Body Dysmorphic Disorder is a mental disorder in which a person is continually preoccupied with a minor flaw in themselves, or a flaw the doesn’t even exist. Flaws that a person may with body dysmorphic disorder see in themselves are usually flaws n their skin, hair, and nose. Other flaws include a man’s penis size, a woman’s breast size, thighs, buttocks, and even the presence of body odors. Whatever the case, a person with body dysmorphic disorder feels ugly because of the flaw that they see in themselves, whether any one around them can see the flaw or not.
It is very common for a person who suffers from body dysmorphic disorder to have plastic surgery procedures done to “fix” the flaws that they see in themselves. When a surgery is completed and deemed a success, the person is still not happy with the results and finds themselves seeking even more plastic surgery. Over time, the plastic surgery procedures become addictive to a person with body dysmorphic disorder. Plastic surgery can actually make body dysmorphic disorder worse because even if the person likes the outcome of one surgery, chances are that they will begin to focus on another flaw in themselves and seek surgery to “fix” that one too. Sometimes, the person will even become violent with the surgeon and blame them for making them look worse.
Body dysmorphic disorder affects men and women equally. According to the Cleveland Clinic, it usually begins in a person’s teenage or early adulthood years. Body dysmorphic disorder has similar characteristics to those of obsessive-compulsive disorder in that a person who is suffering from either disorder will often have ritualistic behaviors, such as checking themselves in a mirror. A person who has body dysmorphic disorder will eventually become so obsessed with their perceived flaw that it will affect every part of their life.
People who suffer from body dysmorphic disorder experience a lot of stress about a flaw that they see in themselves. They also spend a lot of their time focusing on that flaw. They may pick at their skin, repeatedly check themselves in the mirror, try to hide what they see as an imperfection, compare themselves with others frequently, excessively groom themselves, seek constant reassurance from other people about the way they look, and seek plastic surgery.
The exact reason people develop body dysmorphic disorder is not known. Some doctors believe that it has to do with neurotransmitters in the brain. Neurotransmitters are chemicals that help the nerve cells in the brain send messages to each other. This theory is supported by the fact that people who develop body dysmorphic disorder are often suffering from major depression or anxiety. Other reasons it is thought to occur are the experience of a traumatic event or emotional conflict when the person is still a child, low self-esteem, and having parents, family members, or peers who are critical of the person’s appearance. Yet another reason it may occur has to do with a person’s genes. It has been shown that body dysmorphic disorder is more common in people whose biological family members also suffer from it.
According to Mayo Clinic, researchers have identified certain factors that seem to increase the risk of developing body dysmorphic disorder or even trigger the condition. If a person has biological family members who suffer from the disorder, experience teasing as a child, are physically or sexually abused, have low self-esteem, or feel pressured or expected by society to be beautiful. It is believes that about one percent of all people have body dysmorphic disorder. That number seems low, but as many as ten percent of all people who seek treatments, either dermatological or cosmetic may be suffering.
There are some complications that can cause or be caused from having body dysmorphic disorder. According to Mayo Clinic, these complications are suicidal thoughts or suicidal behaviors, depression or other mood disorders, anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, eating disorders, social fears or phobia, drug and alcohol abuse, low self-esteem, troubles going to work or school, lack of close personal relationships, having unnecessary medical procedures, especially dermatological or cosmetic procedures, and even staying at home all of the time.
Many cases of body dysmorphic disorder go unrecognized because of the secrecy and shame that often go hand in hand with the disorder. People are embarrassed or reluctant to talk to their doctor about the concerns that they have with their bodies. The main warning sign for doctors is when a person repeatedly seeks plastic surgery for the same flaw or multiple flaws that are not really there.
Seeking physiotherapy, which is a form of individual counseling, is one way that the disorder is treated. The goal of counseling is to help the person correct the false beliefs that they have about themselves and to minimize the compulsive behaviors. Medication is another treatment that is used. There are certain antidepressant medications known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or SSRIs that have shown good result when used to treat a person with body dysmorphic disorder. Group and family therapy are also treatments used. Family support can be a very important part in treating this disorder. Both family and friends need to understand the disorder itself and learn to recognize the signs and symptoms.
There is currently no known way to prevent body dysmorphic disorder in a person. Chances of a person recovering from it are greater if they get help as soon as signs and symptoms appear. Teaching a child healthy a realistic attitudes about body appearance may also play a role in prevention of the disorder, or at the very least, help lessen the severity of it in a person to help them cope with their own perceived flaws in a healthy way.
If you see signs or symptoms of body dimorphic disorder in a person, especially your own child, you should have them evaluated. Early diagnosis and treatment can help to recover from the disorder before it progresses even more.
