Switch to हिंदी

Health, Fitness, Beauty & Diet | Sexual Health, Pregnancy & Parenting | Diseases & Home Remedies | TheHealthSite.com

Health, Fitness, Beauty & Diet | Sexual Health, Pregnancy & Parenting | Diseases & Home Remedies | TheHealthSite.com

हिंदी
  • Fitness
    • Weight loss
    • Yoga
    • Diet
    • Healthy recipes
    • Weight training
    • Body-Mind-Soul
  • Beauty
    • Home Remedies
    • Hair Care
    • Hair Loss
    • Skin Care
    • Anti-ageing
    • Make-up
  • Diabetes
  • Diseases
    • Natural Remedies
    • Alternative Medicine
    • Women’s Health
    • Stress
    • Symptoms A-Z
    • Health A-Z
    • Diseases A-Z
  • Love & Sex
    • Love and Relationships
    • Sex Guide
    • Sex Queries
    • Contraception
    • Sex Positions
    • STDs
  • Pregnancy
    • Pregnancy week-by-week
    • Pregnancy Guide
    • Infertility
    • Conceiving
    • Labour & Delivery
  • Parenting
    • Baby Care
    • Breastfeeding
    • Children’s Health
    • Children’s Nutrition
  • News
  • Galleries
    • Fitness
    • Beauty
    • Health
    • Sex & Relationships
    • Pregnancy
  • Videos
Home / Diseases & Conditions / Body Dysmorphic Disorder – Can men get affected by it? Find out!

Body Dysmorphic Disorder – Can men get affected by it? Find out!

Unhappiness with appearance can cause men to become reclusive and suicidal.

By: Sandhya Raghavan   | | Updated: July 20, 2017 10:16 am
Tags: Body Dysmorphic Disorder  Men's health  Psychiatric disorders  
bdd

Body image issues were traditionally (and often unfairly) associated only with women. My 80-year-old grandmother once chided my cousin when she rejected a potential groom on the grounds of looks: “Men should not be judged by the way they look!” Perhaps this belief has been exonerating men from being blamed for vanity for generations. But I’d like to tell my grandma that times a’ changing and men are as affected by body image issues as women are these days! [2]

Related Stories

  • Infections during gestation may lead to psychiatric disorders in babies
  • High hormone levels in blood increase prostate cancer risk
  • Infection during pregnancy cause psychiatric disorders in a child

(Read: Signs you have BDD)

Body dysmorphic disorder, known as BDD can affect men as they can women. A study conducted in America revealed that in the last 25 years, the percentage of men being upset with the way they looked tripled. A whopping 43 percent of men were dissatisfied with their appearance. Shockingly, there are nearly as many men affected with BDD as women! But since men and boys are reluctant to admit their fixation with their looks, they don’t admit to having a problem.

What is Body Dysmorphic Disorder or BDD?
On the outset, BDD may seem harmless compared to the other psychiatric disorders. A simple obsession with one’s looks doesn’t set the alarm bells ringing. But this underrecognised disorder is quite prolific and severe says studies [3]. People become obsessed with their looks and often fret about imagined or slight defects in their appearance.

Worryingly, the disorder is marked by poor quality of life, impaired psychosocial functioning and high rates of suicide. A high proportion of patients also have to be hospitalised and some may become housebound.[3] This may come as a big surprise but a study of dermatology patients reveals that the ones who committed suicide most had acne or BDD. [4] Men with BDD believe that they look ugly or repulsive when in reality, they look completely normal.

How does BDD affect men?
Men with BDD, much like their female counterparts, are obsessed or unhappy with the way they look. But most of them are unhappy with:

• Skin: Excessive acne and related scarring can cause men to get fixated with their skin.
• Hair: Age-related balding or thinning of hair can be a fixation in some men with BDD.
• Nose: Most men are dissatisfied with the size and shape of their noses.
• Genitals: Perceived inadequacies of size can make men obsess about their penises. [2]
• Muscles: A recently recognised form of BDD is muscle dysmorphia where the men are preoccupied with their “puny” size. In reality, these men are quite muscular and large. [1]

Nearly, all the men with BDD spend a lot of time trying to correct or hide their flaws. They often perform repetitive and time-consuming actions such as:

• Checking themselves in the mirror
• Comparing themselves with others
• Seeking reassurance from others
• Camouflaging
• Excessive grooming [1]
• Picking skin
• Eating a restricted diet

What causes BDD in men?
The cause of BDD in men is unknown, but perhaps the reasons are many. There could be genetic-neurobiological, evolutionary and psychological factors that contribute towards BDD. Men, much like women, also face social pressures to be big and muscular. This contributes towards their obsession with being perfect looking at all times.

What are the risks of BDD in men?
Although it may seem like a harmless disorder to have, the implications of BDD on men can be severe. It could lead to:

• Social isolation from embarrassment or shame due to their imagined shortcomings
• Difficulty in performing well at jobs
• Unemployment
• Worsening of existing mental health problems

Most men with BDD do seek dermatological, surgical and psychiatric treatment for their problems. But it was found that the treatments are usually ineffective and some patients become more disappointed with the outcome. They may even become more depressed, suicidal or violent towards others, particularly the medico who treated them.

How to treat men with BDD?
Treating BDD patients can sometimes be a challenge, especially if the men are not forthcoming about their problem. In fact, psychotherapy and counselling are known to be ineffective against treating BDD. Some clinically-approved methods include:
• Serotonin reuptake inhibitors which have been effective in treating BDD
• Cognitive behaviour therapy which helps them develop more realistic views about their body
The repercussions of BDD are quite serious. It stops men from socialising, pursuing their ambitions and living a quality life. The real danger, however, is the risk of suicide which seems to be more in men with BDD.

