Body Dysmorphic Disorder
A negative body image can lead to Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) or a body dysmorphia. BDD is a mental health condition where a person spends a lot of time worrying about flaws in their appearance which are often unnoticeable to others. It is more often seen in teenagers and young adults, both men and women, although people of any age can have BDD (NHS, 2021). So, what can you feel if you are suffering from BDD?
If you are worried a lot about a specific area of your body, particularly your face
If you spend a lot of time comparing your looks with other people’s If you look at yourself in mirrors a lot, at every opportunity you get or avoid mirrors altogether
If you out in a lot of effort to conceal flaws: for example, by spending a long time styling your hair or putting it in a specific way, applying make-up or choosing clothes
If you pick at your skin to make it smooth, apply face packs, try different beauty products or almost every product introduced in the market, use fairness or anti-blemish creams If you are too conscious about your stretch marks even if they are from pregnancy
If you avoid social situations with a fear of being mocked at because of the minor flaws in your body that no one can notice
If you have a strong belief that you have a defect in your appearance that makes you ugly
There are some common parts of body that you would tend to fixate on over others. These are usually the parts that change their appearance with time. For example: Face, such as nose, complexion, wrinkles, acne and other blemishes; Hair, such as appearance, thinning and baldness; Skin and vein appearance; Breast size; Muscle size and tone; Genitalia (Mayo Clinic, 2022). BDD should be taken seriously since having BDD can lead to anxiety, depression, or even suicidal ideations. Again, the social environment that you are surrounded by including social media can place a positive or negative impact on your mental health condition. But the first step of any disorder is recognizing that you have one. So, being aware of the symptoms, accepting the fact that it is a disorder and needs treatment (medical and non-medical), and then taking proper steps to get the necessary help is the key to fight any disorder than one is suffering from.
If you feel embarrassed to talk about it to your family or friends, you can seek professional help where your information is kept confidential unless a threat is suspected. The therapist would inform you about the confidentiality clauses and the circumstances under which a therapist can break them. A therapy session would be a safe place for you to unpack your feelings; present, past, and future. Past would entail the source of such feelings, present would focus on how you feel in the moment of the disorder, and future would entail the steps that need to be taken in order to cope with the disorder.
References
Mayo Clinic. (2022, December 13). Body Dysmorphic Disorder - Symptoms and Causes. Mayo Clinic; Mayo Clinic Staff. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/body-dysmorphic- disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20353938
NHS. (2021, February 10). Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). Nhs.uk. https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/conditions/body-dysmorphia/#:~:text=Body%20dysmorphic %20disorder%20(BDD)%2C
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