Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD)
Many people share something in common. They’re preoccupied with their looks and see flaws in their appearance that others don’t see. This may seem like nothing more than a bit of vanity. After all, most people are conscientious about how they look, and many are dissatisfied with some aspect of their appearance. But those who suffer from Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) or Body Dysmorphia are stuck in an all-consuming obsession that can significantly disrupt their lives.
What is Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD)/Body Dysmorphia
Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) is a distinct mental health disorder characterised by intense obsession over some aspect of appearance. This obsession causes significant distress and interferes with daily life, including social events, family, and work.
Those who suffer from BDD fit the following criteria:
Consumed with thoughts about their appearance
Socially isolated
Likely to engage in dangerous behaviours, such as self-starvation or other disordered eating habits
Often, those who suffer from BDD search endlessly for a physical solution for something that is a disorder of the mind
What are the Co-occurring Conditions
Depression
Eating Disorders such as Anorexia Nervosa, Bulima Nervosa, Binge Eating Disorder, Avoidant Restrict Food Intake Disorder (ARFID), and Other Specified Feeding and Eating Syndrome (OSFED)
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Panic and Anxiety Disorders
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Sleep Distrubances/Sleep Disorders
Substance Use
The Emotions that Enable a Disorted Body Image
A disorted body image involves a negative pattern of thinking that is highly critiquing. These constant internal critisisms create feelings of guilt, shame, and embarassment. Instead, they become convinced that their deeply held assumptions and beliefs about themselves are accurate, reasonable and rational.
Therapeutic Approach at Uniquely Human Psychology
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) and Exposure Therapy for Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD)/Body Dysmorphia
This therapy approach at Uniquely Human Psychology is a form of psychotherapy that focuses on changing patterns of thinking or behaviour to change an emotion. This problem solving technique teaches skills to overcome negative and destructive thinking patterns. The idea is that it’s not the event that creates our emotions – it’s how we interpret the event or the meaning that we give it. It emphasises the critical role that thoughts (cognitive) and actions (behavioural) play in creating and maintaining belief systems.
In Body Dysmorphic Disorder, this may manifest in the following ways:
Cognitive factors: negative body image, overly critical of weight and shape, and negative self-evaluation
Behavioural factors: restricting food, binge eating, purging, body checking, and avoiding
Cognitive behavioural therapy for BDD at Uniquely Human Psychology will help to identify which factors are playing a role in maintaining a negative body image and then work to address each one by teaching the skills in order to allow healing to occur
The Cognitive Component of CBT for BDD
The cognitive part of CBT works off these assumptions:
Thoughts dictate emotions and behaviours.
Body Dysmorphic Disorder involves flawed, inaccurate, and irrational thoughts.
Changes in thinking lead to changes in emotions and behaviours.
Cognitive behavioral therapy helps individuals by identifying and changing those thoughts that are not accurate to create a different outcome.
The Behavioural Component of CBT for BDD
The behavioural part of CBT works off these assumptions:
Behaviour determines emotions and thoughts.
Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) involves counterproductive behaviour
Changes in dysfunctional behaviour lead to positive changes in emotions and thoughts
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) helps individuals overcome difficulties by identifying and changing those behaviours that contribute to forming and maintaining destructive thoughts and emotions