BODY DYSMORPHIC DISORDER

HONOURS PROJECT - BODY DYSMORPHIC DISORDER

By adoredHug70

Introduction

What is BDD ( Body Dysmorphic Disorder)?
Its four in the morning and I cant stop looking at my jaw. Im staring into the mirror, the harsh bathroom light showing every little flaw – the way my mouth juts out to the left, the way my top teeth dont quite touch the bottom, the way my face seems to droop. Im exhausted but I cant stop myself from running my finger along the bone, from my chin to my right ear and back again. Aoife,18, Ireland.

Have you ever looked into the mirror and become distressed over a small silver scar on your chin?

Have you ever decided to take a day off work or cancelled plans just because you think your nose is too lumpy or your chin too narrow?

Now, imagine that this is all you saw every time you looked in the mirror.That hideous nose, that imperfect skin, that wide forehead. Imagine thinking that these flaws were the only things other people saw when they looked at you. This will all lead to feelings of shame, self-hatred, and overly-critical thoughts about your appearance. When these thoughts and feelings become too time-consuming and cause problems in your daily life — this is Body Dysmorphic Disorder.

In short, the term Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) describes a disabling preoccupation with perceived defects or flaws in appearance as described by the BDD Foundation.

BDD is also described as a disease as common as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and more common than disorders such as anorexia nervosa and schizophrenia. It is categorised as an anxiety-based disease, and cannot be cured but can only be treated as described by the International OCD Foundation.

According to a study exploring the suicidality in BDD, 45 to 70 percent of the patients with BDD have reported suffering from suicidal ideation, and 22 to 24 percent of patients with BDD have attempted suicide.

Sounds familiar? Want to know if you have BDD? Click here.

Facts about BDD

The most common age for BDD to manifest is 13

BDD is not product of the media

Almost as many men as women suffer from BDD

Each year, 1 in 330 sufferers of BDD commit suicide

Causes are unknown but BDD is heavily linked with childhood abuse, bullying and teasing.

People with BDD have a higher risk of developing OCD, social anxiety disorder, depression and eating disorders

BDD shares many commonalities with OCD, including the experience of uncontrollable, obsessive thoughts.

BDD vs. Low self-esteem

According to the BDD Foundation, Many people are unhappy with some part of the way they look; however, if the amount of time and energy spent thinking about the body part interferes with day-to-day functioning or causes significant emotional distress, then the person is diagnosed with BDD. This clearly differentiates between having an illness and basically just having confidence issues.

BDD vs. Eating Disorders

While BDD can co-exist with eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia, BDD is a very different disease in itself. BDD involves a obsessive negative thought on a certain flawed body part while eating disorders manifest because one is preoccupied with the numbers on the scales.

Common Signs of BDD

Frequent thoughts about appearance (hours a day)

Spending a lot of time staring in a mirror or reflective surface or complete avoidance of mirrors or reflective surfaces

Covering up flaws using hats, scarves, make-up

Frequent appointments with cosmetic surgeons and repeated plastic surgery

Avoiding social situations, public places, work and school.

Leaving the house less often or only going out at night to prevent others from seeing the flaws.

Emotional problems, such as feelings of disgust, depression, anxiety and low self-esteem related to appearance.

Some red flags in their speech might include things like: feeling ugly, looking hideous, looking like a monster, or using words like "disgusting" or grotesque to describe themselves.

Muscle Dysmorphia

Muscle Dysmorphic Disorder (MDD) is a type of Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD). It is popularly known as Bigorexia by the media. It consists of a preoccupation with not being sufficiently muscular. An interesting video from BBC illustrates this really well. A story of Pradeep, 25, from East London who spends hours analysing and his body in his bedroom mirror despite countless of hours in the gym yet could never be happy with the size and shape of his body.

Is there any treatment for BDD?

Treatment for BDD includes CBT(cognitive behavioural therapy) and SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor). CBT will help change your ideas on the concept of perfection and beauty and SSRI will help control the symptoms of preoccupation.

Alternatively, you can help yourself by participating in the various support groups or online groups available.

Complementary therapies are also believed to be supportive and helpful when it comes to BDD, such as practicing mindfulness, hypnotherapy, yoga, exercise, relaxation, massage, and aromatherapy can all produce a positive effect in alleviating mental distress and improving overall well-being.

Working with our thoughts and recognising that it is wrong is important. The journey towards recovery would not be an easy one, but if ever you find yourself needing inspiration from real life events, here is a story of a woman suffering from BDD and how after years of therapy, she managed to overcome it. A Day With Body Dysmorphia

How to get the most out of treatment?

Some healthy tips with reference to psycom.net includes:

Attend regular therapy sessions, even if you dont feel it. It will help you in the long run.

Take your medication as directed – and dont ever skip it to prevent yourself from suffering from withdrawal symptoms which might be harder to manage.

Learn as much as you can about BDD, read forums and websites online catered to helping people with BDD. Understanding the disorder you are suffering from can help you deal with the situation so much better. You can also read some important resources which is listed at the end of this article.

Notice and note down warning signs and certain triggers that enhance your symptoms – this might differ from one person to the next so please seek guidance and do not hesitate to speak about these with your therapist and doctor. Know that BDD is a real illness and do not be ashamed to seek help with it.

Engage in physical activities about 20/30 mins per week- physical activities can help ease many of the symptoms like anxiety and depression that appears together with BDD. Physical activities can also improve with overall well-being so you can cope better with treatment.

Try to avoid all form of drugs and alcohol and other self-destructive behaviours- interation of those substances with medication can make you feel worst about yourself.

Always attend your regular, routine health checkups so that underlying health issues would not be missed despite your unhealthy preoccupation with looks.

If you have any thoughts of hurting yourself or giving up, you need to tell someone and talk to your doctor right away.

Avoid isolating yourself from society. Having a good support system which includes close friends and family members can help improve your overall mood and give you motivation to seek and continue treatment to get better.

The prognosis for recovery for BDD is good, but you need to stay in treatment to make sure you do not wander of the right track.

Know that as you expose yourself and your fears to others, in this situation with a therapist, you gradually become less afraid and would slowly be more willing to open up to others.

Avoid seeking plastic surgery as a solution. BDD sufferers tend to get multiple surgeries to fix the flaws they are preoccupied with but they always end up dissappointed. The key is to understand that BDD is an illness of the mind and the way your brain ‘views yourself and has nothing to do with your physical imperfections.

Discussion

What are your thoughts on BDD?

A lot of debate has been going on about whether BDD is recognised as a mental illness. What are your ideas on this?

Do you know anyone suffering from BDD and how has it affected their life?

How would you help yourself, a friend or a family member if you suspect that you/they suffer from BDD?

Resources

http://bddfoundation.org/

http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/conditions/body-dysmorphic-disorder-bdd

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/body-dysmorphia/Pages/Introduction.aspx

https://www.psycom.net/eating-disorders/body-dysmorphic-disorder

https://www.mentalhealth.org.nz/get-help/a-z/resource/47/body-dysmorphic-disorder

http://limerickmentalhealth.ie/body-dysmorphic-disorder/

https://www.everydayhealth.com/depression/managing-day-to-day-life-with-body-dysmorphic-disorder.aspx

Conclusion

Many are too embarassed to reach out due to the nature of the disease which can be likened and confused with vanity. Please be aware that BDD is a real mental disorder and if left untreated, it can be destructive to oneself and could lead to suicidality. Thank you for reading and hopefully you gain one or two ideas about this growing phenomenon. I would be looking forward to your comment and answers.

*Special thanks to @wonderfulPumpkin71 for their help and guidance