MedWorm: Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD)

Body dysmorphic disorder in patients with an eating disorder: Prevalence and characteristics

International Journal of Eating Disorders — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0100

Discussion:This finding suggests that BDD is a distinct comorbid disorder in almost half of the patients with ED. It is thus important to recognize and treat the manifestation of BDD in patients with both disorders. Given that the treatment of BDD is different from that of ED, it is important to recognize BDD. © 2012 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. (Int J Eat Disord 2012) (Source: International Journal of Eating Disorders)

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Psychiatric Issues in Cosmetic Plastic Surgery

Psychiatric Quarterly — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 06:59:45 +0100

The objective of cosmetic surgery is increased patient self-esteem and confidence. Most patients undergoing a procedure report these results post-operatively. The success of any procedure is measured in patient satisfaction. In order to optimize patient satisfaction, literature suggests careful pre-operative patient preparation including a discussion of the risks, benefits, limitations and expected results for each procedure undertaken. As a general rule, the patients that are motivated to surgery by a desire to align their outward appearance to their body-image tend to be the most satisfied. There are some psychiatric conditions that can prevent a patient from being satisfied without regard aesthetic success. The most common examples are minimal defect/Body Dysmorphic Disorder, the ...

Traumatic experiences in individuals with body dysmorphic disorder. - Buhlmann U, Marques LM, Wilhelm S.

SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 12:09:00 +0100

Individuals with body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) are excessively concerned about perceived defects in their appearance (e.g., blemishes on their skin). BDD is a severe mental disorder often associated with increased suicidality as well as significant social... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))

The Body Dysmorphic Disorder and Body Image Problems (2012-01-09)

Institute of Psychiatry | Events — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 21:56:52 +0100

<span lang="EN-GB:: My talk will focus on our team’s research in body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) and body image problems in general. We will present the initial findings from the first randomized controlled trial of cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) versus anxiety management in outpatients with Body Dysmorphic Disorder. I will then present some data from Rob Willson who has been investiga (Source: Institute of Psychiatry | Events)

The Bizarre Request for Amputation

The International Journal of Lower Extremity Wounds — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Apotemnophilia is a condition where sufferers wish to be an amputee. Currently, belief in the medical profession is that it is part of the spectrum of body dysmorphic disorder and as such patients are denied surgical correction. This can lead sufferers to extreme lengths. Proponents seek to have the disorder reclassified to a body identity integrity disorder such as gender identity disorder. In this way treatment modalities could be reassessed. (Source: The International Journal of Lower Extremity Wounds)

RI Hospital receives $1.5 million grant to study treatments for body dysmorphic disorder

EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

(Lifespan) Rhode Island Hospital has received a grant for more than $1.5 million from the National Institute of Mental Health for a five-year study on treatment for body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). Led by Katharine A. Phillips, M.D., director of the BDD Program at Rhode Island Hospital and an internationally known expert in BDD, the study will examine the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy versus supportive psychotherapy for the treatment of people with BDD. (Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science)

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Courts say body dysmorphic disorder may impact validity of informed consent

Modern Medicine — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0100

Jane Cosmetic was injected with a dermal filler that resulted in skin necrosis. After other doctors tell her she suffers from body dysmorphic disorder, she files a lawsuit against Dr. Derm, claiming she lacks capacity to give informed consent. (Source: Modern Medicine)

A twin study of body dysmorphic concerns.

Psychological Medicine — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0100

CONCLUSIONS: Over-concern with a perceived or slight defect in physical appearance is a heritable trait, with non-shared environmental factors also playing an important role in its causation. The results are relevant for various psychiatric disorders characterized by excessive concerns in body appearance, odour or function, including but not limited to body dysmorphic disorder. PMID: 22126745 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Psychological Medicine)

Screening tools for body dysmorphic disorder in a cosmetic surgery setting

The Laryngoscope — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 08:39:49 +0100

Conclusions:The limited availability of good screening tools for BDD in patients seeking aesthetic surgery stands in remarkable contrast to the estimated high prevalence of BDD in this setting. Among the currently used screening tools, the BDDQ‐DV and the DCQ seem the most suitable for further research on prevalence of BDD in cosmetic surgery and the impact of BDD on treatment outcome. Laryngoscope, 121:2535–2541, 2011 (Source: The Laryngoscope)

Modular cognitive-behavioral therapy for body dysmorphic disorder.

Behavior Therapy — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 08:47:05 +0100

This study pilot tested a newly developed modular cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) treatment manual for body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). We tested feasibility, acceptability, and treatment outcome in a sample of 12 adults with primary BDD. Treatment was delivered in weekly individual sessions over 18 or 22weeks. Standardized clinician ratings and self-report measures were used to assess BDD and related symptoms pre- and posttreatment and at 3- and 6-month follow-ups. At posttreatment, BDD and related symptoms (e.g., mood) were significantly improved. Treatment gains were maintained at follow-up. A relatively low drop-out rate, high patient satisfaction ratings, and patient feedback indicated that the treatment was highly acceptable to patients. To our knowledge, this represents the first ...

Modifying emotion recognition deficits in body dysmorphic disorder: an experimental investigation

Depression and Anxiety — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0100

Conclusion: There is initial evidence that deficits in recognizing neutral and scared expressions can be normalized through a specific training program when evaluated immediately after the training session. It needs to be addressed in future research whether emotion recognition training programs can diminish these deficits on the long term, and how improved emotion recognition might be related to BDD's symptom reduction such as decreased avoidance behaviors in social situations. Depression and Anxiety, 2011. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. (Source: Depression and Anxiety)

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An update on the presence of psychiatric comorbidities in acne patients, Part 2: Depression, anxiety, and suicide. - Saitta P, Keehan P, Yousif J, Way BV, Grekin S, Brancaccio R.

SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 16:58:41 +0100

Acne vulgaris (AV) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease that affects millions of people. Psychologic disorders such as depression, anxiety, and body dysmorphic disorder are common in patients with AV and the reported prevalence of suicidal ideation and s... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))

Does Sarah Michelle Geller Really Have Body Dysmorphic Disorder?

Psychology Today Food and Diet Center — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 18:43:53 +0100

Sarah Michelle Geller stars in the new CW series, Ringer, in which she plays a recovering addict who assumes her dead twin's identity. In the first episode, several references were made to her being skinny, and one person jokingly asked her for tips on how to be anorexic. Ironically, in real life, the 34-year-old actress alludes to her own struggles when it comes to her appearance. Primary Topic: Eating Disorders read more (Source: Psychology Today Food and Diet Center)

Psychopharmacological Treatment of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Comorbid With Body Dysmorphic Disorder and Pathological Gambling Disorder [LETTERS TO THE EDITOR]

J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100

(Source: J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci)

Life with Dermatillomania

Psychology Today Anxiety Center — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 18:44:24 +0100

When a bad habit becomes a clinical problem. Primary Topic: Anxiety read more (Source: Psychology Today Anxiety Center)

Potential link between body dysmorphic disorder symptoms and alexithymia in an eating-disordered treatment-seeking sample

Psychiatry Research — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 17:05:05 +0100

This study aimed to explore the manifestation of body dysmorphic disorder symptoms in a sample of people with eating disorders and to investigate possible associations between body dysmorphia and alexithymia. Forty patients currently seeking treatment for an eating disorder completed a battery of six measures assessing alexithymia, mood, eating behaviours, weight-related body image, body dysmorphia and non-weight related body image. Significant moderate positive correlations (Pearson's r) between selected variables were found, suggesting that participants with high levels of dysmorphic concern (imagined ugliness) have more difficulty with the affective elements of alexithymia, that is, identifying and describing feelings. When depression, eating attitudes, and weight-related body image con...

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Predicting interest in liposuction among women with eating problems: A population-based study.

Body Image — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100

Authors: Jávo IM, Pettersen G, Rosenvinge JH, Sørlie T Abstract The purpose of this paper was to examine predictors of an interest in liposuction among women with eating problems. A questionnaire was sent to 3500 women aged 18-35years, whereof 378 of 1861 responders screened positively on eating problems. Assessments included sociodemographic status, social network, physical exercise, attitudes towards cosmetic surgery, teasing history, body dysmorphic disorder-like symptoms, body image, self-esteem, personality, interpersonal attachment and emotional distress. Fifty-two percent reported an interest in liposuction, which was independently predicted by appearance orientation, appearance evaluation, being critical/quarrelsome, teasing history, wish for a better relationship with fa...

