Body Dysmorphia Treatment

Getting Help for Body Dysmorphic Disorder

The vast majority of people are concerned about how they look. This makes sense, given that appearance can significantly influence how others perceive you. However, most people keep their concerns about their face or body in perspective and continue to lead functional lives.

For some people, a condition called body dysmorphic disorder gets in the way. Body dysmorphic disorder does not discriminate, and it does not strictly affect people who are “vain” or overly concerned with appearances.

Instead, it’s a mental health condition that can be brutal. Body dysmorphia may lead to impaired social relationships, difficulty being seen by others, hours spent in front of the mirror, and other challenges, like agoraphobia.

You can recover from this disorder and find body dysmorphia treatment from the professionals at Icarus Nevada. They can help you reestablish a healthy perspective on your physical appearance and build a life where symptoms no longer impede functioning.

What Is Body Dysmorphia?

Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) belongs to the same diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM) category as obsessive-compulsive disorder. People with body dysmorphic disorder become fixated on what they consider to be defects in their appearance. These defects may be relatively minor. They can also be completely unnoticeable to other people.

As a result of their concerns, people affected by the disorder engage in repetitive behaviors. Examples of these behaviors include:

• Grooming yourself.
• Checking your appearance in a mirror.
• Asking others about how you look (reassurance-seeking).
• Comparing how you look to others.
• Skin picking.

If you have BDD, these types of behaviors may take up hours of your daily routine. It’s normal to seek reassurance, groom yourself, and engage in other behaviors. The difference for a person with BDD is that the behaviors occur in excess, to the point that they cause significant distress or impair functioning in parts of life like work, school, or social relationships.

Other BDD Symptoms

Some people with BDD realize that the feelings and reactions they have to how they look are not true. Others believe that their body dysmorphia-related beliefs are true.

There are different ways BDD can manifest. In the case of muscle dysmorphia, a person feels that their body is too small or not muscular enough. One person might be fixated on their nose. For another, it could be their skin. It is also common to have multiple appearance-related preoccupations or distortions.

Some people with BDD take steps to correct their perceived body defects. This can lead to a repeated cycle of plastic surgery and cosmetic procedures. These actions may make you feel better for a while. But, such positive feelings tend to be temporary.

Without proper treatment, your body-related distress will eventually return. In most cases of those who go untreated, this distress worsens over time, increasing the impact of BDD on your life.

How is Body Dysmorphic Disorder Treated?

When possible, early detection and body dysmorphia treatment are key. The longer you have the condition, the worse it can get. Effective recovery plans are customized to suit your individual needs. However, it’s never too late to recover.

Body dysmorphia treatment plans commonly include both medication and therapy:

Medication for Body Dysmorphia Treatment

There is no medication designed to treat BDD. Instead, doctors take medications designed for other purposes and adapt them to BDD treatment. This is common in the treatment of OCD and related disorders.

Antidepressants called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are a typical choice. For specific kinds of symptoms, you may also receive a different medication.

CBT and Perceptual Disorders

CBT, or cognitive behavioral therapy, is now widely used in body dysmorphia treatment. This form of psychotherapy provides benefits such as:

• Explaining the negative impact of your current thoughts and behaviors.
• Giving you ways to challenge these thoughts and behaviors when they arise.
• Helping you find creative, effective coping strategies for BDD symptoms.
• Showing you how to make changes in your behavior.

CBT treatments are highly individualized. Your therapist will focus on addressing your specific needs and symptoms. Effective therapy often includes other members of your family. For teens in particular, this family involvement can have major benefits.

Residential Treatment for Body Dysmorphia

If you have moderate to severe symptoms of BDD, you may begin your recovery in an inpatient environment. You may also benefit from residential treatment if you:

• Have significant impairments in functioning due to perceived physical imperfections (e.g., suicidal thoughts, trouble going to work).
• Do not have a home environment that supports an effective recovery.
• Require or benefit from around-the-clock care for any other reason.
• Have another mental illness in addition to BDD.

However, an outpatient program may be sufficient to address mild-to-moderate dysmorphia. If you seek help through Icarus Nevada, we can help you make an appropriate choice between your available options.

Outpatient Treatment and Aftercare

Outpatient mental health treatment programs are structured treatment programs that provide more intensive care than once-weekly therapy can. For example, an intensive outpatient program (IOP) for BDD might meet several times per week.

Some people will find that outpatient programs for body dysmorphic disorder are a suitable starting level of care. For those leaving residential treatment, an outpatient treatment program can ease the transition back into typical daily life.

Dual Diagnosis and Dysmorphia

If you have BDD, there is a good chance you also have other serious mental health issues. Your body dysmorphia may arise before another illness. The reverse is also possible. Specific conditions known to affect people with BDD include:

• Anorexia and other eating disorders.
• Substance use disorders.
• Depression.
• Bipolar disorder.
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
• Social anxiety disorder (social phobia).
• Other anxiety disorders.

