How to Get Rid of Body Dysmorphic Disorder

How to Get Rid of Body Dysmorphic Disorder

How to Get Rid of Body Dysmorphic Disorder

Body dysmorphic disorder is a mental condition where a person obsessively thinks there's something wrong with her appearance; it could either be a minor or an imagined flaw. This disorder is very common during the adolescent years. It's in this period that teenagers become conscious about their appearances. Some of them become so obsessed that they end up having this condition.

Some cases of this illness aren't diagnosed because patients are so ashamed of their appearances that they don't want to go to the doctor. Here are a few things you have to know to treat body dysmorphic disorder effectively.

Things Patients Are Often Conscious Of:

• Skin
• Pimples and other blemishes
• Hair
• Nose
• Breast and muscle size

Signs and Symptoms:

• Obsession over physical appearances. Patients look at their reflection all the time to check if they look good enough or they may avoid looking at mirrors so as not to see their flaws anymore. No matter how many cosmetic procedures they get and how much makeup they use, patients are never satisfied with how they look. This is not vanity. A patient feels she needs these things because she has a physical deformity.
• A person with this disorder thinks she's ugly. With all her perceived deformities, she sees herself as an ugly person leading to chronic low self esteem.
• A patient thinks people look at her in a negative way. This is an effect of having a low self esteem. Since she's not good enough for herself, she thinks people see her the same way.
• She's overly self-conscious. Again, this points back to having a low self esteem. A minor glitch easily makes a patient anxious. She thinks improving her appearance will make her feel better.
• She tries hard to conceal her perceived flaws. A patient buys cosmetic products and undergoes procedures to fix her deformities. As she “improves” one part of her body, she'll see another part that she thinks needs to be fixed.
• A patient avoids social gatherings. A person with body dysmorphic disorder eventually becomes agoraphobic when she doesn't find satisfaction in cosmetic procedures and makeups.

Getting HelpA patient with body dysmorphic disorder needs to have a good support group. She may not know she has this condition until somebody tells her. She may also refuse to see the doctor and deny that she has this illness.

• This condition is diagnosed based on 2 things:
  • Obsession with an imagined or minor physical deformity.
  • The obsession interferes with the patient's daily living and puts strain on her relationships with other people.
• Cognitive behavioral therapy is a psychological technique used to evaluate the thought process of patients. Their ideas and beliefs are assessed and those that aren't helpful and destructing are identified. The aim of this therapy is to modify these negative ideas and thoughts to produce positive attitudes and feelings.
• Behavioral therapy is a method used to have more acceptable behaviors and change the unacceptable ones.
• Medications used for this condition are mostly antidepressant drugs, like Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) and Tricyclic Antidepressants (TCAs). Some patients may also be prescribed with drugs used for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). It may take 3 months before the patient's condition improves.
• Hospitalization may be needed for severe cases. There are instances when a patient harms herself or other people. Hospitalization will ensure that the patient receives a round the clock monitoring and other supportive care.

Home CareHere are a few things a patient needs to do after having been diagnosed with body dysmorphic disorder, but is not required to be placed in a psychiatric institution.

• Follow the treatment plan. Make sure that your friend follows the specified treatment plan by her doctor. Don't let her miss an appointment or therapy session.
• Take medications as ordered. Be sure she doesn't miss her medications. It'll also be a good idea to find out the side effects of the drugs your friend is taking.
• Learn about body dysmorphic disorder. This will make her feel that she has somebody who understands what she is going through.
• Avoid taking alcohol while on medication. It's very important to remind your friend not to take alcohol while she's on therapy. Alcohol and other drugs may interact negatively with her medications.
• Be physically active. Plan an exercise routine with your friend. Exercise not only makes you physically fit, but also decreases stress, anxiety, and depression. (Learn how to relieve stress with exercise)

Getting rid of body dysmorphic disorder may take time and a lot of visits to the doctor. Cooperation and participation in the treatment plan are very important. If you know somebody who has this disorder, help her by letting her know that you'll be there to support her through her recovery.