Appearance concerns comparisons among persons with body dysmorphic disorder and nonclinical controls with and without aesthetic training.

Body Image — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100

Authors: Lambrou C, Veale D, Wilson G Abstract Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) concerns may be on a continuum with normal appearance concerns, differing only quantitatively. As emerging evidence suggests that an increased aesthetic sensitivity plays a role in BDD, individuals with BDD (n=50) were compared with a control group of individuals with an education or employment in art and design related fields (n=50) and a control group of individuals without aesthetic training (n=50). Participants completed a demographic questionnaire and a series of measures for depression, BDD symptomatology, and body image. Most controls (with and without aesthetic training) reported appearance concerns and expressed comparable ideals to those with BDD. However, BDD participants differed by using nega...

The relationship between perceived social support and severity of body dysmorphic disorder symptoms: the role of gender.

Revista Brasileira de Psiquiatria — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0100

CONCLUSION: The present study implicates social support as an important area of future body dysmorphic disorder research. PMID: 21971776 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Revista Brasileira de Psiquiatria)

Prevalence of body dysmorphic disorder in a German psychiatric inpatient sample

Psychiatry Research — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 03:56:41 +0100

Abstract: Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a distressing or impairing preoccupation with an imagined or slight defect in appearance. Only a few studies have examined BDD prevalence in psychiatric settings. Prevalence rates vary widely and most studies have been conducted in outpatient samples. In the current study, we examined 155 adult psychiatric inpatients. Diagnostic criteria of BDD were assessed with the BDD module of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV. The prevalence of lifetime BDD was 2.6% (95% CI=0.1–5.1%). Currently 1.9% of the patients suffered from BDD (95% CI=0.0–4.0%). None of these patients were diagnosed with BDD on admission or during hospitalization. The BDD rates found in this study are considerably lower than lifetime and current prevalence rates reported...

[Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD).]

Presse Medicale — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0100

DISCUSSION: Our review confirms the progress in knowledge on BDD. The most interesting results concern clinical characteristics, epidemiology in the general population, and treatment. The prevalence of BDD in the general population should prompt every practitioner to take this disorder into account when faced with the increasing demand for medical and surgical cosmetic procedures. Nevertheless, further research is needed, particularly on the demand of non psychiatric treatments by BDD patients and the way medical or surgical specialists manage it. PMID: 21831574 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Presse Medicale)

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Many seeking rhinoplasty have BDD

Modern Medicine — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0100

A Belgian study suggests that 33 percent of patients seeking rhinoplasty show moderate-to-severe symptoms of body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), globenewswire.com reports. (Source: Modern Medicine)

Relation Found Between Rhinoplasty And Mental Illness

Health News from Medical News Today — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 14:00:00 +0100

The desire for plastic surgery, and in particular nose jobs, may be a tell tale sign of a mental illness called dysmorphic disorder (BDD), which is basically is an unnatural preoccupation with slight or imagined defects in appearance. A person with BDD historically tends to have cosmetic surgery, and even if the surgeries are successful, does not think they are and is unhappy with the outcomes. A new study released this week demonstrates a high rate of body dysmorphic disorder relation, up to one in three among nose job patients... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Want A Nose Job? Check Your Head For Possible Mental Illness First

Health News from Medical News Today — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 09:00:00 +0100

1 in 3 Nose Job Patients Has a Mental Illness: Study

The Doctors Lounge - Dermatology — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 23:00:00 +0100

Body dysmorphic disorder, where people inordinately dislike their appearance, is rife in this group, study says (Source: The Doctors Lounge - Dermatology)

1 in 3 Nose Job Patients Has a Mental Illness

MedlinePlus Health News — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 21:00:00 +0100

Body dysmorphic disorder, where people inordinately dislike their appearance, is rife in this group, study says Source: HealthDay Related MedlinePlus Pages: Mental Disorders, Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery (Source: MedlinePlus Health News)

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Self-image problems tied to nose jobs

Health News - UPI.com — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 19:51:43 +0100

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill., July 27 (UPI) -- A third of people seeking a nose job suffer from self-image problems and show signs of body dysmorphic disorder, a study in a U.S. journal says. (Source: Health News - UPI.com)

Well: Some Nose-Job Patients May Have Mental Illness

NYT Health — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 15:58:35 +0100

About one in three people seeking rhinoplasty -- commonly called a nose job -- have signs of body dysmorphic disorder, a mental health condition in which a person has an unnatural preoccupation with slight or imagined defects in appearance. (Source: NYT Health)

Well: Some Nose Job Patients May Have Mental Illness

NYT Health — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 15:28:27 +0100

About one in three people seeking rhinoplasty - commonly called a nose job -- have signs of body dysmorphic disorder, a mental health condition in which a person has an unnatural preoccupation with slight or imagined defects in appearance. (Source: NYT Health)

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One-Third of Rhinoplasty Patients Have Body Dysmorphic Symptoms

Medical News (via PRIMEZONE) — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 13:08:00 +0100

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill., July 26, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Moderate to severe symptoms of body dysmorphic disorder (BDD)--excessive concern about appearance that interferes with daily life-- are found in 33 percent of patients seeking plastic surgery to improve the appearance of their nose, reports a study in the August issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery(r), the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). (Source: Medical News (via PRIMEZONE))

Rhinoplasty and Body Image

Psychology Today Parenting Center — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 02:33:27 +0100

Stories about mother-daughter relationships told from a woman's point of view are cultural gems.read more (Source: Psychology Today Parenting Center)

Inference‐Based Therapy for Body Dysmorphic Disorder

Clinical Psychology — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 23:00:00 +0100

AbstractBody dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a debilitating disorder characterized by an excessive pre‐occupation with an imagined or very slight defect in one's physical appearance. Despite the overall success of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) in treating BDD, some people do not seem to benefit as much from this approach. Those with high overvalued ideation (OVI), for instance, have been shown to not respond well with CBT. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of an inference‐based therapy (IBT) in treating BDD. IBT is a cognitive intervention that was first developed for obsessive–compulsive disorder with high OVI, but whose focus on beliefs can also apply to a BDD population. IBT conceptualizes BDD obsessions (e.g., ‘I feel like my head is deformed’) as idio...

Body Dysmorphic Disorder: A Treatment Manual [Book reviews]

The British Journal of Psychiatry — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 23:00:00 +0100

(Source: The British Journal of Psychiatry)

Quality of life after severe hand injury

Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 04:00:00 +0100

This study explores the quality of life in 118 patients following severe and major hand injury with a Hand Injury Severity Score >50. Each patient answered five different validated outcome measures (DASH (Disability of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand), FLZM (‘Fragen zur Lebenszufriedenheit’), HADS (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Score), BDDE-SR (Body Dysmorphic Disorder Examination-Self Report) and FBeK (‘Fragebogen zur Beurteilung des eigenen Körpers’), which were incorporated into a single questionnaire. Each of these questionnaires covered one or more of the established quality-of-life domains. Patients with pain and pressure sensations were significantly less satisfied in life, showed lower levels of health satisfaction, had higher levels of anxiety and depression and showed high...

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Reality monitoring in patients with body dysmorphic disorder.

Behavior Therapy — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 14:32:06 +0100

Authors: Reese HE, McNally RJ, Wilhelm S Patients with body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) typically have very poor insight into their disorder. Their conviction in their ugliness is often of delusional intensity. Reality monitoring is the ability to distinguish in memory between things that one has imagined and things that one has perceived. Deficits in reality monitoring have been associated with the development of other delusional beliefs. Therefore, in the present study we investigated whether individuals with BDD (n=20) demonstrate impairments in reality monitoring relative to individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD; n=20) and healthy controls (n=20). This hypothesized impairment might predispose people with BDD to confuse memories of how they imagine themselves to appear (...

