Are you worried about how you look?

Are you a Perfectionist about your Body - then you might be having Body Dysmorphic disorder.


What is body dysmorphic disorder (BDD)?
Body dysmorphic disorder is a serious mental illness in which you can't stop thinking about a flaw with your appearance — a flaw that is either minor or imagined. But to you, your appearance seems so shameful that you don't want to be seen by anyone. Body dysmorphic disorder has sometimes been called "imagined ugliness."

When you have body dysmorphic disorder, you intensely obsess over your appearance and body image, often for many hours a day.


What are the common parts which one obsesses about?
You may obsess over any part of your body, but common features people may obsess about include:

1. Nose
2. Hair
3. Skin
4. Complexion
5. Wrinkles
6. Acne and blemishes
7. Baldness
8. Breast size
9. Muscle size
10. Genitalia


What are the symptoms?
7 or more of the following when present, indicate towards the presence of BDD

1. Hours of Preoccupation with your physical appearance
2. Strong belief that you have an abnormality or defect in your appearance that makes you ugly
3. Frequent examination of yourself in the mirror or, conversely, avoidance of mirrors altogether
4. Belief that others take special notice of your appearance in a negative way
5. The need to seek reassurance about your appearance from others
6. Excessive grooming or spending excess money on grooming products every month.
7. Extreme self-consciousness
8. Refusal to appear in pictures the days you feel ugly about yourself.. and overtly enthusiased to take photos when you feel beautiful.
9. Skin picking
10. Comparison of your appearance with that of others
11. Avoidance of social situations
12. The need to wear excessive makeup or clothing to camouflage perceived flaws


What is the treatment?

1. Medications. - Non-addictive, non-sedative medicines that decrease the obsessive and compulsive behaviors, can help within 15-20 days of starting treatment.
2.Cognitive behavioral therapy. - counseling can take upto 6months to show results.

Dr.Hemant Mittal
email - eksoch@gmail.com
www.mindmantra.in

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