Buy Walking VideosBody Dysmorphic Disorder: Is It Any Wonder It Exists?
Treatment Online has an article about body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), which is an obsession with a certain body part that is perceived to be a defect.
Whether it’s a little bump on your nose or a an ample set of thighs, this disorder, afflicts only 0.7 of the population right now. Treatment Online considers the relentless coverage of plastic surgery in tabloids as a risk factor.
While she says that there have been descriptions in medical literature for over 100 years of patients dealing with symptoms that indicated BDD, Dr. Phillips doesn’t let changing societal expectations off the hook:
Appearance has always been important. But I suspect it’s possible that the rate of B.D.D. is increasing, as women get bombarded with media images of perfection. Lots of studies have shown that the more you see images of perfection around you, and the more you compare yourself with those images, the worse you tend to feel about yourself.
If you have been feeling negative about certain aspects of your body, it might be in your best interest to avoid fashion magazine and celebrity tabloids. Enjoy your body as it is and leave perfection to someone else.
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August 8th, 2006 at 6:38 am
Do you think their is a version for men except it goes the other way? I went for a long time not realizing I was overweight. I thought I was more filled out and “manly”. Could this be based on the stereotype of the football player or football fan for example?
Recently I participated in a community wide weight loss program and at the closing event they had a BMI table set up and before I stepped up to it I was pretty proud of myself and how much better shape I had gotten in but when they guy at the table asked me my height and weight I was told I was still obese and show me an illustration and weight I should be at. My reaction was, “Man, I want to lose weight and be in shape but I don’t want to be that skinny!”
August 8th, 2006 at 6:42 am
Actually, BMI has come under criticism for that very reason.
August 8th, 2006 at 10:21 am
My husband gets upset with me whenever I read a junk mail magazine because then I always start to judge myself and comparing myself to those of perfect size they are. A size 0 for women on desperate housewives is really out my reach and at the end of the tunnel for me. Once I start to look at how men (husband) want women to look like I get depressed and so I give up and start on my binge eating. I have been overweight my whole life and have and after a roller coaster of 32 years I have come to finally understand that I will never be a size 2 or 4. I’m 5’2†and I have about 15 pounds still to loose according to what my healthy BMI should be and it’s the biggest battle I have. Not only do magazines have a big influence on women but music videos are so dirty and nasty and portray an image that most try to attain and when not successful they become depressed and thus results in so many young teens becoming obese or bulimic. Our society really needs to look at our children and teach them to love themselves and put a stop to those videos and public tabloids. After all don’t any of those people have morals or even kids that look up to them! What was really shocking to this day is my best friend’s daughter thinks she is fat and wants diet pills at the age of 9!!
August 22nd, 2006 at 2:35 pm
A division is needed to define BDD and over-concern with the perfect body. The former is definately a psychiatric/existential issue while the latter is a societal one needing a different kind of help.