Image processing differs with BDD

Modern Medicine — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 23:00:00 +0100

Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), which causes people to see themselves as disfigured or ugly, is linked to an abnormality in how visual information is processed by the brain, HealthDay News reports. (Source: Modern Medicine)

Predicting consideration of cosmetic surgery in a college population: A continuum of body image disturbance and the importance of coping strategies.

Body Image — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 23:00:00 +0100

Authors: Callaghan GM, Lopez A, Wong L, Northcross J, Anderson KR Elective cosmetic surgeries are increasing in the American population with reasons linked to body image disturbance and body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). Little research exists documenting the continuum of body image disturbance and its relationship to seeking surgery. The present research examined data from 544 participants, 55 of whom were diagnosable with BDD. Using assessments for body image disturbance, problematic coping strategies, and BDD symptomatology, results provided evidence for a continuum of body image distress. Logistic regression analysis supported the hypothesis that increased levels of body image disturbance and one type of problematic coping strategy (Appearance Fixing) predicted consideration of cosmet...

How Brain Sees the ‘Big Picture’ May Affect Self-Image

The Doctors Lounge - Dermatology — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 23:00:00 +0100

People with body dysmorphic disorder process visual information abnormally, study finds (Source: The Doctors Lounge - Dermatology)

How Brain Sees the 'Big Picture' May Affect Self-Image

MedlinePlus Health News — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 20:00:00 +0100

People with body dysmorphic disorder process visual information abnormally, study finds Source: HealthDay Related MedlinePlus Pages: Brain Diseases, Eating Disorders, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (Source: MedlinePlus Health News)

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Those With Body-Image Disorders Process 'Big Picture' Visual Information Abnormally

Health News from Medical News Today — Fri, 27 May 2011 09:00:00 +0100

People suffering from body dysmorphic disorder, or BDD - a severe mental illness characterized by debilitating misperceptions that one appears disfigured and ugly - process visual information abnormally, even when looking at inanimate objects, according to a new UCLA study. First author Dr. Jamie Feusner, a UCLA assistant professor of psychiatry, and colleagues found that patients with the disorder have less brain activity when processing holistic visual elements that provide the "big picture," regardless of whether that picture is a face or an object... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

People with body-image disorders process 'big picture' visual information abnormally

ScienceDaily Headlines — Thu, 26 May 2011 18:15:15 +0100

People suffering from body dysmorphic disorder, or BDD -- a severe mental illness characterized by debilitating misperceptions that they appear disfigured and ugly -- process visual information abnormally, even when looking at inanimate objects. The findings are an important step in developing treatments to change their self-perceptions. (Source: ScienceDaily Headlines)

Perceived Ugliness: An Update on Treatment-Relevant Aspects of Body Dysmorphic Disorder

Current Psychiatry Reports — Mon, 02 May 2011 15:01:17 +0100

Abstract Despite increased awareness of body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) during the past two decades, it is still a relatively unknown and understudied disorder. Its hallmark is a preoccupation with perceived defects or flaws in one’s own appearance, often tied to the face (eg, nose, skin). BDD sufferers often think about their appearance “flaws” for up to several hours daily and frequently engage in ritualistic behaviors such as mirror checking, hair combing, comparing, asking for reassurance, makeup application, or skin picking. Furthermore, avoidance behaviors such as mirror avoidance or the avoidance of social activities are also common. In this paper, we provide an overview of BDD’s unique symptomatology, its prevalence, and the comorbidities associated with it....

Abnormalities of object visual processing in body dysmorphic disorder.

Psychological Medicine — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100

CONCLUSIONS: Individuals with BDD have abnormal brain activation patterns when viewing objects. Hypoactivity in visual association areas for configural and holistic (low detail) elements and abnormal allocation of prefrontal systems for details are consistent with a model of imbalances in global versus local processing. This may occur not only for appearance but also for general stimuli unrelated to their symptoms. PMID: 21557897 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Psychological Medicine)

Body Image Concern Inventory (BICI) for Identifying Patients with BDD Seeking Rhinoplasty: Using a Persian (Farsi) Version

Aesthetic Plastic Surgery — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 05:50:23 +0100

Conclusion The results of the present study emphasize the high rate of BDD (12.2%) in subjects seeking rhinoplasty. The BICI appears to be an internally consistent and valid brief multiple-choice instrument for assessing dysmorphic concern. To our knowledge, this is the first time that this measure has ever been used for identifying BDD patients in a rhinoplasty setting; it is also the first time that ROC analysis has been used for calculating and analyzing the results of BICI. Our study suggests that rhinoplasty surgeons could rely on the scores of the BICI to identify subjects with probable BDD among their consultants with no or one slight defect. Content Type Journal ArticlePages 1-6DOI 10.1007/s00266-011-9718-8Authors Saber Ghadakzadeh, Faculty of Medicine, A...

Treatment barriers for individuals with body dysmorphic disorder: an internet survey.

Behaviour Research and Therapy — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 23:00:00 +0100

Authors: Buhlmann U Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is characterized by perceived defects in one's appearance, accompanied by severe distress and interference in the person's life. To date, mental health care for BDD is still in the early phases of development, and although recent research on psychotropic medication and cognitive-behavioral therapy has been promising (review mentioned in , Behav Res Ther. 44:99-11), it is unclear yet how many BDD sufferers seek treatment, and if not, for which reasons. To shed some light on these questions, 172 individuals with self-reported BDD participated in an internet survey. Only 23.3% (n = 40) had been diagnosed with BDD by a mental health professional. In all, 19.8% (n = 34) were currently receiving psychosocial treatment, and 18.6% (n = 32) wer...

Body Dysmorphic Disorder Can Be Lethal

Medscape Today Headlines — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 20:39:38 +0100

New research on body dysmorphic disorder shows suicidal ideation and suicide completion are significantly higher in these patients than the general population. Medscape Medical News (Source: Medscape Today Headlines)

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[Antipsychotic agents in the treatment of somatoform disorders; a review.]

Tijdschrift voor Psychiatrie — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 13:45:03 +0100

Authors: Decoutere L, Van Den Eede F, Moorkens G, Sabbe BG summary background Antipsychotics are regularly prescribed in the treatment of somatoform disorders. Up till now there has not been any systematic review of the literature on this subject. aim To provide a review of the literature on the use of antipsychotic agents in patients with somatoform disorders. method Publications listed in PubMed database were retrieved and studied. The search terms used were the somatoform disorders and functional disorders in combination with ‘antipsychotic agent’ and all individual antipsychotics. <span class=...

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Youth with Body Dysmorphic Disorder: Current Status and Future Directions

Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 20:52:01 +0100

This article focuses on CBT for BDD in adults and youth; possible adaptations and the need for treatment research in youth; and prevalence, clinical features, diagnosis, recommended pharmacotherapy, and treatments that are not recommended. (Source: Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America)

Body Dysmorphic Disorder and Depression: Phenomenological and Psychotherapeutic Aspects: A Report of Five Cases

Karger Publishers — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 15:17:42 +0100

Psychopathology 2011;44:137–146 (DOI:10.1159/000321551) (Source: Karger Publishers)

Body dysmorphic disorder [Articles]

Advances in Psychiatric Treatment — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0100

This article reviews the diagnostic criteria for the disorder, its validity and its relationship to other disorders such as obsessive–compulsive disorder, anorexia nervosa, social phobia and somatisation disorders. The course of the illness, its aetiology and treatment approaches are discussed. As research is growing alongside an increase in patient presentations, body dysmorphic disorder requires a coherent response from healthcare services. (Source: Advances in Psychiatric Treatment)

Body dysmorphic symptoms: Phenomenology and ethnicity.

Body Image — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Marques L, Leblanc N, Weingarden H, Greenberg JL, Traeger LN, Keshaviah A, Wilhelm S Differences in the presentation of clinical features of Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) across ethnic groups have received little investigation. The current study assessed BDD symptoms in an ethnically diverse sample of adults (n=401) using an online survey. Participants completed self-report measures assessing BDD symptoms, body parts of concern and BDD behaviors. Compared to Caucasian participants, no significant differences were found in body parts or behaviors reported by Latino or African American participants. Significant group differences did emerge between Asian and Caucasian participants. Specifically, Asians reported more concern with straight hair and dark skin and fewer body shape c...