References:

1. Pope, H., Phillips, K. A., & Olivardia, R. (2000). The Adonis complex: The secret crisis of male body obsession. Simon and Schuster.
2. Perugi, G., Akiskal, H. S., Giannotti, D., Frare, F., Di Vaio, S., & Cassano, G. B. (1997). Gender-related differences in body dysmorphic disorder (dysmorphophobia). Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease.
3. Phillips, K. A. (2005). The broken mirror: understanding and treating body dysmorphic disorder. Oxford University Press, USA.
4. Cotterill, J. A., & Cunliffe, W. J. (1997). Suicide in dermatological patients. British Journal of Dermatology, 137(2), 246-250.
5. Phillips, K. A., Grant, J., Siniscalchi, J., & Albertini, R. S. (2001). Surgical and nonpsychiatric medical treatment of patients with body dysmorphic disorder. Psychosomatics, 42(6), 504-510.

Published : July 19, 2017 6:10 pm | Updated:July 20, 2017 10:16 am
Read Disclaimer

3 diet tips for diabetics to maintain acid-alkaline balance (sample meal plan included)

3 diet tips for diabetics to maintain acid-alkaline balance (sample meal plan included)

10-year-old rape survivor not allowed to abort her 26-week-old foetus as Chandigarh court rejects plea

10-year-old rape survivor not allowed to abort her 26-week-old foetus as Chandigarh court rejects plea

Please Wait. Article Loading ....

Related Stories

Infections during gestation may lead to psychiatric disorders in babies

Infections during gestation may lead to psychiatric disorders in babies

High hormone levels in blood increase prostate cancer risk

High hormone levels in blood increase prostate cancer risk

Infection during pregnancy cause psychiatric disorders in a child

Infection during pregnancy cause psychiatric disorders in a child

A handful of nuts a day can keep male sexual problems at bay

A handful of nuts a day can keep male sexual problems at bay

Testosterone replacement therapy ups stroke risk in men

Testosterone replacement therapy ups stroke risk in men

Health News in Hindi

Healthy recipe for winter: बैंगन के साथ बनाएं ये हेल्दी मसाले वाले चावल, सर्दियों में ट्राई करें महाराष्ट्र की डिश -वांगी मसाला भात

Healthy recipe for winter: बैंगन के साथ बनाएं ये हेल्दी मसाले वाले चावल, सर्दियों में ट्राई करें महाराष्ट्र की डिश -वांगी मसाला भात

Parenting Tips : घरेलू उपचार जिन्हें छोटे बच्चों पर आजमाने से बचना चाहिए

Parenting Tips : घरेलू उपचार जिन्हें छोटे बच्चों पर आजमाने से बचना चाहिए

Right Way of Drinking Water: क्यों खड़े होकर नहीं पीना चाहिए पानी? जानें, क्या है पानी पीने का वैज्ञानिक तरीका

Right Way of Drinking Water: क्यों खड़े होकर नहीं पीना चाहिए पानी? जानें, क्या है पानी पीने का वैज्ञानिक तरीका

Tips for Weight Loss : वजन कम करने के 4 बेहतरीन टिप्स

Tips for Weight Loss : वजन कम करने के 4 बेहतरीन टिप्स

Diet Tips for Healthy Hair: बालों को हेल्दी बनाने के लिए खाएं ये 5 चीज़ें, हेयर फॉल और ड्राईनेस से भी मिलेगी राहत

Diet Tips for Healthy Hair: बालों को हेल्दी बनाने के लिए खाएं ये 5 चीज़ें, हेयर फॉल और ड्राईनेस से भी मिलेगी राहत

Read All

Recent Posts

  • Casual sex is not bad if you take the necessary precautions
  • Exercise regularly during pregnancy for a safe delivery and healthy baby
  • Deal with sibling rivalry with patience and care
  • Nicotine withdrawal symptoms: Know how to deal with it
  • High blood pressure can bring down life expectancy of diabetes patients

About The health Site

TheHealthSite.com is India's largest health site with more than 40 lakh unique visitors per month. We focus on fitness, beauty, health, pregnancy and more.

Most popular health and wellness website in India in 2012 at the Website of the year awards.

health@corp.india.com
+91 – 22 – 6697 1234
Landline Phone number 91 – 22 – 2490 0302.

ZEE ENTERTAINMENT ENTERPRISES LTD, 18th floor, A-Wing, Marathon Futurex, N. M. Joshi Marg, Lower Parel, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400013.

Useful Links

  • Weight Loss
  • Keto Diet Tips
  • Quick Weight Loss Tips
  • Power Yoga
  • Yoga and Diet Tips
  • Yoga Surya Namaskar
  • Weight Loss Yoga Poses
  • Quick Diabetic Diet Recipes
  • Diabetes Diet Tips
  • Clove Oil Beauty Benefits
  • To Loss Belly Fat
  • Symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency
  • Cancer
  • Symptoms of Chikungunya
  • Symptoms of Dengue
  • Hepatitis b
  • Diabetes
  • Type 2 diabetes
  • Arthritis
  • Swine Flu
  • Back Pain
  • Slipped Disc
  • Teeth Sensitive
  • Breast Cancer
  • EBOL Virus
  • Dengue
  • Malaria
  • International Yoga Day
  • Symptoms of Vitamin B12
  • Acne
  • Vitamin D Deficiency
  • Quit Smoking
  • Celebrity Fitness
  • Flat Abs
  • Apple Cider Vinegar

We respect your privacy

  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us
  • Author Profiles

Copyright © 2019 Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited. All rights reserved.