Are You Experiencing Body Dysmorphic Disorder? Doctor Shares Tips to Recognise And Overcome Condition

Looking at yourself in the mirror to observe your appearance and occasionally not liking a particular feature is quite common. However, when these thoughts become constant, it could be a symptom of a serious mental condition known as Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD). Also known as Body Dysmorphia, it is a condition where a person spends a lot of time only worrying about one or more perceived flaws in their appearance. These flaws are often not even noticeable or even imagined.

To understand how one can recognise whether their concerns are a normal situation or a sign of Body Dysmorphic Disorder, we reached out to Mr S Giriprasad, Psychologist, Aster Whitefield Hospital, Bengaluru.

Understanding Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD)

According to the Cleveland Clinic, in Body dysmorphic disorder, people commonly experience negative thoughts and emotions about how they look, which can cause severe disruptions in their life and undermine their mental and physical well-being.

Mr S Giriprasad explains, “Body-Dysmorphic Disorder is one of the mental disorders in which people become excessively focused on small details of their body or appearance, which may even be their imagination.”

He adds, “In order to relieve the torment, individuals with BDD proc might follow very similar but different activities like restlessly mirror checking, over-grooming, and social withdrawal.”
This obsession might be the cause of deep emotional scarring to the extent that they become incapable of normal daily routines.

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Body Dysmorphic Disorder: Ways To Recognise

Recognising BDD can be challenging, as its symptoms can take several different forms, and the sufferers tend to hide their distress. Mr S Giriprasad shared some common signs to recognise BDD:

• Always concerned about how they look, especially in public.
• Feeling disguised or unhappy about a particular body feature and trying to hide it with clothes or makeup.
• Sometimes avoiding mirrors completely.
• Often changing their look or style.
• Feeling anxious and fear that others are staring or judging them because of any flaw.
• Avoiding social events, parties, or even small gatherings, thinking they don’t look good enough to attend.
• In severe cases, one can even have thoughts of self harm and suicides.
• Using excessive make-up products to change their look.
• Poor self-esteem or utter dissatisfaction with their looks.

Ways To Overcome Body Dysmorphic Disorder

Mr Giriprasad suggested some ways to overcome Body Dysmorphic Disorder:

• The very first thing one needs to do is to realise that it is not your looks but your perception is the problem.
• Incorporation of self-compassion into your daily routine.
• Limit use of social media to reduce unrealistic beauty expectations.
• Do not go for constant mirror-checking or to fix your looks.
• Get into physical activities and fitness to boost confidence.
• Practice mindfulness and grounding techniques to reconnect the body with the mind and regulate emotions.
• Family and friends are also an integral part of the healing journey as they can provide emotional support through understanding their situation instead of being judgemental.

Psychologist Recommended Therapies For Body Dysmorphic Disorder

The best treatment for BDD usually combines psychotherapy with medication in some cases. Mr S Giriprasad recommends the following therapies:

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT): This is the main tool of treatment which is designed to walk the patient through the look of distorted thoughts towards seeking reality and replacement of such thoughts with accurate ones.
• Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP): A type of cognitive behavioural therapy which focuses on gradually reducing compulsive activities such as mirror-checking.

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During the discussion, Mr Gririprasad also shared that doctors might suggest SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) for BDD if symptoms of anxiety and depression come together with it. He further explains, “Along with group therapy sessions, support groups could also be a helpful tool in interacting with others and consequently reducing the feeling of being alone and different.”

Bottomline

Body Dysmorphic Disorder can deeply affect a person's emotional and mental well-being, even impacting their day to day life. Receiving continuous therapy and support, individuals can reconstruct a balanced, benevolent connection with their body and self-image. However, these treatments and therapies should be accompanied by a professional psychologist.