The media, social networks and culture in general promote a very strong aesthetic pressure. On many occasions, this causes concern about physical appearance. However, excessive attention and concern about one’s own image can have serious consequences such as body dysmorphic disorder.
People with this pathology develop a distorted perception of different aspects of their physique and carry out a series of repetitive behaviors. If you want to know more about this disorder, in this Psychology-Online article, we will talk about the Body dysmorphia: what it is, causes, symptoms and treatment.
What is body dysmorphia
Body dysmorphia, dysmorphophobia or body dysmorphic disorder is a psychological disorder related to physical and body self-image. People who suffer from this pathology have a distorted and excessive perception of a physical defectwhether real or imaginary, and become obsessed with the physical appearance of a specific body part.
This pathology usually manifests itself in the stage of adolescence, since it is when identity develops and great importance is given to self-image, however, it can appear at any time. Between the concerns The most prevalent are the facial ones, like skin, hair or nosealthough the focus of concern can be any area of the body or the asymmetry of any part of the body.
Body dysmorphia or body dysmorphic disorder affects both men and women, although men tend to worry about their genitals or a small body structure, while women tend to worry about their face, hair and chest. When the obsession focuses on muscle mass it is called muscle dysmorphia or, while when it focuses on the teeth it is called dental dysmorphia.
According to the DSM, today body dysmorphia is classified in the group of “OCD and other related disorders”, while before it was grouped in “Somatoform disorders”. This variation is due to the fact that in this disorder fear and anxiety prevail and not the physical or bodily symptoms. Therefore, this current classification is more similar to the characteristics of body dysmorphia than the previous one.
Causes of body dysmorphia
Currently, the causes of body dysmorphia or dysmorphophobia are unknown, but a number of conditions have been identified. risk factor’s that could cause and explain the appearance of this pathology. We show them to you below:
- Social context: In social networks and the media there is an image culture that affects the perception and importance that people give to their own physique. Beauty canons and media messages generate pressure on people to achieve an image based on standards promoted by society.
- Bullying: Traumatic experiences in childhood and/or adolescence related to harassment, humiliation or criticism about image and physical appearance from classmates are a risk factor for the genesis of this pathology. In the following article you will find.
- Psychological abuse by the partner: refers to the pressure and demands to meet the beauty standards imposed by an emotional partner. This abuse also includes humiliation, criticism and emotional blackmail. It’s important to know .
- Parenting styles: Families that exert excessive pressure on the aesthetic aspect make use of criticism and humiliation of their sons or daughters. This can be a trigger for this disorder.
- Personality traits: There are a series of personality traits that are associated with body dysmorphia such as , , neuroticism or insecurity.
- History of physical problems in adolescence: The experience of physical complexes or stigmas during adolescence, such as acne, can favor the development of insecurities and excessive attention and surveillance of one’s own image in the future.
- Negative or traumatic experiences and abandonment, both physical and emotional, promote insecurity, the pathological fear of rejection and the need for social approval through physical appearance.
- Visual processing: People with this disorder have the tendency to perform visual processing that is focused on details and not holistic or global. This sensitivity to details is not limited only to external appearance, but also to the perception of other visual aspects of reality.
Symptoms of body dysmorphia
How do I know if I have body dysmorphia? Below you will find a list of the symptoms of body dysmorphic disorder most frequent that serve to evaluate body dysmorphic disorder or dysmorphophobia and its effects:
- Excessive worry for one or more defects, real or imagined. The rest of the people do not observe them or do not give them much importance compared to the person who perceives them.
- Distorted or exaggerated perception of the imperfections and defects on which the subject focuses.
- Maintaining this belief as objective and immovable, even if your environment does not share it. They may come to believe that their environment does not tell them the truth about their physical appearance and they deceive them so as not to make them suffer.
- Concerns about these defects are constantrumination or obsessive thoughts about these occur.
- Negative self-verbalizations about one’s own body or face, causing contempt for one’s own physique.
