Body dysmorphic disorder is a chronic (long-term) condition. Symptoms include excessive anxiety and stress about the perceived defect that can lead to compulsive behaviors. Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a mental health disorder. What causes body dysmorphic disorder? BDD is a body-image disorder characterized by persistent and intrusive preoccupations with an imagined or slight defect in one's appearance. Even if you're feeling well, continue to take your medications. Don't skip therapy sessions, even if you don't feel like going. Body dysmorphic disorder warrants treatment from a mental health professional. The American Psychiatric Association (APA) defines body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) as a mental disorder “characterized by excessive preoccupation with an imagined defect in physical appearance or markedly excessive concern with a slight physical anomaly.” Once referred to as dysmorphophobia, Dysmorphic disorder is typically accompanied by frequent … Without treatment, body dysmorphic disorder can get worse as people get older. It tends to begin during the teen years or early adulthood. It likely develops due to a number of genetic and environmental factors, such as a family history of obsessive compulsive disorder or neglect during your childhood. That’s the age when children start comparing themselves to others. The cause of body dysmorphic disorder is not well understood. They obsess over minor or unnoticeable flaws and may go to extreme lengths to hide them. Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) causes people to believe that parts of their body look ugly. Body dysmorphic disorder is a mental health disorder, where people fixate on their appearance. Meet our specialists in body dysmorphic disorder … There is no one, single cause of body dysmorphic disorder. But you can do some things to build on your treatment plan, such as: Stick to your treatment plan. Many times a day, they do things to check, fix, cover up, or ask others about their looks. If you stop, symptoms may come back. We explain the symptoms and your treatment options for living with this condition. Body dysmorphic disorder affects people of any gender. You may take extreme measures such as repeated cosmetic surgical procedures to correct the perceived flaw. Body dysmorphic disorder is a mental disorder that leads individuals to constantly think about their perceived appearance flaws. If you have BDD, you may be so worried about the way your body looks that it interferes with your ability to function normally. What is Body Dysmorphic Disorder? Many people are unhappy with some part of the way they look; however, if the amount of time and energy spent thinking about the body part interferes with day-to-day functioning or causes significant emotional distress, then the person is diagnosed with body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a serious illness in which a person is overly worried about their appearance or about minor or imaginary physical flaws. People with BDD spend hours focused on what they think is wrong with their looks. These flaws may … Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a mental health disorder. Body dysmorphic disorder is a mental illness characterized by a preoccupation with minor or imaginary physical flaws, usually of the skin, hair, and nose. People with BDD can dislike any part of their body, although they often find fault with their hair, skin, nose, chest, or stomach. 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