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SLaM Trialling New OCD Treatments For Young People, UK

Health News from Medical News Today — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 08:00:00 +0100

SLaM's Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Service for children and adolescents is currently running two innovative trials to help improve the treatment of young people with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). The national and specialist service is the only service of its kind in the UK offering assessment and treatment of children and adolescents with OCD and related conditions, including body dysmorphic disorder, tic disorders, Tourette's syndrome, anxiety and habit disorders, including trichotillomania... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders: a comorbidity and family history perspective.

Australasian Psychiatry — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: Although the concept of OCSDs has invigorated thinking in this complex diagnostic field, these results support the current association of OCD with OADs rather than with OCSDs. PMID: 21332382 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Australasian Psychiatry)

Body dysmorphic disorder: A screening guide for orthodontists

American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0100

The objective of this article was to create awareness among orthodontists of this disorder and offer guidelines for its detection. As clinicians providing cosmetic services, orthodontists are likely to have patients with body dysmorphic disorder requesting treatment. (Source: American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics)

Are atypical depression, borderline personality disorder and bipolar II disorder overlapping manifestations of a common cyclothymic diathesis?

World Psychiatry — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 00:00:00 +0100

We examined 107 consecutive patients who met DSM-IV criteria for major depressive episode with atypical features. Those who also met the DSM-IV criteria for BPD (BPD+), compared with those who did not (BPD-), had a significantly higher lifetime comorbidity for body dysmorphic disorder, bulimia nervosa, narcissistic, dependent and avoidant personality disorders, and cyclothymia. BPD+ also scored higher on the Atypical Depression Diagnostic Scale items of mood reactivity, interpersonal sensitivity, functional impairment, avoidance of relationships, other rejection avoidance, and on the Hopkins Symptoms Check List obsessive-compulsive, interpersonal sensitivity, anxiety, anger-hostility, paranoid ideation and psychoticism factors. Logistic regression revealed that cyclothymic temperament acco...

The role of aesthetic sensitivity in body dysmorphic disorder.

Journal of Abnormal Psychology — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0100

Individuals with a higher aesthetic sensitivity may be more vulnerable to developing body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). Aesthetic sensitivity has 3 components: (a) perceptual, (b) emotional, and (c) evaluative. Individuals with BDD (n = 50) were compared with a control group of individuals with an education or employment in art and design related fields (n = 50) and a control group of individuals without aesthetic training (n = 50). A facial photograph of each participant was manipulated to create a 9-image symmetry continuum. Presented with the continuum on a computer, participants were required to select and rate the image representing their self-actual, self-ideal, idea of perfect, most physically attractive, most pleasure, and most disgust. Control symmetry continua examined the specifici...

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Body dysmorphic disorder and other psychiatric morbidity in aesthetic rhinoplasty candidates

Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0100

Conclusion: Findings from this study support earlier studies, which found that BDD is a relatively common disorder among individuals seeking aesthetic surgery, in particular in rhinoplasty patients. Preoperative psychiatry assessment recommends avoiding subsequent risk for both patients and surgeons. (Source: Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery)

Probability of Full Recovery From Body Dysmorphic Disorder Good Over Time

Medscape Today Headlines — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 19:18:07 +0100

A new 8-year cohort study found that patients with body dysmorphic disorder had a 76% probability of full recovery and a 14% probability of recurrence. Medscape Medical News (Source: Medscape Today Headlines)

Patients Who Loathe Appearance Often Get Better, But It Could Take Years

Health News from Medical News Today — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 08:00:00 +0100

In the longest-term study so far to track people with body dysmorphic disorder, a severe mental illness in which sufferers obsess over nonexistent or slight defects in their physical appearance, researchers at Brown University and Rhode Island Hospital found high rates of recovery, although recovery can take more than five years. The results, based on following 15 sufferers of the disease over an eight-year span, appear in the current issue of the Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Body dysmorphic disorder patients who loathe appearance often get better, but it could take years

EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 05:00:00 +0100

(Brown University) A new study by Brown University psychiatrists finds evidence that given enough time, patients with body dysmorphic disorder frequently recover and rarely relapse. The surprisingly high rate may be related to patients in prior studies having had especially severe cases of the disease. (Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science)

Implicit measures of association in psychopathology research.

Psychological Bulletin — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0100

Studies obtaining implicit measures of associations in Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed., Text Revision; American Psychiatric Association, 2000) Axis I psychopathology are organized into three categories: (a) studies comparing groups having a disorder with controls, (b) experimental validity studies, and (c) incremental and predictive validity studies. In the first category, implicit measures of disorder-relevant associations were consistent with explicit beliefs for some disorders (e.g., specific phobia), but for other disorders evidence was either mixed (e.g., panic disorder) or inconsistent with explicit beliefs (e.g., pain disorder). For substance use disorders and overeating, expected positive and unexpected negative associations with craved substances wer...

Phagophobia: Behavioral Treatment of a Complex Case Involving Fear of Fear

Clinical Case Studies — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0100

This article describes a new case of phagophobia in an adult male client, revealing some of the variables that need to be considered in assessment and treatment. As the case described contained elements of body dysmorphic disorder, fear of choking, social anxiety, and fear of fear, it demonstrates subtleties of treatment design and the importance of adhering to sound behavioral principles and the value of a sophisticated functional analysis. (Source: Clinical Case Studies)

Treatment utilization and barriers to treatment engagement among people with body dysmorphic symptoms

Journal of Psychosomatic Research — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 00:00:00 +0100

Conclusion: These data suggest that BDD is still an underrecognized disorder with marked barriers to treatment. Increased education and dissemination efforts are warranted. (Source: Journal of Psychosomatic Research)

Body dysmorphic disorder. A treatment manual

Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 12:23:31 +0100

(Source: Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica)

Help Possible for People Obsessed With Imaginary Physical Flaws

Health Behavior News Service — Sun, 24 Oct 2010 06:00:18 +0100

1/20/2009, Cochrane Library, Worrying about a bad hair day or idly wishing for a more-perfect profile: we've all been there. However, people suffering from body dysmorphic disorder go far beyond that, obsessing over exaggerated or even imaginary physical defects, to the point where it affects their ability to work, attend school or have ordinary social contacts. (Source: Health Behavior News Service)

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Body Dysmorphic Disorder in Patients Who Seek Appearance-Enhancing Medical Treatments

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Clinics — Sun, 24 Oct 2010 01:47:04 +0100

This article reviews BDD, including its clinical features and prevalence in medical settings. Although patients with BDD frequently seek cosmetic treatments to address their appearance-related distress, such treatments are rarely beneficial. The article concludes with recommendations for patient and provider safety. (Source: Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Clinics)

The Need for Preoperative Psychological Risk Assessment

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Clinics — Sun, 24 Oct 2010 01:47:03 +0100

Adverse psychological outcomes are more prevalent among patients undergoing elective, appearance-altering surgery than are physical complications. Patients may experience depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, or an exacerbation of preexisting symptoms related to body dysmorphic disorder. Some have directed anger against themselves or against the operating surgeon with suicide, litigation, harassment, and homicide, all well documented. Although there are well-established protocols to conduct medical and anesthetic risk stratification, such protocols do not exist for psychological risk assessment (PRA). The literature related to this is reviewed, the need for PRA is discussed, and an approach to PRA for dentists and surgeons is proposed. (Source: Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Clinics)

Impaired identity recognition of faces with emotional expressions in body dysmorphic disorder

Psychiatry Research — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 23:32:52 +0100

The objective of this study was to determine in BDD how viewing faces with emotional expressions affects perception on an identity-matching task. Twelve BDD subjects and 11 healthy controls matched identities of faces with emotional expressions, neutral expressions, and a control task of ovals and circles. The BDD group made twice as many errors relative to controls for identity-matching of faces with emotional expressions but not for neutral faces or ovals/circles. Mean reaction times were slower for the BDD relative to the control group for emotional faces in general, but there was no effect of specific emotion type. These data suggest that individuals with BDD have abnormalities in facial identification for faces with emotional expressions. This could reflect fundamental abnormalities i...

