...Body Dysmorphic Disorder among college age females Introduction Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a type of somatoform disorder, a mental illness in which a person has symptoms of a medical illness, but the symptoms cannot be fully explained by an actual physical disorder. People with BDD are preoccupied with an imagined physical defect or a minor defect that others often cannot see. As a result, people with this disorder see themselves as "ugly" and often avoid social exposure to others or turn to plastic surgery to try to improve their appearance. BDD shares some features with eating disorders and obsessive-compulsive disorder. BDD is similar to eating disorders in that both involve a concern with body image. However, a person with an eating disorder worries about weight and the shape of the entire body, while a person with BDD is concerned about a specific body part. Do I have Body Dysmorphic Disorder? People with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) have recurring and distressing thoughts, fears, or images (obsessions) that they cannot control. The anxiety (nervousness) produced by these thoughts leads to an urgent need to perform certain rituals or routines (compulsions). With BDD, a person's preoccupation with the defect often leads to ritualistic behaviors, such as constantly looking in a mirror or picking at the skin. The person with BDD eventually becomes so obsessed with the defect that his or her social, work, and home functioning suffers. BDD is a chronic (long-term)...
Words: 1128 - Pages: 5
...Definition Also known as body dysmorphic disorder. When a client cannot stop thinking about one or more flaws in their appearance. A flaw that is very small and unnoticeable. According to Mayoclinic.org: Causes Brain differences Genes Environmental factors According to Mayoclinic.org: Signs and Symptoms Extremely preoccupied with a minor flaw in appearance that no one can notice Strong belief that you have a defect and are ugly Believe people take notice in your appearance and treat you ugly because of it Constantly checking yourself in the mirror Hide flaws with makeup, clothing, etc Having perfectionist tendencies Always seeking reassurance in your appearance from others Avoiding social situations Having frequent cosmetic procedures done...
Words: 394 - Pages: 2
...Body Dysmorphic Disorder and its Effects on Human Behavior Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a psychiatric disorder in which individuals have a preoccupation or obsession with an imagined or slight defect in their appearance (Wolrich, 2011, p. 101). The disorder is believed to affect approximately five million individuals in the United States (Wolrich, 2011, p. 104). Some consider BDD to be chronic, as the average duration of the disorder is 16 years (Wolrich, 2011, p. 104) but can be a lifelong struggle for some individuals. Throughout the course of the disorder, sufferers may experience social anxiety, obsessive thoughts, impaired social functioning and may exhibit compulsive behaviors. While there are numerous characteristics of BDD, each individual experiences the disorder differently and exhibits a variety of symptoms. History of the Disorder Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) was formerly referred to as “dysmorphophobia” (Schieber, Zwaan, & Martin, 2015, p. 223) which literally translates to the “fear of having a deformity” (Wolrich, 2011, p. 102). “Dysmorphophobia” was first...
Words: 643 - Pages: 3
...who would much rather alter their appearance by amputation. Whether it be based on some type of disorder or not, there are vast disagreements surrounding would-be amputees based on their state of mind, reasoning and rationality. We will further discuss types of disorders focusing on would-be amputees, as well as the issues surrounding such demands. Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD), is a condition in which the individual believes, incorrectly, that a part of their body is diseased or exceedingly ugly. For some, that may be an uneven smile, but for others, it may be a leg or an arm. Those suffering from BDD are constantly focused on their perceived flaws...
