A mental health disease known as body dysmorphic disorder causes you to obsess about one or more perceived deficiencies in your appearance, even if they are small or invisible to others. You might feel so humiliated, ashamed, and uneasy that you avoid engaging in many social situations.

When you have body dysmorphic disorder, you obsess over how you look and how you perceive your body, frequently checking the mirror, grooming yourself, or looking for validation—sometimes for hours each day. You experience severe distress as a result of your perceived fault and recurrent habits, which have an adverse effect on your capacity to carry out daily tasks.

To "correct" your alleged problem, you might look into a variety of cosmetic surgeries. Following, you might get momentary relief or a decrease in your distress, but frequently the anxiety returns, and you might start looking for new ways to address your perceived imperfection. This is actually a mental health disorder, and anyone experiencing these symptoms should seek help from a Florida mental health counselor.

Cognitive behavioral therapy and medication may be used to treat body dysmorphic disorder.

Symptoms

• Obsessing over a perceived defect in appearance that others can't see or think is minor
• Having a strong conviction that you are unattractive or deformed because of a physical flaw
• A belief that other people pay attention to your appearance and make fun of you
• Performing actions that are difficult to avoid or control in order to correct or conceal the perceived imperfection, such as checking the mirror
• repeatedly, grooming, or skin picking
• Concealing alleged defects with styling, makeup, or attire
• Comparing yourself to others' appearances all the time
• Frequently looking to others for validation of your appearance
• Having a tendency toward perfection
• Seeking cosmetic procedures but feeling unfulfilled
• Avoiding social situations for fear of judgment

It can be extremely distressing or problematic in your social life, work, school, or other areas of functioning to be preoccupied with how you look, to have excessive thoughts about it, or to repeat the same behaviors over and over again. These undesirable, difficult-to-control behaviors can also be time-consuming.

You might give one or more body parts too much attention. The physiological part on which you concentrate may shift over time. The most frequent characteristics that people tend to fixate on are:

• Facial features like the nose, skin tone, wrinkles, acne, and other imperfections
• Appearance, thinning, and balding issues with the hair
• Look of the skin and veins
• Breast volume
• Size and tone of muscles
• Genitalia

Muscle dysmorphia, an obsession with one's body being too tiny or not muscular enough, predominantly affects men. Diverse perspectives exist on body dysmorphic disorder. You can be aware that your ideas about your perceived shortcomings are excessive or unfounded, or you might believe they are probably real, or you might be 100 percent certain they are true. More distress and disruption in your life may occur if you are stuck in your thoughts and beliefs about yourself. If you need help getting out of negative thought patterns, seek virtual mental health counseling or in-person counseling from a psychotherapist in Florida.

When to see a doctor

You might not seek therapy for body dysmorphic disorder if you feel ashamed or embarrassed about your appearance. However, if you experience any indications or symptoms, speak with Mark Lang, L.C.S.W. - Licensed Clinical Psychotherapist. He will help you retrain your thoughts and beliefs about yourself, bringing balance to your self-esteem and confidence.

Typically, body dysmorphic disorder does not improve on its own. It may worsen over time if untreated, resulting in anxiety, high medical costs, severe depression, and even suicidal thoughts and actions. If you or a loved one is struggling with crippling negative thought patterns, reach out for counseling and therapy services at New Era Therapy Now.