Try Group CBT for Body Dysmorphic Disorder

Clinical Psychiatry News — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 23:00:00 +0100

Major Finding: An intensive group approach using CBT produced responses in 75% of individuals with BDD. (Source: Clinical Psychiatry News)

Surgery Not Likely Effective for Body Dysmorphic Disorder

Modern Medicine — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 23:00:00 +0100

Many patients with body dysmorphic disorder seek surgical and minimally invasive cosmetic procedures and often end up undergoing these procedures, but only a fraction of the procedures reduce the severity of the condition, according to research published in the July issue of the Annals of Plastic Surgery. (Source: Modern Medicine)

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Cosmetic Surgery Not a Help for Body Dysmorphic Disorder

MedicineNet Asthma General — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 07:00:00 +0100

Title: Cosmetic Surgery Not a Help for Body Dysmorphic DisorderCategory: Health NewsCreated: 8/17/2010 10:10:00 AMLast Editorial Review: 8/18/2010 (Source: MedicineNet Asthma General)

Relationship between social anxiety disorder and body dysmorphic disorder.

Clinical Psychology Review — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 23:00:00 +0100

Authors: Fang A, Hofmann SG Social anxiety disorder (SAD) and body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) are two separate, but conceptually overlapping nosological entities. In this review, we examine similarities between SAD and BDD in comorbidity, phenomenology, cognitive biases, treatment outcome, and cross-cultural aspects. Our review suggests that SAD and BDD are highly comorbid, show a similar age of onset, share a chronic trajectory, and show similar cognitive biases for interpreting ambiguous social information in a negative manner. Furthermore, research from treatment outcome studies have demonstrated that improvements in SAD were significantly correlated with improvements in BDD. Findings from cross-cultural research suggest that BDD may be conceived as a subtype of SAD in some Eastern c...

The Impact Of Commonly Requested Cosmetic Surgery On Body Dysmorphic Disorder Symptoms

Health News from Medical News Today — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 07:00:00 +0100

A new study finds that while many who suffer from body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) seek cosmetic procedures, only two percent of procedures actually reduced the severity of BDD. Despite this poor long-term outcome, physicians continue to provide requested surgeries to people suffering from BDD. The study was recently published in Annals of Plastic Surgery. Katharine A. Phillips, MD, is the director of the body image program at Rhode Island Hospital and a co-author of the paper... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

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Aripiprazole as an Augmentation Agent in Treatment-Resistant Body Dysmorphic Disorder

Clinical Drug Investigation — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 05:47:50 +0100

(Source: Clinical Drug Investigation)

Surgery given even if person has disorder

Health News - UPI.com — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 03:34:48 +0100

PROVIDENCE, R.I., Aug. 12 (UPI) -- Those with body dysmorphic disorder, a preoccupation with a slight defect, should seek a psychiatrist not a plastic surgeon, a U.S. researcher says. Surgery - Body dysmorphic disorder - Plastic surgery - Mental health - United States (Source: Health News - UPI.com)

Does cosmetic surgery help body dysmorphic disorder?

EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 04:00:00 +0100

(Lifespan) A new study finds that while many who suffer from body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) seek cosmetic procedures, only two percent of procedures actually reduced the severity of BDD. Despite this poor long-term outcome, physicians continue to provide requested surgeries to people suffering from BDD. The study was recently published in Annals of Plastic Surgery. (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)

Cosmetic Dermatology Patients More Likely to Have BDD

Modern Medicine — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 23:00:00 +0100

Body dysmorphic disorder is relatively common in dermatology patients, and it is more common in those seeking cosmetic treatments than in other dermatology patients, according to research published in the August issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology (Source: Modern Medicine)

Never-ending Cosmetic Surgeries -- The Patient With Body Dysmorphic Disorder: An Expert Interview With Eva Ritvo, MD

Medscape Today Headlines — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 14:25:09 +0100

Medscape asks psychiatrist Eva Ritvo about patients who keep getting "work done" but are never happy with the results. Medscape Plastic Surgery & Aesthetic Medicine (Source: Medscape Today Headlines)

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An examination of delusional thinking and cognitive styles in body dysmorphic disorder.

The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 11:39:38 +0100

Conclusions: The data support the conceptualization of BDD as a single disorder with varying degrees of delusional thinking and suggests that BDD should not be dichotomized according to the presence or absence of delusional thinking, as is currently the case in the DSM-IV. PMID: 20636191 [PubMed - in process] (Source: The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry)

Body Dysmorphic Disorder and Its Significance to Social Work

Clinical Social Work Journal — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 17:52:40 +0100

Abstract Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a relatively common and often severe psychiatric disorder in which an individual has an excessive preoccupation with an imagined or slight defect in his or her appearance (American Psychiatric Association in Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders. American Psychiatric Association, Washington, 2000). Despite its prevalence in the United States and worldwide, many health care and mental health professionals, including social workers, are unfamiliar with BDD. In fact, BDD is virtually absent from the social work literature and no authors or researchers have considered BDD from a social work perspective. The purpose of this article is to inform social workers about the seriousness, prevalence and treatment challenges of B...

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Somatoform Disorders

The Psychiatric Clinics of North America — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 08:00:37 +0100

Patients presenting with somatoform disorders often incur excessive health care charges and fail to respond to standard treatment. The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of the diagnostic criteria and demographic and clinical characteristics of each somatoform disorder and to examine the research assessing the efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for each disorder. The review shows that CBT has received some empirical support for somatization, hypochondriasis, and body dysmorphic disorder. However, there are few data on the impact of treatment on health care use, especially when the cost of CBT is factored into the equation. Too few methodologically sound studies have been published on the treatment of conversion disorder or of pain disorder to make any conclusions...

Overcoming Body Dysmorphic Disorder

Health News from Medical News Today — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 11:00:00 +0100

A nose job to treat a mental health problem? Teeth whitening to overcome a severe anxiety disorder? These are just two procedures that people with body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) have traditionally turned to in order to deal with body-related concerns. The excessive use of (and dissatisfaction with) cosmetic treatments, along with obsessive rituals and social isolation, is what scientists from the Fernand-Seguin Research Centre of Louis-H. Lafontaine Hospital, affiliated with the University of Montreal, are hoping to fight with a novel therapy to treat BDD... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

New therapy to overcome body dysmorphic disorder

EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 04:00:00 +0100

(University of Montreal) Kieron O'Connor, director of the Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Tic DisorderStudies Centre at Louis-H. Lafontaine Hospital, said that people coping with BDD seek out in particular plastic surgeons, orthodontists and aesthetic professionals to alleviate their suffering: "However, what they really need is psychological support and assistance." (Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health)

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Suicidality in a placebo-controlled fluoxetine study of body dysmorphic disorder. - Phillips KA, Kelly MM.

SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated) — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 06:55:01 +0100

Serotonin reuptake inhibitors are considered the first-line medication for body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). The relationship between serotonin reuptake inhibitor treatment and suicidality in BDD has been only minimally studied, despite high suicidality rate... (Source: SafetyLit: All (Unduplicated))

Body dysmorphic disorder among dermatologic patients: Prevalence and clinical features

Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 23:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: BDD is relatively common in a dermatologic setting, especially among patients seeking cosmetic treatments. These patients have some different features compared with general dermatology patients. Dermatologists should be aware of the clinical characteristics of BDD to identify and refer these patients to mental health professionals. (Source: Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology)

Current issues in the treatment of OC-spectrum conditions

Bulletin of the Menninger Clinic — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 23:00:00 +0100

This article is a review of some understudied OC-spectrum conditions, with particular focus on phenomenology and overlap with obsessive-compulsive disorder, etiology, treatment outcome, treatment refractory issues, and new developments in treatment research. The focus will be on representative disorders from each related area, namely, Tourette's syndrome, trichotillomania, skin-picking, and body dysmorphic disorder. Similarities among the disorders and areas in need of more research are discussed. (Source: Bulletin of the Menninger Clinic)

Body image in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Modern Rheumatology — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 16:47:12 +0100

Abstract We investigated body image in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), correlating it with self-esteem, function, and quality of life. Forty-three RA patients and 39 control individuals from the community between 18 and 70 years of age and paired for gender, age, and body mass index (BMI) were evaluated. Patients were assessed for body image [Body Dysmorphic Disorder Examination (BDDE)], self-esteem (Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale), function [Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ)] and quality of life [Short Form-36 (SF-36)]. The RA group had a mean age of 51.6 years, BMI 26.01, and disease duration 12.2 years. Most participants were categorized in functional class I. The BDDE score of the RA group (51.8) was significantly higher than in the control gro...

