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Hi, all welcome back to my blog I hope everyone is having a great week. It’s been a while since I’ve done a piece for my mental health series, I really wanted to get back to it to continue spreading awareness. This topic came up for me because I had a moment this week that hasn’t happened in a few years, I finished a workout and every now and then when I do I’ll take some selfies I like to look at my progress and how strong I’m getting, I like to document it but after taking the picture and looking in the mirror I didn’t see what I expected, my mind when straight to all the flaws I stood looking for quite some time, I could feel my heartbeat get faster my body starts to almost look distorted in front of me so I stepped away and put my phone away and just told myself” this isn’t right” “just go to bed your tired”. Iv been through enough and thankfully have the tools to help myself through these moments but it was scary in the moment. When I got u the next morning I feel a lot better I was thinking clearer I used the tools I gained from cognitive therapy to get through it. I decided to go ahead and post the picture like I always do, no ones perfect but I have grown to be comfortable in my own skin. 

The topic I want to discuss this week is body dysmorphic disorder iv dealt with it in the past and I feel I suffered mild symptoms of it recently and it’s not something you hear a lot about but is really common. In this post, I really want to focus on what this is how it affects people and what are some of the treatments available.

Body dysmorphic disorder is a distinct mental disorder were a person will become preoccupied with a minor and in some cases imagined physical defects that others often can not see.

This disorder shares common traits with eating disorders and obsessive-compulsive disorders, the eating disorders focus on the body and obsessive-compulsive disorders focus on routine and compulsion, disorders that cause distressing thoughts, fears and images they can’t control.

Just like Body Dysmorphic Disorder ( BDD) the preoccupation with the defeats they see leads to ritualistic behaviors like constantly looking in the mirror or picking at the defeat they see.in some cases making the person unable to be social or got to work as they don’t feel comfortable being seen in public.

BDD is a long-term disorder that can affect both men and women, it usually develops in people in their teens or early adulthood.

The common areas that concern people with BBD  are skin imperfections, facial features, and body weight.

The warning signs you might notice in people if the developing this disorder are constantly looking in the mirror, covering up the body when going out in public or not wanting to be seen in public. In some extreme cases, people often look for help from plastic surgeons.

There isn’t a known cause for this disorder but it is commonly seen in people who are already suffering from mental health illness such as anxiety or depression.

Its has been noted that it could be triggered by low self-esteem or a childhood traumatic experience. There is also a lot of pressure these days with social media often equating pysical appearance and beauty with the value of a person which put pressure on vulnerable teens which can impact the development of BDD.

TREATMENTS

Diagnosing this disorder is tricky because of the secrecy and shame associated with it, the persons constantly trying to hide so cases go unrecognized for years.

If your GP does suspect BDD they may refer you to a specialist like a psychiatrist or a psychologist who are specially trained to diagnose and treat mental illness.

BDD  is treated with a combination of therapy,  psychotherapy will help a person change there a way of thinking and behaviors of a person ( cognitive therapy, behavioral therapy) This will help minimize the compulsive behaviors.

There are some medications that show promise in treating BDD but there isn’t a formally approved drug treatment available.

Family support is key, its really important to understand this disorder and be able to notice the signs because the early the diagnosis the better outlook. Giving reassurance and encouraging the person to stay on their treatment plan, this is a long term illness but a strong support system and sticking with a treatment plan will give a better outlook. 

Thank you so much for checking out my blog I really appreciate it and I hope you’re enjoying the content. Leave me comments and let me know what you think. If you would like blog updates please subscribe. xx Paula xx

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