Body Dispmorphic Essay
Body Dysmorphic Disorder
Body dysmorphic disorder is a mental disorder in which an individual has an intense, overwhelming preoccupation with a perceived flaw in his or her appearance. A person with body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) has a highly distorted sense of his or her own appearance, and any part of his or her body can be a subject of that concern. Sometimes the perceived defect is completely imagined, and sometimes an actual “flaw” is the subject of a disproportionate level of obsessive concern. The root of the problem lies not with the person’s actual appearance, but with the individual’s self-image and self-esteem. BDD can be extremely debilitating to those who suffer from it, because the constant preoccupation with one’s appearance can impair social function and make the most basic activities of daily life, including friendship, employment, and leisure time, particularly distressing. This essay will outline the symptoms, common behaviors, causes, and treatment of this disorder, as well as it’s prevalence in society. Body dysmorphic disorder was first included in the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders in 1989 (Ahmed, et al., 2010). The current edition of the DSM gives three criteria for defining this disorder:
A. Preoccupation with an imagined defect in appearance. If a slight physical anomaly is present, the person 's concern is markedly excessive.
B. The preoccupation causes clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.
C. The preoccupation is not better accounted for by another mental disorder (eg, dissatisfaction with body shape and size in anorexia nervosa).
The Mayo Clinic describes the following symptoms for BDD (2010): • Preoccupation with your physical appearance • Strong belief that you have an abnormality or defect in your appearance that makes you ugly • Frequent examination of yourself in the mirror or,
Body dysmorphic disorder is a mental disorder in which an individual has an intense, overwhelming preoccupation with a perceived flaw in his or her appearance. A person with body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) has a highly distorted sense of his or her own appearance, and any part of his or her body can be a subject of that concern. Sometimes the perceived defect is completely imagined, and sometimes an actual “flaw” is the subject of a disproportionate level of obsessive concern. The root of the problem lies not with the person’s actual appearance, but with the individual’s self-image and self-esteem. BDD can be extremely debilitating to those who suffer from it, because the constant preoccupation with one’s appearance can impair social function and make the most basic activities of daily life, including friendship, employment, and leisure time, particularly distressing. This essay will outline the symptoms, common behaviors, causes, and treatment of this disorder, as well as it’s prevalence in society. Body dysmorphic disorder was first included in the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders in 1989 (Ahmed, et al., 2010). The current edition of the DSM gives three criteria for defining this disorder:
A. Preoccupation with an imagined defect in appearance. If a slight physical anomaly is present, the person 's concern is markedly excessive.
B. The preoccupation causes clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.
C. The preoccupation is not better accounted for by another mental disorder (eg, dissatisfaction with body shape and size in anorexia nervosa).
The Mayo Clinic describes the following symptoms for BDD (2010): • Preoccupation with your physical appearance • Strong belief that you have an abnormality or defect in your appearance that makes you ugly • Frequent examination of yourself in the mirror or,
Cited: Ahmed, I., Genen, L, & Cook, T. “Body dysmorphic disorder.” Sep. 2010. Web. http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/291182-overview. Phillips, K. A. (2005). The broken mirror: understanding and treating body dysmorphic disorder. United Kingdom: Oxford University Press. ----. (2009). Understanding body dysmorphic disorder. United Kingdom: Oxford University Press. Massachusetts General Hospital. “Body dysmorphic disorder.” Nov. 2010. Web. < http://www.mghocd.org/bdd/info.htm#>. Mayo Clinic. “Body dysmorphic disorder.” Nov. 2010. Web. <http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/body-dysmorphic-disorder/DS00559>.