People nowadays are highly concerned about their physical appearance, which is valuable. However, as someone once stated, worrying excessively about one’s appearance can be detrimental. ual is bad.
In other words, thinking about it most of the time can be a symptom of body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), or body dysmorphia, a type of mental health condition.
BDD can affect individuals in any age group or gender. However, it is most common in teenagers and young adults. This is one of the reasons it goes unnoticed by their parents, who believe it is part of their growing-up process.
BDD doesn’t describe you as self-obsessed or vain. It has an extensive impact on a person’s life, which can be very upsetting at times.
Observe the symptoms of BDD
You may be diagnosed with body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) if:
- Feel dissatisfied with your face or any specific area of your body.
- Compare your looks with others every now and then.
- Look into the mirror constantly, or avoid it altogether.
- Make a concerted effort to conceal or enhance the imperfections on your body. For example, combing your hair again and again takes a lot of time, as does choosing clothes or doing makeup.
It can critically impact your work, social life, and daily life. An extreme stage of BDD can cause depression, self-harm, and even suicidal thoughts.
Causes of Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD)
While this condition can develop due to multiple reasons, some common causes of BDD are as follows:
- Genetics: The chances of developing BDD are higher if you have a relative with BDD, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), or depression.
- Some kind of chemical imbalance in the brain can also cause BDD.
- Have you experienced any past trauma, such as childhood teasing, bullying, or abuse?
Tips to Recover From BDD
To recover quickly from this mental disorder, the help and support from the family play a crucial role, and an individual can adopt a few habits that can aid in treatment. Some of these are:
- Regularly exercising
- Good hours of sleep
- Breathing exercises to release stress and anxiety
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): A type of treatment for body dysmorphic disorder, CBT is a talking therapy that can be given in both one-to-one sessions or a group. CBT can help you control your BDD symptoms by switching the way you think and behave.It focuses on helping individuals learn the cause of symptoms and teaches different methods of thinking and dealing with habits.
We use the CBT technique known as exposure and response prevention (ERP) to treat BDD. We will expose the patient to situations that compel them to think obsessively about their appearance.
Getting Help for Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD)
If you think you or someone you know may have BDD symptoms, you should consult a general practitioner. Your GP will ask a few questions about your symptoms and how much they impact your life.
Depending on his assessment of your condition, a GP may refer you to a mental health specialist for further assessment and treatment.
You should treat BDD like any other mental illness. Getting help is the first and most important step, as treatment conditions can get worse. In case you do not find any good GP or even without a GP, you can directly search for behavioral health hospitals near me, the best mental health hospitals in the world and you will get a list of some really good mental hospitals. One of these is Athena Behavioral Health.
The facility is a government-approved mental hospital in Gurgaon that provides mental illness consultation. Reach us via email at customercare@athenabhs.com or give us a call at +91 9289086193 to receive the best treatment plan, designed by one of the best professionals. We take great pride in alleviating your pain.
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