Open AccessBody Dysmorphic Disorder in Adolescents
Author(s) -
Himanshu Sharma,
Bharti Sharma,
Nisheet Patel
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
adolescent psychiatry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2210-6774
pISSN - 2210-6766
DOI - 10.2174/2210676608666181031105706
Subject(s) - body dysmorphic disorder , comorbidity , psychiatry , population , psychopathology , eating disorders , anxiety , medicine , anorexia nervosa , psychology , clinical psychology , environmental health
Background and Objectives: Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) is characterizedby an abnormal preoccupation with alleged misshapen body parts. There is often poor insightand effort is made to hide the imagined defects, and consultation may be sought seekingunnecessary cosmetic surgery or procedures. It is underdiagnosed and established treatmentprotocols are lacking. The disease has a chronic and undulating course and is seriouslycompromises quality of life. Despite the fact that the prime age of onset of BDD is duringadolescence relatively little has been written about it during this phase of life. This reviewaims to comprehensively cover the present understanding of BDD, including clinicalfeatures, epidemiology, psychopathology, nomenclature, comorbidity and management. Methods: A literature search was undertaken using suitable key words on Google Scholar,MEDLINE & PsychoINFO up to June 2018 limited to articles in English. Results: he prevalence of BDD is variable in the general and psychiatric population withequal gender distribution. Both sexes are equally affected. It is associated with poorfunctioning and a chronic course. There is considerable comorbidity and diagnostic overlapbetween BDD and obsessive-compulsive disorder, major depressive disorder, social anxietydisorder, anorexia nervosa, schizophrenia spectrum disorders and personality disorders.Psychiatric consultation is often late. Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) andCognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) are currently the first line modalities for treatment.Internet based CBT, Acceptance and commitment therapy, and repetitive TranscranialMagnetic Stimulation (rTMS) are emerging treatment options. Conclusions: BDD is a complex disorder with still lot of uncertainty about its diagnosticplacement, treatment approaches, especially for refractory patients, and prognosis. Furtherstudy is needed to clarify its prevalence, especially in adolescents; to fully understand itsneurobiological aspects, to determine its exact relation to obsessive compulsive relateddisorders, and to develop better treatment approaches.