Body Dysmorphic Disorder
Body Dysmorphic Disorder, or BDD, also known as body dysmorphia, is a type of mental health condition that affects a person’s perception of their body image, either on a small scale such as one specific part of the body, or on a larger scale. It can be so severe and debilitating that it affects a person’s entire ability to function and their wellbeing in general. Some body dysmorphic disorder symptoms are more obvious than others, but there are some general criteria to help identify BDD in adolescents.
- Preoccupation: The treatment-seeking individual would be quite preoccupied with a defect that they are imagining in their appearance, or they are excessively concerned about a physical anomaly in their appearance no matter how slight it is.
- Distress: The individual will be significantly distressed by this preoccupation or concern with their appearance to the point where it is impairing their social activities or their work-related activities and what they can participate in or do.
- Isolated Presentation: Finally, this cannot fall under something else, like a different type of eating disorder, such as anorexia nervosa, where body image also plays a role.
What Are Body Dysmorphic Disorder Symptoms?
Generally, someone who has this condition is going to be concerned with a specific area of their body, though there are some specific areas of the body that are more common than others. Body dysmorphia can cause an individual to perceive virtually any area of the body to appear differently than how others view it, in a skewed manner, to be larger or uglier than it actually is.
A Challenging but Rewarding Path
Treatment seekers who are struggling with body dysmorphic disorder truly cannot be convinced by normal means that this imperfection does not exist. That is why there are specialized treatments for this challenge, and body dysmorphic disorder treatment available through Clementine is specially designed to work with adolescents and young women who are ready to overcome this challenge once and for all.
“I believe the healing process must focus not just on the care and feeding of the body and mind, but on the care and feeding of the soul. Help her connect with herself and the world in a deep and meaningful way.” – Your Dieting Daughter
The ideal body dysmorphia treatment will involve the highest level of medical and psychiatric care outside of a hospital, which is available in the homelike setting that Clementine offers. Whether you’re facing body distortion disorder or exhibiting an eating disorder or related symptoms, there is a solution to the challenges that you’re working through at Clementine.
It can be truly difficult to look in the mirror and not see one’s best self, but it is vitally important to understand that this is a challenge that can be faced and overcome. Body dysmorphic disorder is somewhat different from other eating disorders, though there is some overlap between them. Though body dysmorphic disorder can cause significant issues with how a person perceives themselves, it does not always result in food restrictions or purging. Body dysmorphic disorder treatments at Clementine are state-of-the-art, evidence-based programs designed specifically for the individual being treated and her unique needs.