Friday, August 24, 2012

Understanding Body Dysmorphic Disorder

Understanding Body Dysmorphic Disorder In a world obsessed with appearance, it is not surprising that body dysmorphic disorder, or BDD -- an emotional

Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD)  Center for Family Therapy Cape Cod ...
Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) Center for Family Therapy Cape Cod ...

In a world obsessed with appearance, it is not surprising that body dysmorphic disorder, or BDD - an emotionally painful obsession with perceived flaws in one's appearance - has manifested itself as a troubling and relatively common problem for many individuals. In The Broken Mirror, the first and most definitive book on BDD, Dr. Katharine A. Phillips provided a comprehensive manual for patients and their physicians by drawing on years of clinical practice, scientific research, and professional evaluations of over 1,000 patients. Now, in Understanding Body Dysmorphic Disorder: An Essential Guide , the world's leading authority on BDD reaches out to patients, their friends, and their families with this concise and updated handbook.

BDD causes sufferers to be obsessed by perceived flaws in their appearance and may afflict as much as two percent of the population, or nearly five million people. Many sufferers are able to function well in society, but remain secretly obsessed by their "hideous acne" or "horrible nose," sneaking constant peeks at a pocket mirror, or spending hours at a time redoing makeup. Others find their lives disintegrate because of their appearance obsessions. It is not an uncommon disorder, simply a hidden one, since sufferers are often embarrassed to tell even their closest friends about their concerns.

Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD); How to Rate my Body
Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD); How to Rate my Body
Anorexia And Body Dysmorphic Disorder by Bonnie
Anorexia And Body Dysmorphic Disorder by Bonnie
Amazon.com: Understanding Body Dysmorphic Disorder (9780195379402 ...
Amazon.com: Understanding Body Dysmorphic Disorder (9780195379402 ...
 ... Psychiatry: Toward a Neurobiology of Body Dysmorphic Disorder
... Psychiatry: Toward a Neurobiology of Body Dysmorphic Disorder

Related video about Understanding Body Dysmorphic Disorder

What is Body Dysmorphic Disorder Mental Health Guru

What is Body Dysmorphic Disorder Mental Health Guru Learn how body issues can become big problems in this guide to understanding body image disorder mental healthguru-com Understanding Body Dysmorphic Disorder

Commonly question about Understanding Body Dysmorphic Disorder

Question :

Is it possible to overcome body dysmorphic disorder on your own?

My girlfriend has struggled with it for a few years now. She s a very beautiful girl, with and average height and a very womanly figure. I tell her the things I like about her. contradict her fears about the way she looks. She tells me she genuinely believes me, that she is just disatisfied with herself.

At one point, a couple years ago, she weighed 90 lbs, would only consume about 900 calories a day, and make herself vomit each night. I ve finally gotten her to stop vomiting, and she eats healthfully. She s regained a human and natural/healthy figure, but she can never stop brooding over her "flaws." She still stares at pictures of Marylin Monroe, can t look in any mirror but her own, and refuses to have her picture taken.

I understand that body dysmorphic syndrome is mostly a mental issue that has to do with your appearance and self esteem. However, she knows that she is intelligent, interesting, and funny. She ll (modestly) admit that she knows these things. To a young woman to which appearances mean nothing, appearances mean everything. it s almost not within her personality be so consumed with such a disorder.

She sometimes tells me that she "feels like the fattest girl in school." (She weighs about 120 lbs so you can understand my confusion). Yet other days, with her arm locked with mine she ll feel on top of the world, excited and happy about our lives. (Yes we are in high school but don t let that detract from my credibility)

It feels to me like there must be some mental "block" keeping her from overcomig what she knows is overcome. It s like something inside her doesn t want to let go. She often tells me that she "doesn t feel like she deserves to be happy with the way she is." But one time she told that there s a little part of her that "wants to be an example to all girls, that you really can be happy with the way you are naturally."