To recover your well-being, it is ideal to get treatment where all applicable mental disorders are considered. If you have a differential diagnosis (e.g., depression) in addition to BDD, our center will treat them in conjunction with one another.

Screening for BDD

How can you tell if you have BDD? Only a doctor or mental health specialist can make a formal diagnosis. However, you may notice potential signs or symptoms of body dysmorphia in yourself and others. Examples of these possible indicators include:

• Extreme preoccupation with a minor or unnoticeable physical flaw.
• A strong sense of deformity or ugliness as a result of your perceived flaw.
• Focusing on efforts to hide your perceived defects from others.
• Continually making physical comparisons between yourself and others.
• Needing frequent reassurance from others regarding your appearance.
• Believing that others are negatively focused on your perceived flaws.
• Isolating yourself to avoid the gaze of others.

If you have BDD, you may focus your attention on defects you perceive in particular body areas. Common areas of fixation include your:

• Face or specific parts of your face (e.g., nose).
• Breasts.
• Muscles.
• Skin.
• Hair.

If you believe that you might have BDD, seeking help from a specialist who understands the condition matters. Our providers are versed in treating body dysmorphic disorder and have a deep understanding of the challenges it can cause.

How Is Body Dysmorphia Diagnosed?

The American Psychiatric Association sets the official criteria for diagnosing BDD. Doctors and mental health specialists then follow these criteria.

To be diagnosed, you must be preoccupied with minor or imperceptible body flaws. In addition, you must experience repetitive, damaging thoughts or behaviors as a result of this preoccupation. The effects of the disorder must also significantly impair important parts of your life or daily routine.

Finally, you must not have another condition that is more likely to cause your symptoms. This is necessary to distinguish BDD from an eating disorder. For example, if your symptoms can be attributed entirely to anorexia nervosa, you may not have BDD.

In addition, doctors note the level of self-awareness you have regarding your condition. There are three possible levels: good or fair insight, poor insight, and lack of insight. This can be important for determining BDD severity.

Call Icarus Nevada for Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) Treatment

Do you need help with body dysmorphic disorder, or think that you might? The professionals at our center are here for you. We provide a full array of mental health services. However seriously you are affected, we have suitable options for your situation.

Managing body dysmorphic disorder is possible. All of our BDD treatment plans at our center are customized so that you or your loved one can get the tailored care you need to truly heal.

Call Icarus Nevada today for body dysmorphic disorder treatment in Las Vegas. All calls to our center are completely confidential, and our programs are covered by insurance and other forms of payment.

FAQs About Body Dysmorphia Treatment

What is body dysmorphic disorder (BDD)?

Body dysmorphic disorder is a mental health condition related to obsessive-compulsive disorder. It damages your ability to accurately perceive your body. It also triggers thoughts and behaviors that support this distorted perception.

How many people have body dysmorphic disorder (BDD)?

Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) affects about 1.7 to 2.9% of the general population. BDD can affect people in all demographic groups.

What is the best way to treat body dysmorphia?

Body dysmorphic disorder is best treated via psychotherapy from a mental health professional who specializes in the condition. Sometimes, people take medication, like antidepressants, alongside therapy for BDD.

Does body dysmorphia ever go away?

For some people, BDD symptoms can go away entirely with treatment. Those who find that their BDD symptoms don’t go away entirely may find that treatment leads to symptom reduction and an increased ability to cope with BDD triggers.

How do people with body dysmorphia cope?

Skills taught in behavior therapy can help you cope with BDD symptoms. For example, cognitive reframing can help you modify negative thoughts related to body image concerns.

What triggers body dysmorphia?

There is no one reason for developing BDD. Instead, a range of factors can play a role. These factors may include your family history and personality traits. They may also include things such as societal pressures and childhood bullying.

What is it like living with body dysmorphia?

BDD can make your world much smaller. Someone with BDD may avoid other people, experience financial challenges due to things like difficulty working or spending money on cosmetic surgery, or face emotional distress related to behaviors related to perceived flaws, like skin picking or excessive time spent getting ready. However, the condition and its clinical presentation can vary from person to person.

References

1. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (n.d.). Table 23, DSM-IV to DSM-5 body dysmorphic disorder comparison – DSM-5 changes – NCBI bookshelf. DSM-5 Changes: Implications for Child Serious Emotional Disturbance [Internet].
2. Impact of BDD. BDD. (2024b, May 20).
3. A therapist’s guide for the treatment of body dysmorphic disorder. BDD. (2024a, May 20).
4. Impact of BDD. BDD. (2024, May 20).