Dysmorphophobia

What is dysmorphophobia?

Dysmorphophobia, also known as body. dysmorphic disorder (BDD), is a psychiatric disorder characterized by fixation on an imaginary defect in physical appearance. Although it is a psychiatric illness, most patients do not recognize it and seek help from cosmetic surgeons and dermatologists. In the dermatological context, the condition has been called dermatological hypochondria.

Patients with dysmorphophobia may feel distressed about any part of their body, but most often complain about their skin, hairand nose. Many have a concern about wrinkles, acne, marks and large pores.

Who gets dysmorphophobia and what is the cause?

The cause of dysmorphophobia is unknown, but a hereditary The factor may be involved since the likelihood of dysmorphophobia is four times higher in first-degree relatives of people with the condition. It also seems to be related to haunting–compulsive disorder (OCD) as frequently occurs in people with OCD and their families.

More recent studies on brain function have suggested that people with dysmorphophobia may have abnormalities in the area of visual processing, emotional processing, and visual information transfer.

Dysmorphophobia affects men and women, although each sex tends to focus on different types of perceived defects. The condition usually begins to occur in adolescence, however, the average age of those seeking dermatological care is around 33 years old. It has been found that the incidence Dysmorphophobia is much higher among patients receiving dermatological care than in the general population.

What are the signs and symptoms of dysmorphophobia?

People who suffer from dysmorphophobia often lack self-esteem, may be shy around others, and seek medical reassurance about a particular physical feature that would normally not have been noticed until it was pointed out.

Characteristic symptoms include:

• Patients who seek numerous opinions from doctors, particularly dermatologists or cosmetic surgeons, often disagree with being told that the defect is nonexistent or minor. Refusing to accept that they have an underlying psychiatric illness.
• Agonize over perceived flaws to the point that you cannot function properly at work or socially.
• They often develop compulsive habits, such as frequent mirror checking and extensive grooming.
• You can develop a skin pick to try to remove or disguise the defect, but it can only make the situation worse.
• Disguise or hide your flaw by using items such as wigs and hairpieces, hats, and camouflage makeup.

What is the treatment for dysmorphophobia?

Management of patients with dysmorphophobia is often difficult, as they often refuse psychiatric referral due to a misunderstanding of the underlying psychiatric illness. In some cases, even though patients may be aware that their worries are excessive, they remain distressed by their perceived defect. Other patients may be delusional and have no idea about their unusual behavior.

The following points should be kept in mind when treating a patient.

• It takes a lot of tact and repeated visits to gain the patient's trust before addressing the fact that they have no physical defects and pointing out that the problem is a psychiatric illness.
• Victims are often reluctant to seek psychiatric help, and if a doctor or physician suggests it dermatologist If not done carefully, the patient may not return for future visits.
• Behavior modification therapy can help by stopping or reducing compulsive behaviors, such as skin picking.
• Cognitive behavioral therapy can build self-esteem, modify distorted thoughts, and formulate coping strategies.
• Antidepressant medication, particularly serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRIs), along with cognitive behavioral therapy, has proven effective in the treatment of dysmorphophobia.