Doctors warn – this disorder could have a huge impact on a person’s ability to engage with normal areas of life, for example, they made avoid social or public situations.
Over the last year it’s been reported that excess time spent seeing ourselves on screen in the form of video calls has resulted in more people wanting cosmetic surgery.
Observing ourselves (often smashed) alongside our friends and colleagues far more regularly has, for some people, triggered anything from mild insecurity to severe unhappiness.
‘Facial’ dysmorphia or any other term coined around this is actually speaking to the same mental illness, which with the right treatment can be helped.
But this is different to Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), which is not a new thing (and yes, includes the face) – though the impact of the pandemic has been triggering for those experiencing BDD.
- Does This Mean We Stopped Being Animal and Started Being Human Due to ‘Copy Paste’ Errors?
- The One Lifestyle Choice That Could Reduce Your Heart Disease Risk By More Than 22%
- Aging: This Is What Happens Inside Your Body Right After Exercise
- Immune-Boosting Drink that Mimics Fasting to Reduce Fat – Scientists ‘Were Surprised’ By New Findings
- Gun Violence in America: What They Don’t Talk About at the Debate
Kitty Wallace from the BDD Foundation explains to Metro.co.uk:
She says scattered terminology of the same condition can be dangerous, as it can stop people from noticing signs of BDD.
It could be ‘trending’ or of the moment to be more aware of your face due to the changes the pandemic has imposed on our lives, but the BDD Foundation echoes for greater awareness around this.
The mental health condition affects roughly one in 50 people, and Kitty says it’s ‘an anxiety disorder that is characterized by a preoccupation with a perceived defect or flaw in appearance.
Many people are concerned by their appearance in some way, but the difference is in how distressing this is for the individual.
Common signs can include (but are not limited to):
- A high amount of distress over a particular body part or feature
- Spending many hours of the day worrying about it
- Feeling intense disgust and shame
Dr. Mahsa Saleki, a cosmetic doctor and founder of SAS Aesthetics says that she’s noticed a rise in clients displaying potential signs of BDD.
Due to this, she’s added the following screening questions to patients before confirming treatments:
- Do you find yourself carrying out lots of behaviours (such as mirror checking, grooming) in an effort to cope with your appearance worries?
- Do you spend an hour or more worrying about your appearance?
- Do your appearance worries cause you distress and/or get in the way of daily activities? (Such as work and your social life)
It’s important to point out that BDD isn’t the same as disliking a feature and there is help available for those experiencing the condition.
Advised help includes cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), SSRI medication and joining a support group, depending on the individual case.
- Does This Mean We Stopped Being Animal and Started Being Human Due to ‘Copy Paste’ Errors?
- The One Lifestyle Choice That Could Reduce Your Heart Disease Risk By More Than 22%
- Aging: This Is What Happens Inside Your Body Right After Exercise
- Immune-Boosting Drink that Mimics Fasting to Reduce Fat – Scientists ‘Were Surprised’ By New Findings
- Gun Violence in America: What They Don’t Talk About at the Debate
Image Credit: iStock