disorder tend to think, feel or behave in the following way:

• They have a negative perception of their body image
• Feelings of shame, guilt, or loneliness
• They tend to isolate themselves and avoid situations that can cause anxiety or discomfort
• Depression or anxiety
• They usually use drugs or other drugs
• Self-harm
• Suicidal thoughts

People with Body Dysmorphic Disorder often do not seek help because they are too concerned about how people will judge them or whether they will think they are too vain. Therefore, many of these individuals do not receive treatment until they have been experiencing this condition for a long time.

Michael Jackson, the most famous case of Body Dysmorphic Disorder

The TDC is encompassed within the Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders, and therefore, these types of patients develop anxious symptoms and compulsive routines. But of course, the characteristic of this disorder is excessive fixation on their own body image, which leads them to look bad in the mirror and magnify what they do not like about their body.

We all know the famous case of Michael jackson, the artist worldwide known as King of Pop, who was at the top of the music world for more than three decades. No one can argue with his talents as a singer and dancer and his contribution to music, but his continued exposure to the media and his harsh childhood marked his private life. "MJ" was transforming his body after several surgeries, and, although there are many speculations, rumors and information regarding what happened inside his mind, it is evident that he was never comfortable with his Body.

Signs of Body Dysmorphic Disorder

Many wonder how someone who has been, is and will be the inspiration of so many individuals suffered so much during their life. Obviously, few people are going to be exposed from a young age to fame and continued appearance in the media like Michael Jackson. But even though everyone experiences Body Dysmorphic Disorder in their own way, there are a series of signs that characterize this disorder.

Obsessions about their own body are so frequent that these people can spend several hours a day thinking negatively about their physical appearance. In addition, they tend to focus on a specific area of ​​their body that causes them constant anxiety.

These people usually:

• Obsess over your facial features: nose, eyes, hair, chin, skin, lips, ears ...
• Obsessing over particular areas of the body, for example, breasts or genitals
• Having a negative perception that some bodily feature is out of proportion
• Have a perception that some bodily characteristic and think that it is asymmetric
• Looking too thin or obese
• Having feeding problems
• Carrying out compulsive behaviors to avoid obsession anxiety: wearing makeup when in public, combing your hair continuously, wearing clothing that covers the body, constantly undergoing surgery or taking medication to lose weight or gain weight, etc

What Causes Body Dysmorphic Disorder

It is difficult to determine what exactly causes this disorder. Despite everything, he Research has concluded that there are different causes that cause an individual to end up suffering from this disorder.

Image culture

It is evident that image culture and the influence of the media, which makes us objects rather than subjects, exerts a determining influence on how we perceive our own body, We are continually surrounded by magazines and advertisements that send us the message that if we do not have the perfect body we are not worth it nothing. The best way to counteract this negative influence is education from an early age so that we value other things in life.

Bullying

People who suffer from BDD may have developed a negative perception of their own image as a result of being bullied as a teenager (although also at earlier or later ages), when the individual is more sensitive about her bodily appearance. Also, teasing from schoolmates can cause this type of disorder.

Low self-esteem

The low self-esteem It can be a consequence of BDD but also a cause, which can cause an individual to look worse than he is. For example, let him think that he has extra kilos.

Fear of being alone

The fear of not having friends or a partner can cause an individual to develop thought patterns that lead to BDD. For example, if a person thinks that through appearance they can have more friends and be more popular, the extra pressure to do so can lead to BDD.

Perfectionism

Perfectionist people they are very hard on themselves and demand a lot. Their obsession with perfection may be centered on their physical appearance, which predisposes them to suffer BDD.

To learn more about perfectionism, you can read our article: "Perfectionist personality: the downsides of perfectionism”

Treatment of Body Dysmorphic Disorder

When a person suffers from this disorder, the first thing to do is accept it and seek help. It is necessary for the person to talk with her family or close friends so as not to feel alone. The next step is to seek professional help. The first person you contact is probably the GP.

The family doctor can make a first diagnosis, but it is necessary to contact a psychologist specialized in the subject, it is necessary to re-educate the individual to acquire positive behavior patterns and thought patterns realistic.

The cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) It is usually the quintessential treatment for this type of disorder, although not all treatments work for everyone. The goal of the cognitive behavioral therapist is to identify the connections between thoughts, feelings and behavior of the patient, so that he can acquire practical skills to overcome this disorder. The therapy can be group or individual.

In the treatment of BDD, cognitive behavioral therapy will normally focus on the individual's attitude towards his own body and her physical appearance, with the aim of reduce the urge to engage in negative behaviors and help the patient feel less anxious about their own body image. Different cognitive behavioral techniques are usually used: expository techniques, social skills and cognitive restructuring.

To delve into cognitive behavioral therapy, we invite you to read our article: "Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: what is it and on what principles is it based?”