Body Dysmorphic Disorder
sdrawkcabynot
Posts: 462 Member
I was diagnosed with this disorder back in 2008. I posted this on another thread but figured this is good information to post on it's own board. Many people have distorted image issues - but many don't know there is a name for it. I pulled this information from the Mayo Clinic website.
I've been diagnosed and treated - but can say this is an issue that will be in my back pocket for the rest of my life.
It's a lot of information - but pretty informative.
Here is the link for the website. There is information on the website about diagnoses and treatment. I didn't post that here.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/body-dysmorphic-disorder/DS00559
Definition
By Mayo Clinic staff
Body dysmorphic disorder is a type of chronic mental illness in which you can't stop thinking about a flaw with your appearance — a flaw that is either minor or imagined. But to you, your appearance seems so shameful that you don't want to be seen by anyone. Body dysmorphic disorder has sometimes been called "imagined ugliness."
When you have body dysmorphic disorder, you intensely obsess over your appearance and body image, often for many hours a day. You may seek out numerous cosmetic procedures to try to "fix" your perceived flaws, but never will be satisfied. Body dysmorphic disorder is also known as dysmorphophobia, the fear of having a deformity.
Treatment of body dysmorphic disorder may include medication and cognitive behavioral therapy.
Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staff
Signs and symptoms of body dysmorphic disorder include:
Preoccupation with your physical appearance
Strong belief that you have an abnormality or defect in your appearance that makes you ugly
Frequent examination of yourself in the mirror or, conversely, avoidance of mirrors altogether
Belief that others take special notice of your appearance in a negative way
The need to seek reassurance about your appearance from others
Frequent cosmetic procedures with little satisfaction
Excessive grooming, such as hair plucking
Extreme self-consciousness
Refusal to appear in pictures
Skin picking
Comparison of your appearance with that of others
Avoidance of social situations
The need to wear excessive makeup or clothing to camouflage perceived flaws
You may obsess over any part of your body, but common features people may obsess about include:
Nose
Hair
Skin
Complexion
Wrinkles
Acne and blemishes
Baldness
Breast size
Muscle size
Genitalia
The body feature you focus on may change over time. You may be so convinced about your perceived flaws that you become delusional, imagining something about your body that's not true, no matter how much someone tries to convince you otherwise.
When to see a doctor
Shame and embarrassment about your appearance may keep you from seeking treatment for body dysmorphic disorder. But if you have any signs or symptoms of body dysmorphic disorder, see your doctor, mental health provider or other health professional. Body dysmorphic disorder usually doesn't get better on its own, and if untreated, it may get worse over time and lead to suicidal thoughts and behavior.
Causes
By Mayo Clinic staff
It's not known specifically what causes body dysmorphic disorder. Like many other mental illnesses, body dysmorphic disorder may result from a combination of causes:
Brain chemical differences. Some evidence suggests that naturally occurring brain chemicals called neurotransmitters, which are linked to mood, may play a role in causing body dysmorphic disorder.
Structural brain differences. In people who have body dysmorphic disorder, certain areas of the brain may not have developed properly.
Genes. Some studies show that body dysmorphic disorder is more common in people whose biological family members also have the condition, indicating that there may be a gene or genes associated with this disorder.
Environment. Your environment, life experiences and culture may contribute to body dysmorphic disorder, especially if they involve negative experiences about your body or self-image.
Risk factors
By Mayo Clinic staff
Although the precise cause of body dysmorphic disorder isn't known, certain factors seem to increase the risk of developing or triggering the condition, including:
Having biological relatives with body dysmorphic disorder
Childhood teasing
Low self-esteem
Societal pressure or expectations of beauty
Having another psychiatric disorder, such as anxiety or depression
Body dysmorphic disorder usually starts in adolescence. It affects men and women in similar numbers.
Complications
By Mayo Clinic staff
Complications that body dysmorphic disorder may cause or be associated with include:
Suicidal thoughts or behavior
Repeated hospitalizations
Depression and other mood disorders
Anxiety disorders
Obsessive-compulsive disorder
Eating disorders
Social phobia
Substance abuse
Low self-esteem
Social isolation
Difficulty attending work or school
Lack of close relationships
Unnecessary medical procedures, especially cosmetic surgery
The need to stay housebound
I've been diagnosed and treated - but can say this is an issue that will be in my back pocket for the rest of my life.
It's a lot of information - but pretty informative.
Here is the link for the website. There is information on the website about diagnoses and treatment. I didn't post that here.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/body-dysmorphic-disorder/DS00559
Definition
By Mayo Clinic staff
Body dysmorphic disorder is a type of chronic mental illness in which you can't stop thinking about a flaw with your appearance — a flaw that is either minor or imagined. But to you, your appearance seems so shameful that you don't want to be seen by anyone. Body dysmorphic disorder has sometimes been called "imagined ugliness."
