BODY DYSPHORIA PRESENTATION

Group meeting table

Abbie, Jamie, Isabelle, Molly

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Body dysmorphia

Activity - Take a picture of yourself.

What is the first thing you think when you look at this photo?

Nemours children's health, 2018

Body dysmorphic disorder or BDD is a mental health disorder in which a person can't stop thinking about one or more perceived defects or flaws in their appearance, often a flaw that appears minor or can't be seen by others.

What is it?

Body dysmorphic disorder

• Being extremely preoccupied with a perceived flaw in appearance that to others can't be seen or appears minor.
• Strong belief that you have a defect in your appearance that makes you ugly or deformed
• Belief that others take special notice of your appearance in a negative way or mock you
• Engaging in behaviors aimed at fixing or hiding the perceived flaw that are difficult to resist or control, such as frequently checking the mirror, grooming or skin picking
• Attempting to hide perceived flaws with styling, makeup or clothes
• Constantly comparing your appearance with others
• Frequently seeking reassurance about your appearance from others
• Having perfectionist tendencies
• Seeking cosmetic procedures with little satisfaction
• Avoiding social situations

Symptoms

Jamie D. Feusner, J. Townsend, A. Bystritsky, S. Bookheimer, 2007

3D representation of statistically significant regions of greater brain activation for the subjects with body dysmorphic disorder compared with control subjects.

• Genes. BDD may be partly inherited. It tends to run in families.
• Serotonin. Serotonin is a normal and necessary chemical found in the brain. A poor supply of serotonin helps explain why BDD happens.
• Brain differences. Studies have shown that some areas of the brain look and work differently in people with BDD.

Causes

Transitions, like those from middle school to high school, can be particularly nerve-wracking for those with BDD.

BDD can interfere with an individual’s ability to interact with classmates and teachers, and may even prevent students from attending school at all

BDD can significantly affect academic performance.

Symptoms of BDD typically begin during adolescence, most commonly by 12-13 years old.

body dysmorphic disorder at school

Statistics

Body Dysmorphia and Simular Conditions

Theory of Planned Behaviour and Body Dysmorphia

Support Groups Practicing Mindfulness

Antidepressant - most commonly Fluoxetine. Takes up to 12 weeks to take affect. Minimum 6 months symptom free before you come off them.

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors

Other options

Treatments

Exposure and response prevention technique - gradually facing situations that would normally cause obsessive behaviours and anxiousness.Help find ways to deal with these thoughts/feelings

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

• The Body Dysmorphia Disorder Foundation provide an email helpline
• Also information on the different support groups that meet around England and when
• Online support groups that meet via Skype and Zoom
• The NHS also provide links to organisation that can help someone with BDD

Support groups

• Schools should be promoting body confidence to the young people in their settings
• Provide support to parents and carers on how they can also support their child on being confident and accepting on how they look
• Provide young people with the skills and resources to overcome anxieties over body image
• Schools should offer pastoral support in their settings to their student
• Special and considerate allowances to students
• Teaching students about BDD and other eating disorders to raise awareness and provide greater understanding

How schools can support students with BDD

Social media doesnt cause BDD, but it can amplify and worsen the condition (Germany, n.d)

"Instagram regularly offers opportunities for comparing one's aperance with that of others" (Calderon, Garcelan and Rodriguez, 2020, p.254)

Ryding and Kuss (2019) argue that using social networking sites to compare appreances may lead to the development of Body Dysmorphic Disorder symptoms.

It is currently estimated that there are more than 2 billion Instagram users worldwide (Rodriguez, S. 2021). Social media platforms allow individuals to share pictures and experiences instantaneously with friends or the world. Pictures posted on social media highlighting body image can exlicit emotional responses, such as a lack of self confidence (Cook, A. 2021). IIndividuals with BDD may obsessively compare themselves to unrealisitc images posted on social media. "Increasing social media influence and increasing screen time seems to be a factor in declining body image" (Himanshan et al., 2020, p.567)

The influence of social media

Filters and Editing

Future Changes:

• Social media may require posts to state or recognise if there has been any post production editing.
• Understanding and developing a healthy relationship with social media.

Could the amount of likes on an Instagram post affect how you precieve you look? The amount of likes recieved on a picture with a filter compared to a picture without one could also be a factor affecting BDD. Potentially it might make them anxious that something in the filtered picture might look better as a result of the likes recieved.