Words: 1586 - Pages: 7
...their fathers standards during rehearsal. On February 1993 Michael Jackson communicated that “his youth was lonely and isolated.” Michael Jackson said, “I am scared of my father to this day. My father walked in the room — and God knows I am telling the truth — I have fainted in his presence many times. I have fainted once to be honest. I have thrown up in his presence because when he comes in the room and this aura comes and my stomach starts hurting and I know I am in trouble.” to Rabbi Shmuley Boteach in a conversation that they were both having. Michael Jackson also suffered from nightmare and chronic sleep problems. Although never verified, it is believed that Michael Jackson suffered from a type of obsessive-compulsive disorder known as Body Dysmorphic Disorder. Individuals who suffer from BDD are overly concerned with the way they look. When they look in the mirror, they believe their appearance consists of many gross imperfections, but in reality, those imperfections are barely noticed by others. BDD often begins in the early teens or sometimes even during childhood. In an interview with Oprah Winfrey, Michael’s mother Katherine Jackson shared that she believed her son was addicted to plastic surgery. According to Katherine, he would say he was “so ugly” and that his nose was “too big.” Although Michael only admitted to having two nose jobs, a surgeon who shared a practice with one of Jackson’s surgeon’s stated that in reality the King of Pop had several surgeries. Dr. Wallace...
Words: 627 - Pages: 3
...------------------------------------------------- Somatoform disorder From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Somatoform disorder | Classification and external resources | ICD-10 | F45 | ICD-9 | 300.8 | DiseasesDB | 1645 | eMedicine | med/3527 | MeSH | D013001 | In psychology, a somatoform disorder is a mental disorder characterized by physical symptoms that suggest physical illness or injury – symptoms that cannot be explained fully by a general medical condition, direct effect of a substance, or attributable to another mental disorder (e.g. panic disorder).[1] The symptoms that result from a somatoform disorder are due to mental factors. In people who have a somatoform disorder, medical test results are either normal or do not explain the person's symptoms. Patients with this disorder often become worried about their health because the doctors are unable to find a cause for their health problems. This causes severe stress, due to preoccupations with the disorder that portrays an exaggerated belief about the severity of the disorder. [2]Symptoms are sometimes similar to those of other illnesses and may last for several years. Usually, the symptoms begin appearing during adolescence, and patients are diagnosed before the age of 25 years. [3] Somatoform disorders are not the result of conscious malingering (fabricating or exaggerating symptoms for secondary motives) or factitious disorders (deliberately producing, feigning, or exaggerating symptoms) – sufferers...
Words: 12343 - Pages: 50
...in actions, events, or persons discussed herein to actual actions, events or persons is merely coincidental. NAME: Michael Jackson AGE: 50 DATE: May 25, 2009 PRESENTING INFORMATION AND REASON FOR REFERRAL: Michael Jackson is a 50 year-old African-American male who under the advice of his family and friends, has agreed to seek voluntary counsel for on going issues related to an illness known as body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). Michael does not openly admit that he suffers from BDD, even though in the past 25 years he has gone through multiple cosmetic surgical procedures. Michael stated “I thought I was ugly - my skin was too dark, and I decided that my nose was too wide. It was no help that my insensitive father and brothers called me 'Big Nose”. ( J. Randy Taraborrelli, 2008). Michael Jackson was referred to me for a diagnostic evaluation. HISTORY OF PRESENTING PROBLEM AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION: Based on my clinical interview with the patient, from a very young age, he grew up in the spotlight, and as his career progressed his insecurities about his body have become increasingly apparent. At the age of 21, Michael had his first rhinoplasty after breaking his nose, he quickly followed this with two more, citing “ the surgery had not been done properly “, and a fourth procedure to create a cleft in his chin. Michael only claims to have had three surgeries, however the continuous distortion of his appearance implies otherwise. Contributing to Michaels’s growing...
Words: 1816 - Pages: 8
...Abnormal Psychology and Therapy PSY/300 August 30, 2010 Bonnie Johnson Abnormal Psychology and Therapy Abnormal Psychology is psychology that’s main purpose is to use research in an effort to classify, diagnose, and treat psychological disorders and illnesses. Everyone experiences some kind of worry, fear, and even anxiety. When an individual cannot control their emotions and daily life becomes affected they may suffer from a disorder or illness that is very complex. Abnormal vs. Normal When comparing normal and abnormal psychology there are key differences. Normal psychology deals with the feelings that should be felt. Abnormal psychology deals with the feelings we experience that we shouldn’t . We should not live everyday in constant fear for no reason. When our feelings start controlling our life on a daily bases this is abnormal. Compare and Contrast There are two main divisions in psychology: normal and abnormal. Both of these branches can be easy to distinguish, but the lines between them may be blurred as well. To better understand these two sides of psychology it is necessary to understand what each division represents in this field (Critical psychology, 2001). Normal psychology is what an average animal experiences in response to emotional stimuli. For example, a woman’s boyfriend severs relations between the two people. In the average situation, the woman would be depressed for a short period of time. This sadness could stretch to several weeks or...
