Adolescents and BDD

Young people with body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) worry about some aspect of their appearance. They worry, for example, that they have pimples or that their skin is scarred or bumpy, their nose is too big, they are fat or too thin. Or they may think something else is wrong with how they look. When others tell them that they look fine or that the flaw they perceive is minimal (or non-existent), young people with this disorder find it hard to believe this reassurance.

Young people with body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) worry about some aspect of their appearance. They worry, for example, that they have pimples or that their skin is scarred or bumpy, their nose is too big, they are fat or too thin. Or they may think something else is wrong with how they look. When others tell them that they look fine or that the flaw they perceive is minimal (or non-existent), young people with this disorder find it hard to believe this reassurance.

Adolescents with BDD think a lot about their perceived physical flaw, generally for at least an hour a day. Some say they’re obsessed. Most find that they don’t have as much control over their thoughts about the body flaw as they would like.

In addition, the appearance concern causes significant distress (for example, anxiety or depression) or it causes significant problems in functioning. Although some young people with this disorder manage to function well despite their distress, many find that their appearance concerns cause problems for them. For example, they may find it hard to concentrate on their job or schoolwork, which may suffer, and relationship problems are common. Adolescents with BDD may have few friends, avoid dating, and feel very self-conscious in social situations.

What are the symptoms of BDD?

• Being preoccupied with minor or imaginary physical flaws, usually of the skin, hair, and nose, such as acne, scarring, facial lines, marks, pale skin, thinning hair, excessive body hair, large nose, or crooked nose.
• Having a lot of anxiety and stress about the perceived flaw and spending a lot of time focusing on it, such as frequently picking at skin, excessively checking appearance in a mirror, hiding the imperfection, comparing appearance with others, excessively grooming, seeking reassurance from others about how they look, and getting cosmetic surgery.

Getting cosmetic surgery can make BDD worse. They are often not happy with the outcome of the surgery. If they are, they may start to focus attention on another body area and become preoccupied trying to fix the new “defect.” In this case, some patients with BDD become angry at the surgeon for making their appearance worse and may even become violent towards the surgeon.

What is the Treatment for BDD?

Medications. Serotonin reuptake inhibitors or SSRIs are antidepressants that decrease the obsessive and compulsive behaviours.

Cognitive behavioural therapy. This is a type of therapy with several steps:

• The therapist asks the patient to enter social situations without covering up her “defect.”
• The therapist helps the patient stop doing the compulsive behaviors to check the defect or cover it up. This may include removing mirrors, covering skin areas that the patient picks, or not using make-up.
• The therapist helps the patient change their false beliefs about their appearance.
• The therapist works with the patient in helping them gain an acceptance of themselves as a whole.

BDD Counselling & Psychotherapy in London

If you are looking for a qualified and experienced BDD counsellor & psychotherapist in London, then please contact me for more information on how I can help you.