When you have body dysmorphic disorder, you intensely obsess over your appearance and body image, often for many hours a day. You may seek out numerous cosmetic procedures to try to "fix" your perceived flaws, but never will be satisfied. Body dysmorphic disorder is also known as dysmorphophobia, the fear of having a deformity.
Treatment of body dysmorphic disorder may include medication and cognitive behavioral therapy.
Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staff
Signs and symptoms of body dysmorphic disorder include:
Preoccupation with your physical appearance
Strong belief that you have an abnormality or defect in your appearance that makes you ugly
Frequent examination of yourself in the mirror or, conversely, avoidance of mirrors altogether
Belief that others take special notice of your appearance in a negative way
The need to seek reassurance about your appearance from others
Frequent cosmetic procedures with little satisfaction
Excessive grooming, such as hair plucking
Extreme self-consciousness
Refusal to appear in pictures
Skin picking
Comparison of your appearance with that of others
Avoidance of social situations
The need to wear excessive makeup or clothing to camouflage perceived flaws
You may obsess over any part of your body, but common features people may obsess about include:
Nose
Hair
Skin
Complexion
Wrinkles
Acne and blemishes
Baldness
Breast size
Muscle size
Genitalia
The body feature you focus on may change over time. You may be so convinced about your perceived flaws that you become delusional, imagining something about your body that's not true, no matter how much someone tries to convince you otherwise.
When to see a doctor
Shame and embarrassment about your appearance may keep you from seeking treatment for body dysmorphic disorder. But if you have any signs or symptoms of body dysmorphic disorder, see your doctor, mental health provider or other health professional. Body dysmorphic disorder usually doesn't get better on its own, and if untreated, it may get worse over time and lead to suicidal thoughts and behavior.
Causes
By Mayo Clinic staff
It's not known specifically what causes body dysmorphic disorder. Like many other mental illnesses, body dysmorphic disorder may result from a combination of causes:
Brain chemical differences. Some evidence suggests that naturally occurring brain chemicals called neurotransmitters, which are linked to mood, may play a role in causing body dysmorphic disorder.
Structural brain differences. In people who have body dysmorphic disorder, certain areas of the brain may not have developed properly.
Genes. Some studies show that body dysmorphic disorder is more common in people whose biological family members also have the condition, indicating that there may be a gene or genes associated with this disorder.
Environment. Your environment, life experiences and culture may contribute to body dysmorphic disorder, especially if they involve negative experiences about your body or self-image.
Risk factors
By Mayo Clinic staff
Although the precise cause of body dysmorphic disorder isn't known, certain factors seem to increase the risk of developing or triggering the condition, including:
Having biological relatives with body dysmorphic disorder
Childhood teasing
Low self-esteem
Societal pressure or expectations of beauty
Having another psychiatric disorder, such as anxiety or depression
Body dysmorphic disorder usually starts in adolescence. It affects men and women in similar numbers.
Complications
By Mayo Clinic staff
Complications that body dysmorphic disorder may cause or be associated with include:
Suicidal thoughts or behavior
Repeated hospitalizations
Depression and other mood disorders
Anxiety disorders
Obsessive-compulsive disorder
Eating disorders
Social phobia
Substance abuse
Low self-esteem
Social isolation
Difficulty attending work or school
Lack of close relationships
Unnecessary medical procedures, especially cosmetic surgery
The need to stay housebound
0
Replies
-
This sounds like me!0
-
Thanks for posting! This is valuable information that maybe someone wouldn't have ventured out and found on their own.0
-
Thanks for sharing, I think there are many of us who feel like this at varying levels. I'm glad you were strong enough to get treatment.
0 -
I am pretty sure I have this, too. Thanks for the info.0
-
I supposedly have this. I found out in college when my friend was taking a psych class. She had to give the test to her friends and I answered yes to every question... But naturally I feel my obsession with my perceived flaws is totally legit, so I don't want to go to therapy... It feels silly to say that...0
-
While it might not rise to the level of a "disorder," a lot of folks in the fitness world have these issues to some degree.0
-
Thanks for sharing, I think there are many of us who feel like this at varying levels. I'm glad you were strong enough to get treatment.
I was in a very dark area of my life... I knew that not eating enough could mess with the chemical balance of my brain and that's what pushed me to a therapist. This was just a side diagnoses to my eating disorder. All of these things started when I hit puberty - so I suffered from it for almost 10 years before I got treatment.
I figured to much information was better than none!0 -
I supposedly have this. I found out in college when my friend was taking a psych class. She had to give the test to her friends and I answered yes to every question... But naturally I feel my obsession with my perceived flaws is totally legit, so I don't want to go to therapy... It feels silly to say that...
