Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a mental health condition where a person spends a lot of time worrying about flaws in their appearance. If a person thinks they have BDD they must see a doctor. The doctor will probably ask a number of questions about your symptoms and how they affect your life. It is important to get help as symptoms will not go away without treatment and may get worse. The treatment options available include:
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
CBT helps you learn how negative thoughts, emotional reactions and behaviors maintain problems over time. It also helps you know what triggers your symptoms and teaches you different ways to deal with your habit. Your therapist can help develop a personalized treatment plan to learn and strengthen coping skills.
Medications
Although there are no specific medications for BDD, medications used to treat other mental health conditions such as depression can be effective. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) may be prescribed to treat symptoms of BDD. SSRIs can be effective for BDD than other antidepressants and may help control your negative thoughts and repetitive behaviors.
Hospitalization
In some cases, your symptoms might be severe that you require psychiatric hospitalization. This is generally recommended only when you are experiencing problems with keeping up with day-to-day activities or when you in danger of harming yourself
LIFESTYLE AND HOME REMEDIES
- Adopt an active lifestyle
- avoid drugs and alcohol
- practice learned strategy
- learn about your disorder
- Write your feelings down in a journal
- join a support group
- learn relaxation techniques and stress management techniques.