Words: 1820 - Pages: 8
...achieve a certain look. Body piercings or images show how men and women feel about themselves and or to tell a story. Life of body modification for men and woman gives them free expression to express themselves freely without restrictions. Body modification is a diverse argument that has many different standpoints of discussion. The definition for body modification is the perceptions, thoughts, and feelings a person has about his or her physical appearance. It is, thought to play an important role in self-esteem for many individuals. Although body modification is to consider being a target among society of everyone, body modifications can have a negative impact on the younger and pre adult generations through body image, words, and health. Focusing on body image gives men and women the right to do what they please to their own bodies. The only side effect to body image is kids and teenagers, because children look up to actors and models every day. When children see, the person they like on television then that is whom they want their bodies or images to be like. Many people are dissatisfied with their body image every day. According to USA Today (2009), “Research shows that attractive people are viewed more positively in practically every situation studied, such as education, employment, health care, legal proceedings, and romantic encounters.” USA Today is insisting that people of all shapes, sizes, and color are concern with their body image and will do anything...
Words: 903 - Pages: 4
...Eating Disorders Shannon Wulf 2/9/14 Lana Coxton Eating disorders are conditions defined by abnormal eating habits that may involve either insufficient or excessive food intake to the detriment of an individual's physical and mental health. Bulimia nervosa is a disorder characterized by binge eating and purging. Purging can include self-induced vomiting, over-exercising, and the usage of diuretics, enemas, and laxatives. Anorexia nervosa is characterized by extreme food restriction to the point of self-starvation and excessive weight loss. There are many causes of eating disorders, including biological, psychological and/or environmental abnormalities. Many people with eating disorders suffer also from body dysmorphic disorder, altering the way a person sees himself or herself. There are also many other possibilities such as environmental, social and interpersonal issues that could promote and sustain these illnesses. Also, the media are oftentimes blamed for the rise in the incidence of eating disorders due to the fact that media images of idealized slim physical shape of people such as models and celebrities motivate or even force people to attempt to achieve slimness themselves. The media are accused of distorting reality, in the sense that people portrayed in the media are either naturally thin and thus unrepresentative of normality or unnaturally thin by forcing their bodies to look like the ideal image by putting excessive pressure on themselves to look a certain...
Words: 391 - Pages: 2
...The Media’s Effect on Women’s Body Image Women and young girls are obsessively trying to alter their appearance just to look like the perfect body images we see in movies and magazines. What is body image? Body image is how people picture themselves and how they think other people picture them. It is basically how you feel about your body, and it includes your imagination, emotions, and perception. Images portrayed by the media tend to make people strive to be someone else's idea of perfect, while ignoring their own goals. The media influences us through television, health magazines, fashion, music videos, film, commercials, and various other advertisements. Sadly, as a result, this frequent exposure, the "thin" ideal, can lead many young girls in triggering depression, stress, low self-esteem, and suicide. The media's ideal body image has led to wide-ranging effects including, surgical procedures, body dissatisfaction, and clinical eating disorders. In “Body Image of Women” by Tabitha Farrar, she points out that the “thin-ideal media” concept highlights thinness as a desirable thing to be even if it comes to the point of damaging a person’s health. Farrar indicated that marketers will do anything that they can to sell a product and make a profit. She also mentioned that poor body image can lead to depression, anxiety, problems in relationships, unhappiness, and various health problems. Farrar suggested that people can focus on their good qualities, work with self-esteem...
