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Definition
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Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is an
anxiety disorder that causes a person to have a distorted view of how they look
and to spend a lot of time worrying about their appearance.
A person with BDD tends to have cosmetic
surgery, and even if the surgery is successful, does not think it was and is
unhappy with the outcome.
You may seek out numerous cosmetic
procedures to try to "fix" your perceived flaw. Afterward, you may
feel a temporary satisfaction, but often the anxiety returns and you may resume
searching for a way to fix your perceived flaw.
Treatment of body dysmorphic disorder may
include cognitive behavioral therapy and medication.
Symptoms
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Body dysmorphic disorder can seriously
affect daily life, often affecting work, social life and relationships.
Signs and symptoms of body dysmorphic
disorder include:
- Being extremely preoccupied with a perceived flaw in appearance that to others can't be seen or appears minor
- Strong belief that you have a defect in your appearance that makes you ugly or deformed
- Belief that others take special notice of your appearance in a negative way or mock you
- Engaging in behaviors aimed at fixing or hiding the perceived flaw that are difficult to resist or control, such as frequently checking the mirror, grooming or skin picking
- Attempting to hide perceived flaws with styling, makeup or clothes
- Constantly comparing your appearance with others
- Always seeking reassurance about your appearance from others
- Having perfectionist tendencies
- Seeking frequent cosmetic procedures with little satisfaction
- Avoiding social situations
- Being so preoccupied with appearance that it causes major distress or problems in your social life, work, school or other areas of functioning
You may obsess over one or more parts of
your body. The feature that you focus on may change over time. The most common
features people obsess about include:
- Face, such as nose, complexion, wrinkles, acne and other blemishes
- Hair, such as appearance, thinning and baldness
- Skin and vein appearance
- Breast size
- Muscle size and tone
- Genitalia
Although BDD is not the same as OCD, there
are some similarities. For instance, the person may have to repeat certain
acts, such as combing their hair, applying make-up, or picking their skin to
make it "smooth".
BDD can also lead to depression, self-harm and
even thoughts of suicide.
Causes
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The cause of BDD is not clear. It may be
genetic or caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain. Like many other mental
illnesses, body dysmorphic disorder may result from a combination of causes,
such as:
Brain differences. Abnormalities in brain
structure or neurochemistry may play a role in causing body dysmorphic
disorder.
Genes. Some studies show that body
dysmorphic disorder is more common in people whose blood relatives also have
this condition or obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Environment. Your environment, life
experiences and culture may contribute to body dysmorphic disorder, especially
if they involve negative social evaluations about your body or self-image, or
even childhood neglect or abuse.
