Could Black Women be suffering from Body Dysmorphic Disorder/Dysmorphophobia? (1641 hits)
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) defines body dysmorphic disorder as a preoccupation with an imagined defect in appearance which causes clinically-significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning. ..
The disorder generally is diagnosed in those who are extremely critical of their mirror image, physique or self-image, even though there may be no noticeable disfigurement or defect.
The three most common areas that those suffering from BDD will feel critical of have to do with the face: the hair, the skin, and the nose. Outside opinion will typically disagree, and may protest that there even is a defect.
The defect exists in the eyes of the beholder, and one with BDD really does feel as if they see something there that is defective.
People with BDD say that they wish that they could change or improve some aspect of their physical appearance even though they are generally of normal or even highly attractive appearance.
Body dysmorphic disorder causes sufferers to believe that they are so unspeakably hideous that they are unable to interact with others or function normally for fear of ridicule and humiliation about their appearance...
According to the DSM IV, to be diagnosed with BDD, a person must fulfill the following criteria:
"Preoccupation with an imagined defect in appearance. If a slight physical anomaly is present, the person's concern is markedly excessive."
"The preoccupation causes clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning."
"The preoccupation is not better accounted for by another mental disorder (e.g., dissatisfaction with body shape and size in Anorexia Nervosa)."
In most cases, BDD is under-diagnosed. In a study of 17 patients with BDD, BDD was noted in only five patient charts, and none of the patients received an official diagnosis of BDD.
This under-diagnosis is due to the disorder only recently being included in DSM IV; therefore, clinician knowledge of the disorder, particularly among general practitioners, is not widespread.
Body dysmorphic disorder patients see details, not whole face---
(CNN) -- Some people check their appearance in any mirror, window or computer screen they can find, but not out of vanity. It's because they hate the way they look so much.
An obsession with one or more bodily features, normally in the face, indicates a condition called body dysmorphic disorder. This mental illness, which leads some patients to seek multiple plastic surgeries, is not uncommon;
1 to 2 percent of the population is thought to have it. But most people who have the disorder don't get a diagnosis; they just think they are ugly, said Dr. Jamie Feusner psychiatrist at the University of California, Los Angeles.
Some celebrities have BDD, but few have been public about it, Feusner said. He and colleagues have treated celebrities at UCLA, but cannot disclose which ones...
Thanks for your comments Hanna tea and I for one am happy with my appearance after years of feeling inadequate. I think the bigger problem is with Hollywood and the mainstream media with their definition of what's beautiful. I'm thankful for print media like Essence, Ebony, Body& Soul, & Jet magazine who show the postive images of women of color. Those magazines are a god send in my opinion.
I don't have a problem with people undergoing plastic surgery, but when it becomes an obsession is when I think enough is enough. I know the actors have to have these flawless bodies if there is such a thing for their jobs, but when it comes down to it--- I don't think it's a really healthy profession in the long run and it the messages that young women receive unconsciously is that one has to look like the Hollywood stars to be accepted as beautiful and women of color aren't exempt.
...although I will add that BDD is a real disorder that is classified as an anxiety disorder like obsessive compulsive disorder.
Thursday, February 11th 2010 at 1:50PM
Jen Fad