Updates on the prevalence of body dysmorphic disorder: A population-based survey

Psychiatry Research — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 15:31:28 +0100

Abstract: Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is characterised by a preoccupation with perceived defects in one's appearance, which leads to significant distress and/or impairment. Although several studies have investigated the prevalence of BDD, many studies have methodological limitations (e.g., small sample sizes and student populations), and studies on the prevalence of BDD in the general population are limited. In the current study, 2510 individuals participated in a representative German nationwide survey. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition (DSM-IV) criteria for BDD and associated characteristics such as suicidality and the prevalence of plastic surgeries were examined using self-report questionnaires. The prevalence of current BDD was 1.8% (N=45). Furth...

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Comorbidity between body dysmorphic disorder and eating disorders: a systematic review

Jornal Brasileiro de Psiquiatria — Sat, 22 May 2010 15:19:26 +0100

CONCLUSION: Recent studies have shown that comorbidity ratios between these disorders are high. However, BDD is seldom diagnosed in patients with ED, even when it is the most severe disorder. (Source: Jornal Brasileiro de Psiquiatria)

Sounds Like Crazy: Interview with novelist Shana Mahaffey

Psychology Today Personality Center — Tue, 18 May 2010 15:15:11 +0100

Shana Mahaffey's highly original debut novel, "Sounds Like Crazy," is a touching and often humorous look at a woman dealing with dissociative identity disorder (DID). Here's more from Shana about how she discovered Holly, learned about DID, and developed this fascinating story: Jennifer Haupt: How did you “meet” Holly Miller, the cartoon voiceover performer who has multiple personalities and is the focus of your novel? Shana Mahaffey: I met Holly Miller many years ago in college. She started telling me her story through poetry, parties, and ultimately psychoanalysis. Many of Holly’s life experiences are based in part on my own experiences or the experiences of people close to me. I chose the aspects from these experiences that most fit with Holly and her journey and then extend...

Muscle dysmorphia and the DSM-V conundrum: Where does it belong? A review paper

International Journal of Eating Disorders — Thu, 06 May 2010 23:00:00 +0100

We present a review and synthesis of the extant literature with a view to informing future decisions regarding the conceptualization of muscle dysmorphia.The validity of muscle dysmorphia as a clinical entity has been empirically demonstrated. While the condition bears little semblance to somatization as currently conceptualized, the research suggests a strong conceptual similarity with anorexia nervosa. However, future research needs to utilize more appropriate measures of male eating disorder pathology. Muscle dysmorphia is also inclusive of obsessive compulsive features that are typical to those seen in eating disorder presentations.We suggest that muscle dysmorphia be reanalyzed through the lens of an eating disorder spectrum. Recognition of muscle dysmorphia as an eating disorder may ...

Understanding Body Dysmorphic Disorder: An Essential Guide [Book Forum]

Am J Psychiatry — Mon, 03 May 2010 18:01:06 +0100

(Source: Am J Psychiatry)

Olfactory reference syndrome: issues for DSM-V

Depression and Anxiety — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 23:00:00 +0100

This article provides a focused review of the literature to address issues for DSM-V, including whether ORS should continue to be mentioned as an example of another disorder or should be included as a separate diagnosis. We present a number of options and preliminary recommendations for consideration for DSM-V. Because research is still very limited, it is unclear how ORS should best be classified. Nonetheless, classifying ORS as a type of delusional disorder seems problematic. Given this syndrome's consistent clinical description across cultures for more than a century, substantial morbidity and a small but growing research literature, we make the preliminary recommendation that ORS be included in DSM-Vs Appendix of Criteria Sets Provided for Further Study, and we suggest diagnostic crite...

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Brain morphology of patients with body dysmorphic disorder

Journal of Affective Disorders — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 14:04:14 +0100

Conclusions: These findings may be interpreted as further evidence for the inclusion of BDD among a group of obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders. Future research is necessary to confirm these preliminary findings, to extend them, and to clarify their significance with respect to the etiology and pathophysiology of BDD. (Source: Journal of Affective Disorders)

Michael Jackson: King of hypochondria

Guardian Unlimited Science — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 23:14:30 +0100

Brian Dillon on what made Michael Jackson the man he wasOn 16 September 1986, a photograph of Michael Jackson, then aged 28 and long embarked on the regal phase of his solo career, appeared on the front page of the National Enquirer. It showed the singer in a striped shirt, dark trousers and white socks, lying on his back with his eyes closed in a hyperbaric chamber of the type used to treat victims of serious burns, embolisms and carbon monoxide poisoning. Such a machine typically consists of a steel and glass or Perspex cylinder inside which the patient is sealed while pure oxygen, under considerable pressure, floods damaged flesh, thus preserving circulation and maintaining tissues essential to the healing process. In Jackson's case, it was claimed, he had become convince...

The Dysmorphic Concern Questionnaire: A screening measure for body dysmorphic disorder.

The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 23:00:00 +0100

Conclusions: The results supported the use of the DCQ as a brief, sensitive, and specific screening instrument for BDD. PMID: 20397781 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry)

In the Eye of the Beholder?

Psychiatric Times — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 15:30:02 +0100

A new study sheds some light on the pathogenesis of body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). Feusner and colleagues from UCLA, whose study was recently published in Archives of General Psychiatry, used functional MRI to determine whether patients with BDD have abnormal patterns of brain activation when visually processing their own face. The severity of symptoms of this disorder were found to correlate with activity in frontostriatal systems and the visual cortex. http://archpsyc.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/abstract/67/2/197 (Source: Psychiatric Times)

Obsessing About Weight to Extremes

NYT > Health — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 15:53:09 +0100

Dr. Katharine Phillips of Brown University explores the distinctions between eating disorders and body dysmorphic disorder. (Source: NYT > Health)

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Personal Health: Research Is Starting to Shed Light on Body Dysmorphic Disorder

NYT — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 03:50:19 +0100

Though tens of thousands of Americans suffer from body dysmorphic disorder, only recently has research begun to shed light on it. (Source: NYT)

Body dysmorphic disorder in dermatology: diagnosis, epidemiology and clinical aspects

Anais Brasileiros de Dermatologia — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 14:01:59 +0100

São cada vez mais frequentes as queixas cosméticas, uma vez que objetivam a perfeição das formas do corpo e da pele. Os dermatologistas são consultados para avaliar e tratar essas queixas. Sendo assim, é importante conhecer o Transtorno Dismórfico Corporal, inicialmente chamado de "dismorfofobia", pouco estudado até recentemente. Esse transtorno é relativamente comum, por vezes, incapacitante, e envolve uma percepção distorcida da imagem corporal, caracterizada pela preocupação exagerada com um defeito imaginário na aparência ou com um mínimo defeito corporal presente. A maioria dos pacientes apresenta algum grau de prejuízo no funcionamento social e ocupacional, e como resultado de suas queixas obsessivas com a aparência, podem desenvolver comportamentos compulsivos, e, ...

High-Dose Glycine Treatment of Refractory Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Body Dysmorphic Disorder in a 5-Year Period

Neural Plasticity — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 16:46:53 +0100

This paper describes an individual who was diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) at age 17 when education was discontinued. By age 19, he was housebound without social contacts except for parents. Adequate trials of three selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, two with atypical neuroleptics, were ineffective. Major exacerbations following ear infections involving Group A β-hemolytic streptococcus at ages 19 and 20 led to intravenous immune globulin therapy, which was also ineffective. At age 22, another severe exacerbation followed antibiotic treatment for H. pylori. This led to a hypothesis that postulates deficient signal transduction by the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR). Treatment with glycine, an NMDAR coagonist, over 5 y...