Words: 896 - Pages: 4
...mental illness (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2011). Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is one of the many mental illnesses that are diagnosed worldwide. This disorder is a debilitating mental disorder that can become manageable with treatment (National Institute of Mental Health, 2016). To have a complete understanding of obsessive compulsive disorder it is important to review all aspects of this disorder. Obsessive compulsive disorder is a chronic disorder that is characterized by uncontrollable, intrusive thoughts called obsessions and repetitive behaviors or mental acts which are called compulsions (National Institute of Mental...
Words: 1559 - Pages: 7
...Media Effects of Women’s Body Image This paper aimed at to help 15-30 years old women to build a healthy and positive attitude toward their body image. The research question that I raised is how do TV advertisements and fashion magazine affect 15-30 years old women to build their self-esteem and body image view in the U.S.? More specifically, I will examine the various aspects of negative effects that the television and fashion magazines bring to the 15-30 years old women. I proposed that the negative effects that television and fashion magazines bring to young women is more serious than people expected. I do intend to cite the relatively few statistic data and clinical studies that have been conducted on media’s negative effects on women’s body image. My audience will be the 15-30 years old women who do not aware enough of the problem that I describe or who was struggled by the problem that I describe for a long time. Nowadays, a woman’s identity is linked strongly to her physical appearance. In this situation, coverage of women in media mostly concerns women’s appearance and set them as sexual objects. Most social commentators agree that the media reflects current social norms (Grogan, 1999). Body image is the picture of the size, shape, and form of people’s bodies that people see in their mind’s eye (Honigman & Castle, 2007). It is also central to the self-concept and to self-esteem, influencing psychological functions and diverse behaviors (Cash & Pruzinsky...
Words: 2939 - Pages: 12
...unattainable yet desirable portrayals of women’s bodies because it causes women to be discontented with their own bodies-often leading to body dysmorphic disorder, women focus on their perceptions of themselves comparatively to what they are exposed to through media instead of simply living healthfully as they try to copy what they see as desirable in the media and are therefore losing their individuality. Annotated Bibliography: Alexandra Ossala (2010). The Media's Effect on Women's Body Imade. New York: Hamilton College. In this article, Arielle Cutler, explores the emphasis that woman have on how they view themselves, beauty standards set by society, how body image is impacted by the media and the impacts of all of this on young women. It goes on to explain how she spent a summer exploring the efficacy of media literacy programs to use as a solution to the cycle of media affecting women and their body image. Arielle Cutler's findings are that the cultural standards in American society believes that the beauty standard is to be thin. Cutler explains that there is great concern for this as being thin is accepted over being average and that the norm of being thin is obsessive and unhealthy in American society. A study of girls, whom are European American and African American that are ages 7-12 years, when the media exposure is greater, such as television, they are more likely to have an eating disorder one year later and have a standard body image of being thin instead of average...
Words: 444 - Pages: 2
...The Perfect Body Body image issues are a real problem that a lot people face every day. Many seek to achieve an ideal and unrealistic type of body. Some even go to extreme measures, such as drugs, eating disorders, or even over exercising to reach this ideal body. Of course exercise is undoubtedly important to living a healthy life, but it is more important to know that the perfect body cannot and does not exist. Every person is unique and “healthy” does not necessarily mean stick skinny or big muscles. The idea of a perfect body is the result of over exaggerated media and the all important sports world. Through the influence of sports and media, the desire of an ideal body type has become one of the main concerns in a majority of our population and is severely damaging this majority’s physical and mental health. As a multibillion dollar business, it is hard to ignore the fact that sports are really important in today’s society (Sissoko). Sports bring people together and for years have been an excellent source of entertainment. Events are full of “moment-by-moment excitement”, filled with the adrenaline that most people just can’t get enough of. With the business of this all important sport’s world, although, comes the controversy of using illegal drugs. To some athletes, not only professional, the need for a better body to perform at greater capacities has become more important than their ethics and morals. Athletes are role models for people of all ages and seeing them throw...
Words: 1331 - Pages: 6
