Body Dysmorphic Disorder (Essay Sample)

Mental Disorder: Body Dysmorphic Disorder Name Institution Mental Disorder: Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) Body dysmorphia is a mental disorder associated with individuals spending much time upset and worried about physical outlook and flaws in their appearances, especially those visible. For that reason, anyone, regardless of age, can experience the disorder; however, it is more prevalent in teenagers and younger people, both female and male. BDD is associated with symptoms such as being upset about a particular body part, especially the face, spending time comparing themselves with others, prolonged use or avoidance of mirrors, and practical efforts to conceal their flaws, which affects their social life. There are also some special cases in which the disorder is classified as somatoform, social phobia, eating disorder, or affective disorder, depending on the characteristics and how the affected individuals behave. In categorizing BDD, it can be noted that there are two subtypes; muscle BDD and BDD by proxy. Muscle dysmorphia is a type of BDD related to thoughts and beliefs of an individual and others, such as being not muscular, overrating one's appearance, intrusive negative thoughts about one's appearance, and belief that other people negatively evaluate their appearance (Singh & Veale, 2019). On the other hand, BDD by proxy is where an individual is overly concerned with perceived imperfections as compared to other people’s appearance, which causes distress that can interfere with one's social life. Furthermore, BDD can be classified under "obsessive-compulsive and related disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, trichotillomania, hoarding disorder, and excoriation disorder” (Spitzer & Endicott, 2018).  All of these lead to repeated behavioral acts such as grooming or using a mirror. The video on BDD can be found below. Video - Mental Illness Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment:  HYPERLINK "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-squqwaTuxo"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-squqwaTuxo It is always advisable that an individual exhibiting BDD-like traits should seek treatment from a mental health specialist for further assessment. It is also important to note that it is difficult to seek assistance for BDD, but it is important to seek advice from experts and medical professionals and also for one to realize the importance of self-esteem and appreciation of natural body phenomena. It is of essence also that there are so many treatments for BDD, some of which include cognitive-behavioral therapy. There are also available antidepressant drugs such as SSRI, “selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor.” (Singh & Veale, 2019). Although medicinal intervention can help, cognitive behavioral therapy is highly advised. This is because it helps individuals with the disorder to manage the recurrence of symptoms, teach different ways of thinking and deal with habits and beliefs. Therapists and specialists can implement this in dealing with feelings. There are no other ways of treating BDD unless they change antidepressant drugs until the best ones are found or change therapy tactics. It is also important to note that individuals may find it helpful to contact or join groups for information and advice for coping. Many sources of doctor’s information, BDD foundation's directories, and online BDD support groups are of great assistance. Some helpful organizations and sources of useful informati...