preview

Description Of Body Dysmorphic Disorder

Decent Essays
Open Document
Body Dysmorphic Disorder Paige Herrell Northeast State Community College Body Dysmorphic Disorder DIAGNOSTIC CRITERIA Preoccupation with an imagined defect in appearance is one way to possibly detect body dysmorphic disorder. If a slight physical anomaly is present, the person’s concern with the body part is extremely excessive. The preoccupation causes significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning. Repetitive behaviors may occur; including mirror checking, excessive grooming, skin picking, reassurance seeking, clothes changing, comparing one’s appearance with other people. HISTORY Body dysmorphic disorder was first described as “dysmorphophobia” by an Italian psychiatrist,…show more content…
Women are usually obsessed with their legs and breasts, while men are obsessed with muscle size and genitals. Body dysmorphic disorder also shows up in other countries. BDD is a common disorder among individuals seeking aesthetic surgery in Iran. In Brazil, prevalence of the disorder in dermatologic patients was evaluated in a sample of 150 patients in a cosmetic group, 150 in a general dermatology group, and 50 control subjects. Prevalence in the cosmetic group was 14%, compared with 6.7% for the general group, and 2% for the control group. CAUSES Exact causes of the condition have not been verified, though there are plenty theories that exist. Heredity may have a big impact on the development of body dysmorphic disorder. Prevalence of the disorder is four times higher in first degree relatives of individuals that already have the condition than in relatives that do not have it. Brain anomalies may be important causes. Functional abnormalities in visual processing and limbic systems have been documented. A study found disturbances in whole-brain structural topologic organization in subjects with body dysmorphic disorder. Another study investigating the potential role of early-life sexual, physical, or emotional abuse in the development of body dysmorphic disorder found that subjects with the condition had more retrospective experiences of sexual and physical abuse during childhood or adolescence
Get Access
Related
Get Access