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Visual Processing, Frontostriatal Abnormalities Found in Patients With Body Dysmorphic Disorder

Medscape Today Headlines — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 21:26:32 +0100

A new case-control study shows that patients with body dysmorphic disorder have frontostriatal abnormalities and difficulties with visual processing when viewing their own faces. Medscape Medical News (Source: Medscape Today Headlines)

Visual Processing Plays Role in Body Dysmorphic Disorder

The Doctors Lounge - Dermatology — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 23:00:00 +0100

Brain area related to behavior also affects how patients see themselves, research finds (Source: The Doctors Lounge - Dermatology)

In People With Body Dysmorphic Disorder, Distorted Self-Image Could Be The Result Of The Brain's Abnormal Processing Of Visual Input

Health News from Medical News Today — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 08:00:00 +0100

Everyone checks themselves in the mirror now and then, but that experience can be horrifying for individuals suffering from body dysmorphic disorder, or BDD, a psychiatric condition that causes them to believe, wrongly, that they appear disfigured and ugly. These people tend to fixate on minute details - every tiny blemish looms huge - rather than viewing their face as a whole. Now researchers at UCLA have determined that the brains of people with BDD have abnormalities in processing visual input, particularly when examining their own face... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Face-Haters Have Abnormal Visual Processing (CME/CE)

MedPage Today Psychiatry — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 15:43:13 +0100

Patients with body dysmorphic disorder have abnormal brain activity when viewing their own faces, researchers say. (Source: MedPage Today Psychiatry)

Study finds clue to why some feel ugly

Scotsman.com News - Health — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0100

PEOPLE who have body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) may see themselves as ugly because of the way their brains process information about faces (Source: Scotsman.com News - Health)

New clues found in body image disorder

CNN.com - Health — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 22:41:05 +0100

An obsession with one or more bodily features, normally in the face, indicates a condition called body dysmorphic disorder. A new study shows people with this condition have abnormal brain function when seeing their own face. (Source: CNN.com - Health)

Less than a pretty face: Brain scans show how a disorder leads individuals to perceive themselves as ugly

Scientific American Topic - Medical Technology — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 21:01:00 +0100

Despite living in a culture obsessed with physical flawlessness, most people in the U.S. have a relatively realistic perception of their own form and face--blemishes, bulges and all. About one to two percent of the population, however, suffers from a recognized psychological illness, known as body dysmorphic disorder (or BDD), which causes them to be preoccupied with physical defects that they think make them look repugnant. Such tendencies can lead some people to extreme and frequent plastic surgeries and even suicide. [More] (Source: Scientific American Topic - Medical Technology)

Abnormalities of Visual Processing and Frontostriatal Systems in Body Dysmorphic Disorder [Original Article]

Archives of General Psychiatry — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 20:51:36 +0100

Conclusions These results suggest abnormalities in visual processing and frontostriatal systems in BDD. Hypoactivation in the occipital cortex for low spatial frequency faces may indicate either primary visual system abnormalities for configural face elements or top-down modulation of visual processing. Frontostriatal hyperactivity may be associated both with aversion and with symptoms of obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors. (Source: Archives of General Psychiatry)

Why the mirror lies

UCLA Newsroom: Health Sciences — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 08:00:00 +0100

Everyone checks themselves in the mirror now and then, but that experience can be horrifying for individuals suffering from body dysmorphic disorder, or BDD, a psychiatric condition that causes them to believe, wrongly, that they appear disfigured and ugly. These people tend to fixate on minute details — every tiny blemish looms huge — rather than viewing their face as a whole. Now researchers at UCLA have determined that the brains of people with BDD have abnormalities in processing visual input, particularly when examining their own face. Further, they found that the same systems of the brain are overactive in both BDD and obsessive-compulsive disorder, suggesting a link between the two. The research appears in the February issue of the journal Archives of General Psych...

Body Dysmorphic Disorder in a Hairdresser: Contact Dermatitis due to Voluntary Exposure to Occupationally Relevant Allergens.

Acta Derm Venereol A... — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 10:22:03 +0100

Authors: Matterne U, Shab A, Weisshaar E PMID: 20107741 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Acta Derm Venereol A...)

A clinical comparison of pathologic skin picking and obsessive-compulsive disorder

Comprehensive Psychiatry — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Conclusion: Although PSP and OCD share some clinical similarities, important differences exist and cast doubt on the conceptualization of PSP as simply a variant of OCD. (Source: Comprehensive Psychiatry)

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The concept of comorbidity in somatoform disorder—a DSM-V alternative for the DSM-IV classification of Somatoform disorder

Journal of Psychosomatic Research — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 15:07:57 +0100

Somatoform disorders, first introduced as such in DSM-III, are a controversial category, and the concept of comorbidity seems to play an essential role in this controversy . Presentation of depressive disorder or other psychological distress by medical symptoms is common in many cultures as established in research in several countries and health care settings, and it has been established that depressed patients indeed do not feel well physically. This somatic presentation negatively influences recognition of the depressive disorder or other mental disorder by the general practitioner, which results in undertreatment of a majority of patients. Although comorbidity between somatoform disorders, mood disorders, and anxiety disorders is high , it is not handled as an uniform criterion in the h...

Bdd

About.com Obsessive Compulsive Disorder — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a form of mental illness in which the person is obsessed and/or preoccupied with an imagined defect or only slight anomaly in their appearance. Learn more about BDD (Source: About.com Obsessive Compulsive Disorder)

Executive function in body dysmorphic disorder.

Psychological Medicine — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100

CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study indicate that BDD patients have EF deficits in on-line manipulation, planning and organization of information. By contrast, spatial memory capacity, motor speed and visual memory were intact. Considered with evidence from lesion and neuroimaging studies, these results suggest frontal lobe dysfunction in BDD. PMID: 19951448 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Psychological Medicine)

Side Effects Hinder Adherence in Body Dysmorphic Disorder

Clinical Psychiatry News — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0100

HOLLYWOOD, FLA. — New treatment options for body dysmorphic disorder are becoming available, and success is built on patient adherence to medication and cognitive-behavioral therapy. But adherence proved to be a problem for about one-third of patients in a longitudinal observational study. (Source: Clinical Psychiatry News)

Correlates of Gender Dysphoria in Taiwanese University Students.

Archives of Sexual Behavior — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Lai MC, Chiu YN, Gadow KD, Gau SS, Hwu HG There have been no published reports regarding the epidemiological and psychiatric features of gender dysphoria in non-clinical young adults. The current study aimed to investigate the demographics, co-occurring psychiatric symptoms, and perceived parenting style and family support in Taiwanese young adults with gender dysphoria. The sample consisted of 5010 university freshmen (male, 51.6%) with a mean age of 19.6 years (SD = 2.7) from a national university in Taiwan. The questionnaires used for this university-based survey included the Adult Self Report Inventory-4 for psychopathology (including gender dysphoria), the Parental Bonding Instrument for parenting style, and the Family APGAR for perceived family support. Results showed th...

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Body image in patients with body dysmorphic disorder: Evaluations of and investment in appearance, health/illness, and fitness.

Body Image — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Didie ER, Kuniega-Pietrzak T, Phillips KA Body image is an important aspect of body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) which has received little investigation. Ninety-two BDD participants who participated in one of three BDD pharmacotherapy studies completed the Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire, which assesses attitudinal body image, specifically evaluations of and investment in appearance, health/illness, and physical fitness. Scores were compared to population norms. Compared to norms, BDD participants were significantly less satisfied with their appearance. Less satisfaction was associated with more severe BDD and greater delusionality. Men with BDD were significantly more invested in their appearance compared to male population norms. Compared to population norms,...

Consider underlying body dysmorphic disorder in users of melanotan

British Journal of Dermatology — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

(Source: British Journal of Dermatology)

Consider underlying body dysmorphic disorder in users of melanotan.

The British Journal of Dermatology — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Affleck A PMID: 19919633 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: The British Journal of Dermatology)

Cross-cutting issues and future directions for the OCD spectrum

Psychiatry Research — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 15:49:39 +0100

Abstract: The research planning agenda for DSM-V examined possible similarities in phenomenology, comorbidity, familial and genetic features, brain circuitry, and treatment response between obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and several related disorders that are characterized by repetitive thoughts or behaviors. Such data support a re-examination of the DSM-IV-TR classification of OCD and the anxiety disorders, with possible inclusion of a group of obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders (OCSDs) in DSM-V. Various disorders were systematically examined for inclusion in such a grouping, and later a smaller number were determined to meet threshold criteria for inclusion in the OCSDs. The disorders that were originally examined included OCD, obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD), ...