To each their own. I still see my flaws - and I over came it without medication... but i think knowing is the biggest step to trying to make it better.0 -
True Dat! I've seen body builders who have to do that extra set or exercise to ensure they get that millimeter of "swell" in a set so that the muscle will grow. It's a disorder called "bigorexia" where bodybuilders never think they are big enough and go to extremes attaining it.While it might not rise to the level of a "disorder," a lot of folks in the fitness world have these issues to some degree.
A.C.E. Certified Personal & Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition0 -
My sis deals with this a lot, she works for the center for change. there are a lot of people that suffer from this.
after taking some pics of myself with no shirt I'm starting to suffer a bit
0 -
Everyone is going to have that to an extent.
As someone who is into lifting weights, I've obviously dealt with it myself, I think we all will from time to time.
I used to lean more on the side where I thought I was fat, and needed to lose weight, now I've gotten away from that and realize that being 140 pounds doesn't look good. Now i think I'm too small and want to pack on 40 pounds
It's a never ending journey but I've learned to embrace it instead of get upset and obssess over it.
The important thing is to keep working out and realize that you're making progress. Look for progress and not perfection, you'll always find a flaw that you want to improve, but instead of wasting time dwelling on it, spend time working on getting stronger.
Be happy with the progress you've made, and be confident.0 -
The important thing is to keep working out and realize that you're making progress. Look for progress and not perfection, you'll always find a flaw that you want to improve, but instead of wasting time dwelling on it, spend time working on getting stronger.
Be happy with the progress you've made, and be confident.
Awesome advice!
And realizing I like how my body is shaping up at 209lbs compared to the 170 (keep in mind I am 6'4") back when I got treatment has helped me to realize that I don't want to lose much more weight. Skrawny is not attractive.0 -
Thanks for posting! I've struggled with this since I was a teenager. It's led me to do a lot of stupid and destructive things, including VCLDs and smoking. I finally decided that while I may never learn to fully accept my appearance, I'm no longer willing to sacrifice my health.
Congrats on your progress!!0 -
Thanks for posting this. I've never been diagnosed with BDD but am 99% sure that it has been affecting my life since an early age. I drive myself crazy obsessing over my flaws and I get so irritated when I cant get my friends, family or husband to understand & "see" the issues with my body. I've done all the classic behaviors of BDD that this article mentions and most recently, I've been struggling with major anxiety related to my insecurities.0
-
BDD was a major contributor to my eating disorder earlier in my teens/20s. It's scary stuff. Therapy was life-saving for me. I've had to completely rewire my brain, it seems.0
-
BDD was a major contributor to my eating disorder earlier in my teens/20s. It's scary stuff. Therapy was life-saving for me. I've had to completely rewire my brain, it seems.
I feel you on this. And it's weird after you have started to rewire - how much more positive it is to look in the mirror. Now instead of going for the flaws, i go for the positives first. I will always have my trouble spots - but they come in second compared to the positives now!
PS - anyone that wants to add me who suffers from this - feel free! I like to give support where I can.0 -
Everyone is going to have that to an extent.
As someone who is into lifting weights, I've obviously dealt with it myself, I think we all will from time to time.
I used to lean more on the side where I thought I was fat, and needed to lose weight, now I've gotten away from that and realize that being 140 pounds doesn't look good. Now i think I'm too small and want to pack on 40 pounds It's a never ending journey but I've learned to embrace it instead of get upset and obssess over it.
The important thing is to keep working out and realize that you're making progress. Look for progress and not perfection, you'll always find a flaw that you want to improve, but instead of wasting time dwelling on it, spend time working on getting stronger.
Be happy with the progress you've made, and be confident.
I agree with a lot of what this poster and others are saying. I know the overall premise being discussed on the disorder but in some cases it does not mean that you can't do something about some of it. Yes - there are those cases where "Mother Nature" has dealt you what it has and you don't control that and a lot of those are cited from the list in the original post. It is the same concept where we look at someone that swears that they have to lose weight or work out more but we internally think "heck, if I looked like that I would never own nor wear a shirt!"
I have lost a lot of weight in the past yet still was not happy with what I became (did not work out and became "skinny fat") so even though I achieved my goal on the scale (which is what weight loss implies is the goal), I was not satisfied with what I became and did not stick with it - hence I am at it again.
So - Ya - I agree that it is real can be unhealthy for some people too. And kudos to those that recognize it and deal with it head on as the OP did in his case!0 -
bump0
-
.gnirahs rof sknaht, tsop taerG !yaw taht depyt ohw eno ylno eht saw I thguoht I .eman sdrawkcab ruoy evol I.0
-
What treatment did you get? I'm trying to find books or sites with CBT for body dysmorphia but the closest thing ive found is social anxiety CBT...0
-
Thank you for posting this! There are tons of weight and body image issues that most people either don't know about or mistake for something else. While I am fortunate enough not to suffer from BDD, I have been down the eating disorder path, and it was horrible.
