Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) causes people to constantly analyze and criticize their own appearance. They are unable to control their negative thoughts. Sufferers will fixate on flaws that their friends and family would consider minor or even non-existent. BDD is not gender-specific; both men and women suffer from it. BDD in men can lead to obsessions with their appearance, fitness, and height.
It is critical to differentiate BDD from eating disorders. Psychologically, these patients are predisposed to feelings of deep shame, low self-esteem, and self-loathing. The distinction between BDD and eating disorders is that eating is required for an eating disorder diagnosis. Many symptoms can serve as a warning sign that something is wrong.
1. You are incredibly self-conscious
People who have BDD often think about their perceived flaws for many hours every day. They might believe they have a bulbous or crooked nose, for example, or a lumpy stomach. Others with BDD might be generally dissatisfied with their entire body. BDD is an obsession that can lead sufferers to spend hours in front of a mirror or studying photos of themselves.
2. You have an unreal perception of your body
Those suffering from BDD will believe they look different than they appear. It will match how the person views themselves.
3. You struggle with compulsive behavior
Victims tend to develop compulsive ticks that can be mental or physical. They might groom themselves excessively, pick at skin bumps, or constantly check the mirror. When in a room, they might always look around and compare themselves to other people. For example, it could be that their “obsession” that they have a certain flaw leads them to the “compulsion” to compare themselves to others in the room with them in order to alleviate the anxiety. While the behavior might temporarily ease their feelings of anxiousness, the behavior is akin to obsessive-compulsive disorder.
4. Your personal and professional relationships take a hit
BDD symptoms consume many hours of a sufferer’s time each day. A sufferer’s efforts to change or conceal the flaw are hardwired into the brain almost like a survival instinct. BDD can take a toll on jobs, education, romantic relationships, and even family ties—especially if the sufferer refuses to get help. This is a sensitive way to suggest that someone needs therapy.
5. You constantly seek reassurance or approval from others
You can tell a person with BDD over and over again that they’re not overweight or that their nose isn’t big, but they are unable to see reality. “This obsession with the flawed body part greatly affects their relationships because they are afraid that others are judging them, and they avoid intimacy because they are afraid that a partner will be repulsed. This fear results in a constant need for reassurance, but with slim chances of satisfaction.
6. You spend too much on cosmetic surgery to get rid of flaws
Recurring nose jobs, skin whitening, and tummy tucks are also common red flags. This can actually worsen BDD symptoms and lead to physical danger from too many procedures.
A person who strongly wishes to undergo liposuction but doesn’t physically have the fat to remove, or a rhinoplasty patient very focused on some small aspect of their nose that is well within the range of normal.
7. You’re always dieting and working out
As self-criticism escalates, victims turn to extreme measures to compensate for whatever flaws they think exist. This may mean that a person exercises or diets excessively to lose the weight they think they have gained, or a person takes protein and lifts weights to become ‘big enough,’ even if he appears to be very muscular to others.
8. Your work and leisure life suffer
In order to meet the criteria for a BDD diagnosis, your symptoms must be significant enough to impact your home, school, or work life. If your grooming ritual eats up so much time that you’re continually late for work, or your weight obsession leads you to avoid friends and family, you could be at risk. Constantly fixating on your perceived flaws will interfere with your ability to focus on other topics.
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