Dysmorphophobia: when hatred for one's body becomes pathological
In an ideal world, all of us would be able to love each other as we are, including defects. Unfortunately, however, in the real world, there is no person who does not despise at least a part of their body. Some teeth, some nose, some feet, those who can't stand their own hair and who, on the other hand, would like to be more hairy to appear manly. Everyone has their own cross when looking in the mirror. However, in most cases, adulthood and, consequently, greater self-awareness help us smooth out our insecurities and accept ourselves in our imperfection . However, there are subjects who are unable to come to terms with any anomalies and transform their frustration into a pathology, better known as dysmorphophobia or body dysmorphic disorder. Below, we will learn more about what this disease consists of, what it is triggered by, what are the symptoms and consequences and how it can be cured.
Before reading, watch this video and discover some simple exercises to do in front of the mirror to learn to love yourself.
What is dysmorphophobia?
Dysmorphophobia or body dysmorphic disorder consists of harboring an excessive - and at times obsessive - concern with one's own aesthetic appearance and, more specifically, with defects that can compromise its beauty. The individual who suffers from dysmorphophobia has a false image of his body and the defect he is obsessed with is often only presumed and non-existent or, at least, irrelevant in the eyes of others.
The term dysmorphophobia derives from ancient Greek and, more specifically, from the terms “dis-morphé” or “distorted form” and “phobos” which means, precisely, fear. The first to identify this disorder was Enrico Morselli, an Italian doctor and psychiatrist, who spoke about it for the first time in his paper, dated 1891, entitled "On dysmorphophobia and tapophobia".
A certain physical anomaly or the whole body as a whole can upset the subject. In general, the parts or aesthetic traits that worry people with body dysmorphism, generating negative and distressing thoughts in them, are above all: breasts, buttocks, thighs, genitals, skin, hair, nose, hips and hair. When the disease is triggered by the concern that one's constitution is too thin and lacking in robust musculature, we are faced with what has been defined as muscle dysmorphia.
Today, dysmorphophobia has been officially included within the international classification of diseases and related problems by the World Health Organization and falls under the category of somatoform disorders. It has been calculated that 1/2% of the entire world population suffer from it.
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How to tell if you suffer from dysmorphophobia
Body dysmorphic disorder can have different manifestations, more or less observable and evident, but to obtain a certain diagnosis it is necessary to undergo certain clinical tests. In general, one of the main symptoms related to dysmorphism is the sense of stress and frustration felt by subjects at the sight of their own image in front of the mirror or, on the contrary, the pathological need to constantly mirror themselves, focusing above all on the defect that distresses them, without count the social phobia experienced especially in anticipation or during interactions of a sexual nature.
What are the consequences?
Dysmorphophobia can have serious repercussions on the subjects who suffer from it, both in terms of physical and mental health, so as to affect their quality of life. Among the most common consequences of body dysmorphic disorder we find:
- Discomfort and profound insecurity with respect to the physical aspect;
- Tendency to isolate oneself because of the fear of being judged or humiliated by others because of one's own alleged defects;
- The obsessive and repeated recourse to increasingly invasive beauty treatments and aesthetic interventions: the person who feels contempt for his body is unable to accept even the slightest defect and falls into a vicious circle that could make him dependent on cosmetic surgery , thus deluding her of finally being able to love each other, without however resolving the root problem;
- Unstoppable need to look in the mirror all the time;
- Assume each person as a yardstick with which to make continuous comparisons;
- Being obsessed with body care;
- Manifesting an addiction to cosmetics and slimming creams;
- Suffering from eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia;
- Develop pathologies such as obsessive compulsive disorder, borderline personality or narcissistic disorder: this is, in this case, a more advanced form of the disease for which the individual begins to adopt obsessive and repeated behaviors, for example: spending hours analyzing in detail the offending part of the body in the mirror or, if the problem was the hair, plumb every inch of skin daily to identify any new hair to be removed;
- Getting to have suicidal thoughts
In some cases, dysmorphophobia takes over the individual who suffers from it to such an extent that it generates symptoms associated with schizophrenia, delusional or dissociative disorder and identity disorder of bodily integrity. At other times, the discomfort is so rooted in the subject that he comes to manifest the clear signs of apothomnophilia, or the desire that the part of the body at the origin of the disease is literally amputated so as not to compromise the harmonic image that the person wishes to have of himself in the mirror.
What are the causes?
It is difficult to identify the cause, or causes, triggering a disorder that has been talked about for a relatively short time. In general, we must first consider the relationship that the patient suffering from body dysmorphism has had, over the years, with his own body. In addition to this, traumatic experiences are undoubtedly another fundamental aspect to consider during the patient's medical history. It is undeniable, in fact, that traumas can affect people for life and, when unresolved, generate pathological behaviors in them, often uncontrollable. .
The treatment
To be able to identify the best and most effective way for subjects to finally recover from dysmorphophobia, it is necessary to consider various aspects such as personality, the severity of the situation, the triggering causes and the social and family context. In most cases, bodily dysformism makes it necessary to resort to psychotherapy. The psychotherapist will in fact be able to evaluate the patient's clinical picture and identify the most suitable treatment for him. Therapy usually consists of a psychodynamic or cognitive behavioral intervention. In some cases, pharmacological treatments can also be added to psychotherapy, usually based on antidepressants such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, capable of alleviating the concerns and anxiety experienced by the patient.