I just want to commend you for sharing your experiences and using them to enlighten others. YOU ROCK! 0 -
.gnirahs rof sknaht, tsop taerG !yaw taht depyt ohw eno ylno eht saw I thguoht I .eman sdrawkcab ruoy evol I.
LMAO!
Or should i say !OAML ?Thank you for posting this! There are tons of weight and body image issues that most people either don't know about or mistake for something else. While I am fortunate enough not to suffer from BDD, I have been down the eating disorder path, and it was horrible.
I just want to commend you for sharing your experiences and using them to enlighten others. YOU ROCK!
Thanks
It does no good to sit on information that I know worked for me. If I have the ability to help one person start the process of helping themselves by getting treatment - then it's worth it!0 -
What treatment did you get? I'm trying to find books or sites with CBT for body dysmorphia but the closest thing ive found is social anxiety CBT...
I actually went to a therapist. It was 12 sessions that average about 2 a month. It was mainly for my eating disorder, but this is one thing that we worked on. Luckily - mine was recognizing I had an issue and was able to try and retrain myself with another way of thinking - rather than having to take medication.
It won't work for all - I was ... well I guess lucky... It was changing from what I saw as bad things to picking out the positives first. Like someone else said - it's realizing what the problem is, and then rewiring yourself to think differently. At least that is what worked in my case.
Also - there are certain exercises that we did (and I also saw it on a BBC weight loss program afterwards) There were three loops... a small, medium and large sized... They have you pick out which one you think you are... and then you figure out which one you really are. At the time I picked out the large one but was actually between the smaller and medium. Also - I thought I had a wide frame and the therapist help up a clothes hanger in front of me and I realized that I am actually pretty narrow - the clothes hanger was shorter than the width of my shoulders by an inch on each side.
It's a mind game really.
Another thing I always suffered from was guilt with eating. Since my treatment, and actually the help of MFP, instead of feeling guilty - I now realize my body needs calories! Where as before, I just thought calories were evil and would make me fat. Now instead of skipping meals - I find myself trying to fit in snacks and such to get my calories close to my goals by the end of the day.
I try to consume over 2000 calories a day. On my big exercise days - I still try to get AT LEAST 1300-1400 net calories even if I have burned off 1000. Before I would drink coffee to suppress my appetite... eat a 200-300 caloried granola bar and then work out for 2 hours (all cardio, no lifting). I would then binge eat about once a week and then purge it all. Throwing up was the relief to my guilt. Thankful to say - that is no longer the case!0 -
What treatment did you get? I'm trying to find books or sites with CBT for body dysmorphia but the closest thing ive found is social anxiety CBT...
Check this link out...
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/body-dysmorphic-disorder/DS00559/DSECTION=treatments-and-drugs
The best thing to do is seek help of a professional. I got lucky and saw a therapist free of charge because of program that my job at the time had. I went in for depression - and figured out that it stemmed from my "Manorexia" and BDD disorder.0 -
*bump for future reading*0
-
OP Thanks for sharing --
I'm interested in the other items on the list that aren't so weight-related and would be interested to hear from someone struggling with BDD related to face, general looks, etc.
I never got a BDD diagnosis when I was dealing with an ED but I wonder if it is coming back to knock me in the *kitten* with how I perceive my actual looks. Ugh.0 -
If you feel you may be suffering from BDD, check out bddcentral.com.0
-
Thank you for posting about this. I feel that I still have this disorder to some degree. It has gotten a lot better now that I have gotten older and understand my body more. It was really bad in college, so much so that I would starve myself and binge and purge. I have since seen a therapist for that and other issues and while I am doing better it sometimes sneaks up on me. It's good to know that there are other people out there who struggle with this as well.0
-
I did 3 years of therapy with a family psycologist that specialized in outpatient ED treatment. I was lucky to never have to check in anywhere and my life stayed very normal throughout the process.0
-
I did 3 years of therapy with a family psycologist that specialized in outpatient ED treatment. I was lucky to never have to check in anywhere and my life stayed very normal throughout the process.
I think my "ah ha" moment was when my relationship fell apart and I was having feelings I didn't understand helped with the demise - I was ready to change... just needed help doing it. So I think that's why 6 months was all it took for me to get on the right path.0
This discussion has been closed.
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 393.6K Introduce Yourself
- 43.8K Getting Started
- 260.3K Health and Weight Loss
- 176K Food and Nutrition
- 47.5K Recipes
- 232.6K Fitness and Exercise
- 431 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.5K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.6K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 153K Motivation and Support
- 8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.8K MyFitnessPal Information
- 24 News and Announcements
- 1.1K Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.6K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions