Types of Treatment in Body Dysmorphic Disorder Treatment Centers
According to Harvard Medical School, body dysmorphic disorder “is no small problem.” It is is a debilitating mental disorder that causes both men and women equally to become preoccupied with “defects” they feel they see in their bodies, faces, and muscular structures, often to the point of causing delusions. While it is “difficult to treat,” there are different types of treatment for body dysmorphic disorder that are used in treatment centers to help these individuals see themselves in a better light.
Treatment Types for Body Dysmorphic Disorder
There are actually several types of treatments when it comes to helping someone with body dysmorphic disorder, or BDD, and many of them can be used in combination with others. Every individual is different, though, and treatment must be specialized to the specific person to be truly effective. This is why treatment plans for patients must be created for each person individually and cater to the needs of said patient.
Treatment types for body dysmorphic disorder include:
- Education
- Medications
- SSRIs
- Antipsychotic meds
- Therapy
Education
BDD treatment helps people work on their body image so that they can manage their symptoms.
One of the more difficult parts of treatment will be getting patients to recognize that they have a problem, not an issue with the way they look but a mental disorder that needs to be treated. Harvard Medical School states, “Education about BDD may overcome [patients’] resistance to being referred for mental health treatment.” Many patients will not want to deal with the fact that the way they are feeling is due to a mental disorder, but it is important for them to become educated about BDD so that they can start to realize what is actually making them feel the way they do.
According to the ADF, there are many possible causes for body dysmorphic disorder. “A person with BDD has a genetic tendency to develop this type of mental illness.” Other causes may be:
- The regular abuse of drugs like ecstasy
- Low self-esteem
- Depression
- Chemical imbalances in the brain
- Stress
Helping to educate patients about BDD can go a long way in treating the condition in many individuals.
Medication
Different types of medication may be necessary to treat different individuals with BDD. Antipsychotic medications “such as risperidone or olanzapine… should help patients with actual delusions,” meaning that the use of these medications must be extremely necessary based on a patient’s mental state (Harvard). Prozac and other SSRIs are beneficial for individuals with this disorder, especially as a treatment for the depression that can sometimes go along with it. But medication should almost always be used in conjunction with some kind of behavioral treatment in order to be most effective.
Therapy
Cognitive behavioral therapy is one of the most beneficial behavioral treatments, especially for those patients who are not suffering from severe delusions. This treatment can help patients change the way they perceive themselves and their bodies as well as their BDD itself. Group therapy can also be a helpful treatment method for those individuals who have been working through their issues with BDD for some time.
In a treatment center, individuals will often have access to all of these treatment methods and the ability to create a treatment plan with their doctor that best fits their needs.
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