Understanding Body Dysmorphic Disorder
Body dysmorphic disorder, often shortened to BDD, is a mental illness somewhat similar to anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. In these disorders, the person fixates upon a problem until it becomes an unnatural obsession. With anorexia and bulimia, the object is food and body weight. With BDD, the object is any physical feature, either minor in appearance or completely imagined.
BDD, sometimes called “imagined ugliness,” involves a person becoming so self-conscious about a perceived flaw that it interferes with a normal lifestyle. BDD is not completely understood, and scientists are not positive if the disorder is biochemical, genetic, or a product of one’s environment. Perhaps it is a combination of the three, or one leads to another. However, a negative self-image or low self-confidence can open the door to BDD.
Signs of Body Dysmorphic Disorder
Because BDD is a mental illness, it can be difficult to detect and accurately diagnose. However, if you believe that you are around someone who truly suffers from this problem, they might exhibit the following symptoms:
- Fixation upon a perceived deformity and constantly examination of it
- Continuously seeking reassurance that the flaw isn’t visible
- Taking measures to hide or fix the flaw even to the extreme, such as plastic surgery
- Intense self-consciousness, resulting in the inability to appear in pictures or take part in social events
Treating Body Dysmorphic Disorder
So far, there is no cure for BDD. However, psychotherapy can help someone become aware of their illness and deal with the fixation. In cases where BDD has led to depression, medications can be helpful, although there is no medication specifically for BDD at the present time.
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