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SearchBody dysmorphia is a mental health disorder wherein a person fixates on a perceived flaw in their appearance. The flaw might be “real”, or it may be imagined. A person with this condition often spends a long time examining their appearance in a mirror and may avoid social situations due to feelings of discomfort. If you or a loved one are suffering from the condition of body dysmorphia, then an eating disorder treatment center can help.
Understanding Body Dysmorphia
Most people have a few things they dislike about their appearance and it’s common to occasionally express dissatisfaction over it. However, for most people, these slight flaws don’t interfere with their lives or stop them from interacting socially. For people who have body dysmorphic disorder, also known as BDD, these flaws stay on their minds. Those with BDD often spend inordinate amounts of time every day thinking about and obsessing over physical imperfections.
The obsessive thoughts can’t be controlled and sneak up on them, even if others tell them they look fine. They may cause serious emotional distress, as well as interfere with their daily lives to a point where it causes problems. BDD sufferers may skip school, stay home from work, or avoid going out with other people.
Symptoms and Signs of Body Dysmorphia
BDD presents as a mental health condition with the characteristics of intrusive and unstoppable thoughts concerning an imagined flaw in one’s appearance. This condition is most common in teens and adolescents, but it affects men and women at almost the same rate. BDD sufferers may spend hours or days fixating on their appearance to the extent that they can’t do anything else. They may also engage in repetitive behaviors to distract themselves from their flaws and fixations.
Other symptoms of BDD include the following:
- Comparing their body parts to others
- Seeking surgery
- Obsessive mirror checking
- Avoiding mirrors
- Excessive grooming
- Skin picking
- Camouflaging various aspects of themselves with clothes or positioning
Treatment for the Signs of Body Dysmorphia
Treatment for BDD involves cognitive behavioral therapy and sometimes medication. At Selah House Eating Disorder Treatment Center in Indiana, a Christ-centered approach combines with clinical excellence to help patients find sustained freedom from BDD. Some of our treatment modalities include:
- 24-hour board certified psychiatry
- Licensed marriage and family therapist
- Weekly meal planning and group cooking classes with a Registered Dietitian
- A holistic approach to eating disorder treatment
- Group and individual therapy
- Yoga therapy
- Equine therapy
If you’re curious about recognizing the signs of body dysmorphia, then you may want to talk to a mental health professional today.
Don’t let body dysmorphia control your life. You can overcome this mental health condition by going to a quality eating disorder treatment center. Contact the best center for body dysmorphic disorder treatment Indiana offers today at 765.819.2524, and let Selah House start putting you on the road to recovery.
