Most people have things about their appearance they feel insecure about or wish could be changed. Unfortunately, body dysmorphia is more than feeling insecure about your appearance.

If you suffer from body dysmorphia, you spend hours a day obsessing over real or imagined flaws and take drastic measures to hide or fix the perceived flaws from yourself or others. Here is a look at the symptoms of body dysmorphia, its causes and an overall understanding of body dysmorphia.

What is Body Dysmorphic Disorder?

Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is when you obsess about an actual or perceived flaw on your face or body. You usually will exaggerate it in your mind when it’s barely noticeable to other people. The thoughts can lead to severe emotional distress that starts to interfere with your daily life. You may miss work or school or avoid social events because of the fear that others will notice your flaws.

Warning Signs and Symptoms Of Body Dysmorphia

Specific behaviors may be a warning sign you are developing or already have body dysmorphia. Awareness of the signals is a great way to connect with yourself and figure out how to tackle the issue. These are some symptoms of body dysmorphia to look out for:

●      Believing others take notice of your appearance negatively or make fun of you.

●      Attempting to hide perceived flaws.

●      Seeking reassurance from others.

●      Difficulty resisting behaviors like mirror checking, grooming or picking skin.

●      Comparing yourself excessively to others.

●      Altering your life due to fears and anxiety around your appearance.

You should take the signs and symptoms seriously since they can go further than just being unhappy with your appearance. BDD can affect countless people from all backgrounds. If left untreated, it can lead to severe consequences, including suicidal thoughts or attempts, increased depression and anxiety, eating disorders or drastic measures to “fix” the insecurity.

What Causes Body Dysmorphia?

It is unknown what specifically causes body dysmorphia, but it could result from other mental health conditions. Mental illness may lead some to hear or see things that aren’t there. It may stem from issues such as family history, negative experiences regarding your body or self-image or abnormal brain function such as your serotonin chemical level. Any of these reasons could make you at risk of developing BDD.

The pressure of society's standards for someone “good-looking” can potentially be what causes body dysmorphia. BDD can show up if you suffer from other illnesses such as anxiety, depression or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) since the disorder's obsessions and anxiety are significant factors.

BDD usually starts to show up in the early years of being a teenager in both males and females. Here are the risk factors to consider:

●      Personality traits, like perfectionism

●      Blood relatives with BDD or OCD

●      Expectations of beauty from society

●      Childhood teasing, neglect or abuse

Coping With BDD

There is a common misconception that there is no way to recover from BDD, but those accusations are not valid. There are many realistic tips for coping with body dysmorphia and living healthier lives. These are some practical ways to cope with BDD.

Break the Habits

Many body dysmorphia habits like mirror checking and picking at your face feed into the disorder even more. There are things you can do to try and adjust the negative habits you do have. Eliminate mirrors or create a distraction before you can get to the mirror.

Spend Time With Loved Ones

With body dysmorphia, you feel insecure about your physical appearance, leading to isolation. This is one of the worst things that affect mental illness and could lead to decisions that harm you, so now is a great time to spend with loved ones and discuss how you feel. Knowing there is a support system behind you will give you the feeling of not having to hide.

Exercise Regularly

Exercise can help improve your mental health with endorphins, the neurotransmitters that endorse euphoria and pleasure. It can help your all-around physical and mental health. In this case, exercise is not supposed to be about losing weight but nourishing your mind and body.

Use Meditation

Meditation promotes focusing on the present moment instead of past or future worries. You can do body scan meditation to get yourself out of your thoughts and feelings about whatever may be bothering you. Recognize you are not your thoughts and place your awareness on the present moment.

Learning to Process Body Dysmorphia

Body dysmorphia is a challenging disorder to deal with. You should take it seriously before the effects get worse. Be sure to take care of yourself and your mental health to avoid worsening your condition.

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Beth, the Managing Editor and content manager at Body+Mind, is well-respected in the mental health, nutrition and fitness spaces. In her spare time, Beth enjoys cooking and going for runs with her dog.