What is body dysmorphic disorder?

Full lips, straight nose, wasp waist… For years, aesthetic canons have been imposed in Western society. Social networks and the media insist on the importance of beauty and equate it with success. The problem comes when these canons tyrannize, to the point that the "appearance" is more important than the "being". All people have defects or imperfections, but these become complex when they generate discomfort. The problem is not the complex itself, but what the person does to manage it.

When does it become a pathology?

There is nothing wrong with pretending to improve physically. The problem starts when it becomes an obsession, which prevents the person from accepting himself, generating serious personal safety problems. On the other hand, this obsession can lead to a whole series of extreme actions that lead to the paradox: “the more beautiful I try to be, the uglier I find myself”, which is why these interventions tend to multiply, entering an endless loop and finally coming to see that "the more you try to improve, the worse it gets." Michael Jackson is one of the most iconic cases of body dysmorphic disorder.

What is body dysmorphic disorder?

Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), formerly called dysmorphophobia, is characterized by excessive preoccupation with one or more physical defects, real or imagined. The most common affected areas are usually the facial and sexual features (breasts or genitals). The perception of this part is extreme, monstrous, this concern leads to:

• Repetitive behaviors (such as looking in the mirror to check the complex) or avoidant (phobically avoiding mirrors or being taken
• Photographs).
• Make great efforts to hide the defect (wigs, creams, etc.).
• Find constant information about the problem and its supposed treatment.
• Redundant thinking about the problem.
• Constantly comparing yourself to others.
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• Tendency to isolation: they believe that they will not be accepted by default or that they can be made fun of.
• The distorted perception of the body can generate work, family or social problems, as well as risk behaviors such as radical and repeated cosmetic surgery operations. They can end up triggering other mental pathologies such as eating disorders, social phobia, anxiety disorders or depression.

Who is at risk for BDD?

The diagnosis of body dysmorphic disorder or BDD it affects between 1-2% of the world population and occurs equally in men and women. It usually begins in adolescence, although it begins to be treated many years later, due to the shame that the person feels about revealing their problem. It is estimated that up to 15% of these patients undergo cosmetic surgery and 90% of them do not change or get worse after the procedure.

What is the origin of the disorder?

Among the causes that can cause this disorder we find:

• Cancellation and need for approval.
• Perfectionism
• Fear of rejection
• Bullying or other types of abuse.
• Family requirement.
• Social pressures

Tips to avoid falling into a body dysmorphic disorder

• Focus on the problem from a different angle: every attempt you make to solve the problem (operations, cosmetic treatments, trying to hide it…) not only does not eliminate the problem, but it aggravates it. Stop dwelling on what doesn't work.
• Redirect your attention: change your concern for the outside for a concern for yourself. Locate your difficulties and take concrete actions to solve them. The solutions to your problem are not outside (touch-ups, treatments, etc.), but inside. What internal conflicts are associated with your alleged defects?
• Remember that yours is not a physical problem, it is a problem of perception of your physique. And your perception can be changed with personal work. Perhaps you do not have much room for maneuver to change the external, but you do have to change the way of perceiving and accepting yourself.
• Do not polarize. People with BDD tend to think that if their defect were corrected all their problems would be solved. It would be like going from hell to paradise instantly. This dichotomous thinking ("black-white") is unrealistic, since the emotional state is not due to a single reason. Zoom in.
• Poses the possibility of seeing your "defect" as a sign of personal identity, a mark of yourself.
• if the problem overtakes you. We believe that the time has come when you think of cosmetic surgery not as a way of looking better, but as a way of feeling safe or accepting yourself.
• Prevention from the family and school is also important (acceptance of physical diversity from respect and not from criticism or comparison), as well as from beauty professionals, diagnosing on time.

• Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), formerly called dysmorphophobia, is characterized by excessive preoccupation with one or more physical defects, real or imagined.
• To get a quick idea of ​​this disorder: Michael Jackson would be one of the most emblematic cases of this problem.
• It is important to remember that it is not a physical problem, it is a problem of perception of the physical itself. And the perception can be changed with personal work. Perhaps there is not much room for maneuver to change the external, but there is to change the way of perceiving and accepting oneself.

Specialist in Clinical Psychology