Between 0.7% and 2.4% of people suffer from Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD). This is a mental health disorder characterized by having a negative view of your body and physical appearance. This negative view is overexaggerated, unrealistic, and causes negative disruptions to your emotional, mental, relational, and physical health.
Body dysmorphia, for which BDD gets its name, is also a common symptom of many other mental illnesses.
Body dysmorphia is harmful and, when left untreated, can result in worsened mental health symptoms. This article will cover what it is, the symptoms of it, and how to treat it.
What is Body Dysmorphia?
There are a lot of opinions out there about what you should look like. The constant pressure to fit into a very small box of socially acceptable physical appearances is exhausting and demoralizing for anybody. However, for people with Body Dysmorphia, it’s more than just wanting to fit in or feel pretty.
Body Dysmorphia is the feeling that your body is wrong somehow. It’s too much in some areas and not enough in others. Some people with body dysmorphia lock onto one specific body part they find lacking, and others dislike their body in general. This obsession with real or perceived flaws is followed by compulsions to soothe the anxiety. These compulsions could be wearing a lot of makeup or certain clothes, sitting or posing certain ways to hide the disliked body feature, counting calories, exercising obsessively, and more.
The binding factor for all people with body dysmorphia is a deep, destructive dissatisfaction with how their body looks and feels.
Symptoms of Body Dysmorphia
People with Body Dysmorphia may hyperfocus on physical details that aren’t prevalent to others. For example, they might think that their nose looks abnormally large when everyone else just sees a normal nose. This disconnect from reality is what makes Body Dysmorphic Disorder a mental illness.
Symptoms of Body Dysmorphia include:
- Preoccupation with one or more perceived flaws or defects in physical appearance (often unnoticeable to others)
- Constantly checking mirrors or reflective surfaces
- Avoiding mirrors altogether
- Excessive grooming or attempts to hide perceived flaws (e.g., with makeup, clothing, or posture)
- Comparing appearance to others frequently
- Seeking frequent reassurance about appearance
- Believing others are noticing or mocking the perceived flaw
- Avoiding social situations due to self-consciousness
- Low self-esteem related to appearance
- Repeatedly seeking cosmetic procedures without satisfaction
- Anxiety or depression linked to body image
- Obsessive thoughts that interfere with daily functioning
Body Dysmorphia is not just about how you feel about your body. It affects your behaviors and interactions with others, too.
What is it like having body dysmorphia?
The DSM-5 characterizes body dysmorphic disorder as being a part of the OCD spectrum. This means that people living with BDD have similar patterns of obsessions and compulsions as OCD, but with the caveat that those obsessions are related to their body and body image.
People living with body dysmorphia may also feel or go through bouts of feeling like their body (or parts of their body) are massive or grotesque, despite any physical changes having happened. For example, someone who was more or less the same weight their whole life might feel like they’re being drowned by their own body.
Body Dysmorphia creates a curious mix of obsession and distance from the body. A person may obsess over it and the details they see in the mirror, constantly thinking about it throughout the day, but also feel like their body isn’t really theirs. It’s something they are forced to carry around with them, but it doesn’t feel like them.
This disconnect can open the door to other mental health issues like dissociation, self-harm, and eating disorders.
Is Body Dysmorphia a mental illness
Yes, Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) is a recognized mental health disorder. It is outlined in the DSM-5 and can be diagnosed and treated by psychologists, psychiatrists, and therapists.
Body dysmorphia is also a symptom of some mental health disorders. These disorders can include:
- Anoriexia
- Bulimia
- Other Eating Disorders
- Depression
- OCD
Trans and other gender-nonconforming people may also experience body dysmorphia.
Can body dysmorphia be cured?
Body Dysmorphia is treatable. While flare-ups or slips into remission are always possible, consistent therapy to reframe thought patterns and belief systems is proven to be helpful in treating BDD.
Some treatments for Body Dysmorphia and Body Dysmorphic Disorder include:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): The most effective and widely recommended treatment for BDD. It helps individuals identify and challenge distorted thoughts about their appearance and develop healthier coping strategies.
- Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP): A form of CBT that gradually exposes individuals to anxiety-provoking situations (like not checking the mirror) and helps them resist compulsive behaviors (like grooming or seeking reassurance).
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): Helps individuals accept their thoughts and feelings without judgment and commit to actions aligned with their values, rather than trying to "fix" perceived flaws.
- Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT): Combines cognitive therapy with mindfulness strategies to help people become more aware of their thoughts and reduce the impact of obsessive appearance-related thinking.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): Particularly helpful for individuals with intense emotional responses and self-harming behaviors. It teaches emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal skills. - Group Therapy: Can provide social support and normalize the experience of body image struggles, although it’s typically used in combination with individual therapy.
- Medication (as adjunct treatment): While not a therapy, SSRIs (like fluoxetine or sertraline) are often prescribed alongside therapy to help reduce obsessive thoughts and depression.
Body Dysmorphia tends to get worse over time, as the thoughts and negative feelings about your body worsen. Therefore, it’s best to get help as soon as you recognize Body Dysmorphic thoughts.
Reach out to Lifebulb Counseling to be scheduled with a therapist near you today.