I m hoping that someone with experience can give me some insight, I ve already spent an hour on wikipedia.
Answer :
you sound like you are giving her all the support you can.

although im sorry to say but your girlfriend is most likely suffering from severe psychological unbalance....maybe from a trauma. another thing to take into account would be the fact that if she is in school she is most likely more vulnerable to body dysmorphia due to the stress and pressure of school. sadly either way it would be deeply emotionally rooted and would need the delicate care of a professional.

it would seem you are already rather open to her so i would suggest you just talk to her. perhaps do research on therapists in your area so youll have all the facts and will sound more persuasive. have patience, she may not hear you the first time.

Source(s):

teenager currently going to therapy
Question :

Any answers for body dysmorphic disorder?

I obsess about body parts and am sick to death of it. What has worked for you? What is your understanding of what BDD is, where it comes from and how to get better (if that s possilbe).
Answer :
Are you aware of the BDD Support Foundation? This is their website which may have some of the answers:
http://www.thebddfoundation.org/index.ht

You would also do well to belong to a group, any group, where you can feel at home with yourself and other people.
I am always going on about meditation, but it really can help. Do look out for a yoga/meditation group locally to you and see for yourself how much your self image improves. :-)
Question :

Question about Body dysmorphic disorder?

I don t understand this paragraph from the
wikipedia context


"A similar disorder, gender-identity disorder, in which the patient is upset with his or her entire sexual biology, often precipitates BDD-like feelings being directed specifically at external sexually dimorphic features, which are in constant conflict with the patient s internal psychiatric gender..."

Ok, I searched "Sexual Dimorphism" and it was just basically
about you know, how in some mammals, the female animal may be bigger, but, how does this relate to Body Dysmorphic disorder?
Answer :
You selected a specific example of a general definition. Your pertains to anthropology, or zoology. Try Googling it: Sexual Dimorphism - What Is Sexual Dimorphism? "Sexual dimorphism is the difference in form between male and female members of the same species".
animals.about.com/od/zoology12/f/sexua People contributing to Wikipedia often have a specific area of interest, and may not be aware of other uses for the same term. A previous answer follows: Body Dysmorphic Disorder:

Only use a small hand mirror to check appearance, so just a small part of the body may be seen at a time, yet anything wrong will still be immediately apparent; cover (taping over/painting) full length mirrors. Check out http://www.bddcentral/mainpage2.aspx and http://www.ocdla.com/bodydysmorphicdisor and http://www.mental-health-abc.com/ and http://www.psychforums.com/viewforum.php and http://p066.ezboard.com/bbodydysmorphicd and http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/conditions/b Other things worth trying: See self esteem/confidence, in sections 38 & 47, and practise daily, and when needed, one of the relaxation techniques in sections 2, 11, 2c, or 2i, at http://www.ezy-build.net.nz/shaneris Give the EFT, in section 53, a good tryout: "Even though I have a distorted body image, I accept myself deeply and completely".

All of these things are designed to bolster the central sense of identity, enable emotional centering, and changing the focus from that of a person s appearance, to helping others. A TECHNIQUE FOR REPROGRAMMING NEGATIVE THOUGHTS: (ALSO SEE PAGE L, IN SECTION 2):When you notice something negative, such as: "I m never going to get over this!" or: "Why am I always so pathetic/useless/such a loser?" or even: "I can t do this/will never get over this!", or a disturbing image, recognise that this is part of the mindset which will hold you back from progress. Having identified and labelled it, visualise a large red "STOP!" sign, and/or possibly a stern faced person wagging an index finger at you in a negative manner, then say to yourself as forcefully as you can, even aloud in a big voice, if alone: "I know this tactic: GO AWAY FOR A WHILE !!!"

You may want to use either: "ruse", "ploy", "game", or "trick", instead of "tactic". In the case of an image, visualise a large "STOP" sign, or your preferred version. Some people go so far as to keep a wide rubber band in their pocket, then put it around their wrist, when they catch themselves backsliding, stretch and release it, as a method of reprogramming their mind sooner, but I don t regard it as being strictly necessary. Remember to remove it, afterwards, if you use this method. It may well be worthwhile going to the Groups, at Myspace, Google, and Yahoo, to find others with the disorder, and see what has worked for them. Use the WebFerret search engine, your own, the Wikipedia, and Google websites, and Yahoo websearch on BDD. View: http://www.femalefirst.co.uk/board/about and take the quiz at http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2 Print the result; take to a doctor, and ask for an appropriate referral.

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