Mental health conditions have become a more pressing topic in today’s society. Body dysmorphic disorder (also known as body dysmorphia) is a mental health condition that disrupts how we see and feel about our own bodies and appearance.
Successfully treating this condition can be challenging, but one therapy modality proving successful in the treatment process is cognitive behavioral therapy.
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Treating Body Dysmorphic Disorder with CBT
CBT is an effective tool to help clients with mental health concerns such as anxiety and depression, but it can also be very effective in addressing symptoms of body dysmorphia. Some ways CBT can be helpful in the treatment of body dysmorphia include:
- Helping affected clients alter their unhelpful thought patterns and behaviors.
- Identifying triggers of the symptoms and assisting them in unlearning negative habits they have established because of the disorder.
- Working in a goal-oriented way towards improved daily functioning.
- Using techniques such as exposure and response prevention (ERP) to assist the individual in confronting thoughts, situations, images, and objects that may cause them to feel anxious.
If you're a therapist or counselor working with clients using cognitive behavioral therapy, you can find our comprehensive set of CBT worksheets here:
Understanding the Thoughts Associated with Body Dysmorphic Disorder
Being self-conscious about appearance is a common issue among young people. As they grow older, this self-consciousness, if not appropriately addressed, may become an insecurity that could hinder them from living a happy and fulfilling life. Find more on challenging obsessive thoughts and ideologies with cognitive behavioral therapy here.
It is not uncommon to experience some form of dissatisfaction with one’s look or appearance, but when it’s taking away your joy and making it impossible to feel confident because you think something is wrong with your appearance, it can be a real problem. Learn how CBT can be used to treat other mental conditions here.
Body dysmorphia, also called body dysmorphic disorder or BDD, is a mental health condition where an individual obsesses about one or more perceived defects in their appearance.
This defect or flaw can often be nonexistent, minor, and unnoticeable to others. However, due to this perception, it becomes a cause of shame and anxiety, often compelling the affected individual to avoid social interactions and situations.
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What are the Symptoms of Body Dysmorphia?
Individuals with body dysmorphia may be experiencing symptoms such as:
- Continual worry around a specific area of their body
- Constant comparison of their looks with others
- An unhealthy obsession with trying to fix these 'flaws'
- Extensive time concealing these perceived physical flaws
Body dysmorphia often significantly affects the person’s daily life and can lead to comorbid disorders such as depressive or anxiety disorders. Read more about treating depression, anxiety and chronic suicidal ideation here.
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Building the skills required to manage and overcome body dysmorphia involves developing a balanced perspective on appearance and learning to challenge distorted thoughts. Discover more on finding motivation for change here:
Techniques from cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can help us to recognise and question negative self-talk and replace it with more constructive, realistic beliefs. Practicing self-compassion, mindfulness, and self-care routines also support resilience and emotional well-being.
Find our self-esteem and confidence worksheets here:
Gradual exposure to feared situations—such as social activities or looking in mirrors—helps reduce anxiety and desensitize over time. Additionally, building a support network and focusing on personal strengths unrelated to appearance fosters a healthier self-image and reduces reliance on appearance-based self-worth.
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All content found at My Thriving Mind including our range of digital products and informative blog content is created by a registered psychologist. You can learn more about the author of this blog here: Veronica West, BPsychSc(Hons), MPH