Uncertainity and a lack of clarification about pictures which may or may not be edited can cause harmful risks. Individuals with BDD might obsess over edited features which are unrealistic. Concerns about the effects of editing software are being rasied, more individuals are trying to look lke themselves ina picture with a specific filter on. In some cases individuals have seeked extreme methods such as excessive exercise and plastic surgery to achieve results. Ramphul and Mejias (2018) found that plastic surgeon doctors are recieving more pateints who desribe their desired changes based off their appreance with a snapchat of Instagram filter.

Filters and Editing

Future Changes:

• Social media may require posts to state or recognise if there has been any post production editing (Filter, Photoshop, editing).
• Understanding and developing a healthy relationship with social media.

Could the amount of likes on an Instagram post affect your preception of how you look? The amount of likes recieved on a picture with a filter compared to a picture without one could also be a factor affecting BDD. Individuals may feel they look better in a picture with a filter on based off the amount of likes they recieve.

Uncertainity and a lack of clarification about pictures which may or may not be edited can cause harmful risks. Individuals with BDD might obsess over edited features which are unrealistic. Concerns about the effects of editing software are being rasied. More people are trying to look lke themselves in a picture with a specific filter applied. In some cases individuals seek extreme methods such as excessive exercise and plastic surgery to achieve results. Ramphul and Mejias (2018) found that plastic surgeon doctors are recieving more pateints who describe their desired changes based off their appreance with a snapchat or Instagram filter on.

Ajzen, I. (2020) Theory of planned behavior: frequently asked questions. Available at: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/hbe2.195 (Accessed: 22 December 2021). Be Real. (2017) Somebody Like Me: A report investigating the impact of body image anxiety on young people in the UK. Available at: https://www.berealcampaign.co.uk/research/somebody-like-me (Accessed: 14th December 2021). Body Dysmorphic Disorder Foundation (2018) Supporting Children And Young People With Body Dysmorphic Disorder in Education Settings. Available at: https://bddfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/BDD-Leaflet-for-Education-Professionals.pdf (Accessed: 23rd December 2021)Cook, A. (2021) Where to Turn When Social Media Worsens Body Image Issues, Available at: https://www.consumerreports.org/mental-health/where-to-turn-when-social-media-worsens-body-image-issues-a8010869684/ (Accessed: 17th December 2021). .

References

Calderon, C., Garcelan, S and Rodriguez-Testal, J. (2020) 'The dark side of Instagram: Predictor model of dysmorphic concerns', International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology, 20, pp. 153 - 261. Francis, J et al. (2004) Constructing questionnaires based on the theory of planned behaviour: a manual for health services researchers. Available at: https://openaccess.city.ac.uk/id/eprint/1735/1/ (Accessed: 22 December 2021). Herbst, I., and Jemec, G. (2020) 'Body Dysmorphic Disorder in Dermatology: a Systematic Review', Psychiatric quarterly, 91, pp. 1003-1010. Himanshu., Kaur, A., Kaur, A and Singla, G. (2020) 'Rising dysmorphia among adolescents: A cause for concern', Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care, 9(2), pp. 567 - 570. Mayo Clinic (2019) Body Dysmorphic Disorder. Available at: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/body-dysmorphic-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20353938 (Accessed 22 December 2021).

References

Mental Health Foundation. (2019). Body Image: How we think and feel about our bodies. London: Mental Health Foundation. Nemours Children’s health. (2018). Body Dysmorphic Disorder. Available at:https://kidshealth.org/Nemours/en/teens/body-image-problem.html. (accessed: 05 January 2022) NHS (2020) Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD), Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/conditions/body-dysmorphia/ (Accessed: 20 December 2021). NHS (2021) Overview - Eating Disorders. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/feelings-symptoms-behaviours/behaviours/eating-disorders/overview/ (Accessed: 20 December 2021). Ogden, J. (2012) ‘Eating Behaviours’, in Ogden, J. (2012) Health Psychology: a textbook, London: Open University Press, pp. 134-164.

References

Ryding, F and Kuss, J. (2019) 'The use of social networking sites, body image dissatisfaction and Body Dysmorphic Disorder: A review of pyschological research', Psychology of Popular Medic Cultures, In Press, pp. 1 - 67. Ramphul, K and Mejias, S. (2018) 'Is "Snapchat Dysmorphia" a Real Issue?, Cureus, 10(3), pp. 1 - 2. Schaefer, J. (2017) 'Is it an Eating Disorder or Body Dysmorphic Disorder?', Eating Recovery Centre, 23 March. Available at: https://www.eatingrecoverycenter.com/blog/signs-symptoms/Eating-Disorder-Body-Dysmorphic-Disorder (Accessed: 20 December 2021). Vashi, N. (2016) 'Obsession with perfection: body dysmorphia', Clinics in dermatology, 34, 788-791.

References

Thanks!