- Repetitive behaviors such as looking in the mirror, over-grooming, constantly applying makeup, etc.
- Repetitive mental rituals as mentally compare yourself to other people or famous people continually.
- Avoidance of one’s own reflection, mirrors and images or videos in which one sees oneself reflected.
- Attempts to hide or disguise defects perceived through clothing, makeup or hairstyle.
- Avoidance of social situations out of fear or shame, which can lead to .
- Use of a wide variety of aesthetic products, as well as they can go to aesthetic professionals or try different aesthetic procedures. All this without achieving satisfaction with the result.
- Using image deflection techniques to hide perceived imperfection such as wearing extravagant and eye-catching clothing or accessories.
- Search for information in different sources about the physical area that concerns you.
- Feelings of fear and anxiety in social situations, since they fear that other people can see those defects they perceive and make fun of them. In this article you will find more information about .
- Feelings of insecurity and inferiority about one’s own image.
- Emotions such as anguish and sadness because of concerns.
Body dysmorphia treatment
People with body dysmorphic disorder may be reluctant to undergo psychological intervention, since they do not perceive their problem as subjective, but as physical and objective. For this reason, they go to aesthetic specialists, since these people are motivated by a physical and external change, but not psychological.
Nonetheless, there is psychological treatment for body dysmorphia, whose objectives are the modification of negative self-verbalizations and irrational beliefs about physical image, the reduction and disappearance of obsessive behaviors and tolerance of one’s own image.
How to overcome body dysmorphia? Next, we will explain the different parts of the treatment of dysmorphophobia or body dysmorphic disorder:
- Psychoeducation: In the first step of the treatment of dysmorphophobia, information is given about the disorder, its symptoms, as well as the concepts of physical appearance and body image. The aim is to achieve the motivation and commitment of the patient.
- Exposure technique: technique for coping with situations that cause anxiety and worry. The exhibition is developed gradually and with prior training. Likewise, training is recommended to facilitate exposure.
- Response prevention technique: complementary technique to exposure to cure body dysmorphia. This training is intended to prevent obsessive behaviors. Therefore, you can set a time limit for dressing and putting on makeup, going outside without first looking in the mirror, etc.
- Mirror exposure technique: different exercises are carried out. In one of them, the patient with this disorder is asked to describe her body objectively, through the guidance and instructions of the therapist. You are also asked to express the feelings that come to you when looking at yourself in the mirror, as well as to point out some parts of the body that you like or dislike less than the rest and to make a positive assessment.
- Cognitive restructuring: in relation to distorted cognitions and beliefs, the technique is used. The influence of thoughts on emotions and behaviors is explained to the person. Then records and identification of maladaptive thoughts are made, which are tested or questioned and, finally, the replacement of these with other more functional cognitions is promoted.
- Complementation of therapy: can be complemented with and/or depending on the needs of the patient and the treatment.
How to prevent body dysmorphia
When it comes to helping someone you love not develop body dysmorphia, it is highly recommended to know how to prevent it. Specifically, the keys to preventing body dysmorphic disorder are the following:
- Develop self-esteem from childhood, both at school and at home. Acceptance and esteem of one’s own body should be encouraged, as well as the appreciation of other capacities or abilities beyond the image. For this, it may be useful to know these.
- Provide information about physical changes and bodily that occur throughout adolescence. It is important for young people to know how their own body works, the variations that occur and why. Through information and communication, physical functioning is prevented from becoming a taboo subject and an object of shame.
- Foster an attitude criticism about imposed beauty standards by society and the aesthetic pressure to which people are subjected. Keep in mind that beauty is subjective and is related to the mandates and impositions of society and that, in addition, it is a source of economic income for large companies. This can facilitate empowerment of people regarding their own image.
- Demand responsible media that show a variety of physical features and bodies and that promote self-acceptance and self-esteem, as well as that they focus their attention on other aspects of people that are not only aesthetic ones.
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