Body Dysmorphic Disorder: When You Feel Dissatisfied with Your Appearance

How often do you compare your appearance to someone you see on social media, then you feel insecure and even disappointed?

Are you a person who likes to say the following sentences:

  "Why do I look fat every time I take a photo?"

“How come someone like him is so slim? Unlike me, it's really hard to be thin."

Did you know that some of the problems above can be said to be Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD). If someone often drags on with thoughts like that, there is a danger, you know.

What is Body Dysmorphic Disorder?

Body Dysmorphic Disorder is a mental health disorder indicated by a person's tendency to pay attention to their physical appearance negatively. In simpler language, someone who always feels lacking or something is wrong with him.

According to the 2013 fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, BDD is officially known as dysmorphophobia, which is a mental condition in which a person cannot stop thinking about one or more defects or deficiencies that are felt in their appearance, even though these deficiencies are visible or even small. and not a big concern for others.

What are the Causes of BDD?

Social demands related to appearance are one of the factors in a person's negative evaluation of himself and his body. Some people think that being overweight indicates that a person is weak and lazy. In addition, the widespread use of social media today encourages many people to actively upload all aspects of their lives.

As a result, today's social media exposes many white and thin women who then form the concept "beautiful must be white", "beauty must be thin", or "having white skin can be judged beautiful". This is what causes a person to often feel disappointed with their physical condition.

Another thing, are you a perfectionist? Did you know that perfectionism can also be a cause for someone experiencing BDD, you know.

Yes, that's because perfectionists tend to underestimate what is attractive to them. They will always try to look perfect and always pay attention to their flaws even though they look small. As a result, they will always feel inferior.

BDD symptoms

A person with BDD often dislikes any part of their body. They always find fault with hair, skin, nose, chest, stomach, or other body parts.

There are several behaviors that can be a sign that someone is experiencing BDD, such as:

- Constantly checking yourself in the mirror

- Avoiding social activities

- Constantly comparing yourself to others

According to Marks (2022), a psychiatrist from Atlanta, United States, the initial sign that a person is experiencing BDD is having delusional beliefs, where this makes a person think that the flaws he sees in himself are a correct perception, even though this is due to a disturbance in the brain.

In addition, people who experience BDD also frequently perform self-examination in front of the mirror (mirror checking), excessive grooming, and skin picking.

As for people who have positively experienced BDD, they have the feeling of wanting to change the parts of the body that they think have deficiencies, and continue to believe that the parts of the body that they think are their own deficiencies are indeed very abnormal, and everyone pays attention to this. He was busy thinking about it for hours.

Some people may consider this behavior or habit trivial. However, for someone who has BDD, their activities and life can be torturous. if continuously allowed even can be very dangerous. The obsession with pursuing perfection has the potential to lead to depression and even suicide if not handled properly.

How to Overcome BDD

Handling BDD problems can be done in two ways, namely by cognitive-behavioral therapy or Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and administering drugs.

1. Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) emphasizes the importance of cognitive role in what patients feel and do, because this therapy focuses on how to change negative thoughts or beliefs. In addition, CBT is designed to help individuals gain insight into their problems, so that they can change the contents of their distorted thoughts into more rational thoughts. That way, patients can bring up adaptive behavior.

2. Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SRI) is used in the treatment of someone who has Body Dysmorphic Disorder. SRI treatment refers to all classes of Serotonin-specific Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants, such as fluoxetine, sertraline, paroxetine, citalopram, escitalopram, and fluvoxamine and one antidepressant clomipramine. In this treatment, the patient cannot stop using the drug suddenly because it can make BDD symptoms reappear. Therefore, stopping the use of drugs must be done gradually on the advice of a doctor.

So, let's end feeling insecure! Stop comparing yourself to others, and focus on exploring the potential that exists within yourself!

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Editorial Team:

Azkadita Widiyanti, Farras Ghina Apsela, Galuh Sekar Ayu, Jiehan Haura Nuralya, Kiki Aprida Qoirunisa, Lukman Hakim, Maulana Saleh Habib

 

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References:

- American Psychiatric Association, D., & American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnosticand statistical manual of mental disorders: DSM-5 (Vol. 5, No. 5). Washington, DC:American psychiatric association.

- D. McKay, F. Neziroglu (2011), Body Dysmorphic Disorder, Editor(s): B. Bradford Brown,Mitchell J. Prinstein, Encyclopedia of Adolescence, Academic Press.

- Marks, T. (2022, Desember 10). How to know if you have body dysmorphic disorder [Video].