Body Dysmorphia
What is body dysmorphia?
Body dysmorphia is a psychological condition that causes you to fixate on your self-image negatively. While body dysmorphia can be experienced from time to time by everyone, body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) describes the condition where it becomes a major focus of one's mental life or a persistent and significant source of distress. Most people see their bodies as having flaws to some degree. But body dysmorphia causes you to obsess over these imperfections, whether real or perceived, in a way that interferes with your everyday life.
With body dysmorphic disorder, you might spend hours each day preoccupied with how you look. This hyperfocus can lead to serious mental and emotional anguish, including anxiety, depression and shame.
If you have body dysmorphia, you might feel:
- Fixated on one or more specific body parts, such as your face, skin, hair, breasts, muscles or genitals
- Unattractive
- That parts of your body aren’t symmetrical
- Bothered because you look too (or too little) feminine or masculine
With professional help, body dysmorphic disorder is treatable — and you can develop healthy thoughts, feelings and behaviors around your appearance.
Symptoms of body dysmorphia
Many people feel self-conscious about their bodies from time to time. But body dysmorphia symptoms are extreme and can impact how you function daily.
Here are some signs of body dysmorphic disorder:
- Constantly checking yourself in the mirror — or avoiding mirrors altogether
- Repetitive or excessive grooming to minimize or correct the body part(s)
- Wearing a lot of makeup or dressing to “fix” your flaws
- Frequently seeking reassurance about your appearance from others
- Comparing yourself to other people
- Seeking out cosmetic or plastic surgery as a solution
- Avoiding social situations, work or school due to anxiety about your appearance
- Excessive exercising or dieting to the point of being unhealthy
- Never being satisfied with attempts to improve appearance
- Suicidal thoughts or tendencies*
*If you have this symptom, it is critical to get help immediately.
If left untreated, body dysmorphic disorder can lead to serious health complications like:
- Eating disorder
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
- Substance misuse
- Social isolation
- Major depression or other mood disorders
- Anxiety disorders, including social anxiety
If you or someone you love is showing body dysmorphia signs, it’s important to talk to your doctor. With the right treatment plan, recovery is possible.
Causes of body dysmorphia
Body dysmorphic disorder is thought to be caused by a mix of biological, psychological and sociocultural factors. These include:
- Genetics: Genetics can play a significant role in body dysmorphia
- Biological factors: Research suggests that people with body dysmorphic disorder may have differences in specific brain areas or brain chemical levels that process information and emotional responses to appearance
- Bullying or trauma: Experiences of abuse, teasing or bullying, particularly if related to appearance, can trigger body dysmorphic disorder symptoms
- Personality traits: People with certain personality characteristics, like having a tendency towards perfectionism or low self-esteem, are more likely to have body dysmorphia
- Sociocultural factors: Societal pressures to meet beauty standards may contribute to body dysmorphic disorder
Who is at risk for body dysmorphia?
About one in 50 people have body dysmorphic disorder, with men and women being equally affected. While anyone can develop body dysmorphic disorder, certain factors increase your risk:
- Family history: If a close relative has been diagnosed with body dysmorphia or related mental health issues, such as OCD or depression, you may have a higher risk
- Age: Body dysmorphic disorder can develop at any age, but most diagnoses occur in adolescence
- Life experiences: Experiencing traumatic or stressful events, such as bullying, teasing or criticism of your appearance, can increase the risk of developing body dysmorphia
- History of mental health conditions: Having other mental health disorders, like anxiety, depression or OCD, can increase the likelihood of body dysmorphic disorder
Body dysmorphia treatment options
At Main Line Health, our skilled mental health providers will work with you to determine the best treatment. Your care may include one or more of the following treatments:
- Therapy: Working with a trained therapist can help you understand and change destructive thought patterns that influence your behaviors. This may include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), group therapy or family therapy.
- Medication: Many people who are living with body dysmorphic disorder also have other mental health conditions, such as anxiety, depression or obsessive-compulsive disorder. Taking anti-anxiety or antidepressant medicines may improve those conditions and, therefore, improve your body dysmorphia symptoms.
- Hospitalization: If your body dysmorphia symptoms are so severe that you are unable to function or are in danger of harming yourself, you may require psychiatric hospitalization.
Diagnosis and testing for body dysmorphia
In order to diagnose body dysmorphia, your behavioral health specialist will conduct an evaluation through tests that may include:
- Physical exam: You'll discuss your symptoms and medical history with your doctor to assess your health and rule out other mental health disorders
- Psychological assessment: Your doctor will ask questions to learn about your thoughts, feelings and behaviors when it comes to your self-image