what is facial dysmorphia?

Facial dysmorphia is a mental health condition where the sufferer has a warped perception of the appearance of their face. This commonly includes distorted views on how their nose, skin and teeth look.

Can you self diagnose facial dysmorphia?

You cannot self-diagnose body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). It is a diagnosis that can be made only by a mental health professional—psychiatrist or psychologist.

How do you treat facial dysmorphia?

The most common treatment plan for body dysmorphic disorder is a combination of psychotherapy and medication. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has been found to be the most effective at treating BDD and antidepressant medications have also been shown to help individuals coping with this disorder.

How do people with body dysmorphia see faces?

Clinically, patients with BDD most often perceive “defects” of their face and head areas. They tend to frequently check their appearance in mirrors and often scrutinize others’ faces.

Does body dysmorphia distort your face?

When viewing themselves in photographs, patients with BDD underutilize parts of the brain used in seeing the face’s overall shape and size, he said. “If you just see the pieces of your face, and not seeing how they fit into the whole, then it’s going to look distorted,” he said.

Is facial dysmorphia a mental illness?

Facial dysmorphia is a mental health condition where the sufferer has a warped perception of the appearance of their face. This commonly includes distorted views on how their nose, skin and teeth look.

Did Michael Jackson have face dysmorphia?

Michael Jackson (1958-2009) probably had BDD (as well as many other emotional problems). He is famously known for his extra-ordinary amount of cosmetic surgery (and indeed denial of having had cosmetic surgery.)

Is facial dysmorphia curable?

There is no cure for body dysmorphic disorder. However, treatment, including therapy, can help people improve their symptoms. The goal of treatment is to decrease the effect that the disorder has on a person’s life so that they can function at home, work and in social settings.

What do you say to someone who has body dysmorphia?

Do people with body dysmorphia see differently?

This study, along with our previous ones, shows that people with body dysmorphia have imbalances in the way they see details versus the big picture when viewing themselves, others and even inanimate objects.”

Does body dysmorphia make you see yourself different?

Anyone of any age can have BDD – and it affects both men and women. But it can affect them differently – for instance, BDD may make a man see themselves as skinnier, and less muscly than they are. It can make a woman see themselves as much bigger than they are, and vice versa.