Predicting excessive body image concerns among British university students: The unique role of Appearance-based Rejection Sensitivity.

Body Image — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 23:00:00 +0100

Authors: Calogero RM, Park LE, Rahemtulla ZK, Williams KC The present research examined the extent to which interpersonal concerns about rejection based on appearance, or Appearance-based Rejection Sensitivity (Appearance-RS), serves as an indicator of risk for excessive body image concerns. Extending previous research, we examined the association between Appearance-RS and symptoms of body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) and cosmetic surgery attitudes among 106 British university students. Consistent with predictions, Appearance-RS uniquely predicted greater degree of BDD symptoms after controlling for other known predictor variables. Also, as expected, Appearance-RS uniquely predicted acceptance of cosmetic surgery for both intrapersonal and social reasons and greater consideration of havin...

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Body Dysmorphic Disorder: A Review of Current Nosological Issues and Associated Cognitive Deficits

Current Psychiatry Reviews — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 19:01:48 +0100

(Source: Current Psychiatry Reviews)

Body dysmorphic disorder, social anxiety and depressive symptoms in Chinese medical students

Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 04:00:09 +0100

Abstract Aim This cross-sectional study explored the prevalence of body image dissatisfaction, body dysmorphic disorder, social anxiety and depressive symptoms in first-year medical students in China. Methods A self-report survey design was employed, using the Body Shape Questionnaire, Swansea Muscularity Attitudes Questionnaire, Social Interaction Anxiety Scale, Dysmorphic Concern Questionnaire, Self-Rating Depression Scale and the Body Dysmorphic Disorder Questionnaire. A total of 487 first-year medical students participated. Results About one-third of participants (32.5%) indicated that they were very concerned about some aspect of their appearance unrelated to weight, with six female participants (1.3%) screening positive for body dys...

The Mouse Who Couldn't Stop Washing: Pathologic Grooming in Animals and Humans.

CNS Spectrums — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Feusner JD, Hembacher E, Phillips KA The basic science literature is replete with descriptions of naturally occurring or experimentally induced pathological grooming behaviors in animals, which are widely considered animal models of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). These animal models rely largely on observed similarities between animal behaviors and human OCD behaviors, and on studies of animal pathological grooming disorders that respond to serotonin enhancing drugs. However, current limitations in assessment of complex cognition and affect in animals precludes the field's ability to match the driving primary processes behind observable phenomenology in animal "OCD" with human behavioral disorders. We propose that excessive grooming behaviors in animals may eventually pr...

The Relationship Between the Drive for Muscularity and Muscle Dysmorphia in Male and Female Weight Trainers

Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 23:00:00 +0100

Robert, CA, Munroe-Chandler, KJ, and Gammage, KL. The relationship between the drive for muscularity and muscle dysmorphia in male and female weight trainers. J Strength Cond Res 23(6): 1656-1662, 2009-Muscle dysmorphia is a form of body dysmorphic disorder in which individuals have a pathological preoccupation with their muscularity and, more specifically, an extreme fear that their bodies are too small. Relatively few empirical studies have been completed on muscle dysmorphia, and even fewer studies on the relationship between the drive for muscularity and muscle dysmorphia in men and women. The purpose of this research was to examine the relationship between the drive for muscularity and muscle dysmorphia in male (n = 55) and female (n = 59) recreational weight trainers. Results reveale...

Efficacy of Treatment for Somatoform Disorders: A Review of Randomized Controlled Trials [INFLUENTIAL PUBLICATIONS]

FOCUS — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 23:00:00 +0100

Conclusion: CBT is the best established treatment for a variety of somatoform disorders, with some benefit also demonstrated for a consultation letter to the primary care physician. Preliminary but not yet conclusive evidence exists for antidepressants. (Reprinted with permission from Psychosomatic Medicine 2007; 69:881–888) (Source: FOCUS)

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Color Preferences, Michael Jackson, and the Love of Self

Psychology Today Addiction Center — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 16:45:23 +0100

A couple weeks ago, after watching an MSNBC segment on Harvard's Implicit Aptitude Test (IAT)^, I jumped at the opportunity to try it. After sifting through the different options, I decided to take the light skin vs. dark skin sample test. Once I finished it, my result was: Your data suggest a strong automatic preference for Dark Skin compared to Light Skin. I was absolutely stunned. I didn't know what the result would be, but I wasn't expecting that.Recently I read a piece from author Kimberly Allers titled "Today I Cried for Lost Black Boys: Sadness for Michael". One line read: I will not rest until my little black boy, MY Michael, knows that his broad nose is beautiful, his chocolately brown skin is beautiful, and his thick hair is beautiful.Some of the same reasons I've felt sadness ab...

The Mothers Act Disease Mongering Campaign - Part II

NaturalNews.com — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 07:00:00 +0100

(NaturalNews) The Mothers Act legislation specifically defines the term "postpartum conditions" as "postpartum depression" or "postpartum psychosis." Use of the Act as an 8-year disease mongering campaign to further promote the new cottage industry of "reproductive psychiatry," or "reproductive mental health," comes from websites often run by people who will financially benefit from passage of the Act.In 1992, the late journalist Lynn Payer wrote a book titled, "Disease Mongering," and defined disease mongering as, "trying to convince essentially well people that they are sick, or slightly sick people that they are very ill."Tactics identified in the book currently used in the Mothers Act campaign include: (1) Framing the issues in a particular way, (2) Taking a normal function and implyin...

Delusional versus nondelusional body dysmorphic disorder

Comprehensive Psychiatry — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0100

This study assessed demographic and clinical features in 65 subjects with body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) and compared the 39 (60%) with the delusional form (receiving an additional diagnosis of delusional disorder, somatic type) with those who did not meet delusionality criteria. Delusional and nondelusional patients did not statistically differ on most demographic and clinical variables. Delusional patients, however, had significantly more severe BDD symptoms at both baseline and follow-up assessments than those of nondelusional patients. Furthermore, poorer insight was significantly associated with more severe BDD symptoms at both baseline and follow-up. Overall improvement in BDD symptom severity was similar for the 2 groups. Our results support other studies in the view that BDD and it...

The relationship of hypercompetitiveness and gender roles with body dysmorphic disorder symptoms in a nonclinical sample.

Body Image — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 23:00:00 +0100

This study examined whether hypercompetitiveness was a moderator between body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) symptoms and gender roles in 345 college students. To test this, the Body Dysmorphic Disorder Examination-Self Report (BDDE-SR), the Hypercompetitive Attitude Scale, and the Personal Attributes Questionnaire (PAQ) were used. Significant positive correlations were found between BDD symptoms and hypercompetitiveness in men and women. For men and women, no significant correlation was found between female-valued items on the PAQ and the BDDE-SR. A statistically significant negative correlation was found between male-valued items on the PAQ and the BDDE-SR for both genders. Hypercompetitiveness, however, was found not to be a moderator between BDD symptoms and gender roles. PMID: 19596621...

[Body dysmorphic disorder and cosmetic surgery: assessment of 24 subjects with a minimal defect in appearance 5 years after their request for cosmetic surgery]

Presse Medicale — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 18:13:19 +0100

CONCLUSION: This prospective study confirms that cosmetic surgery is not effective against BDD despite patients' reported satisfaction. Cosmetic surgery had no significant effects on BDD diagnosis, handicap or psychiatric comorbidity in BDD patients 5 years after surgery. Furthermore, BDD appeared at follow-up in some subjects not initially diagnosed. Patients' reported satisfaction with surgery may help explain why some plastic surgeons do not consider BDD a complete contraindication to cosmetic surgery. PMID: 19359130 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Presse Medicale)

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Psychodermatology

Psychiatry — Sun, 31 May 2009 23:00:00 +0100

This article provides the reader with an overview of the current evidence-based concepts regarding the nature and treatment of disorders within the field of psychodermatology. Psychiatric comorbidity is high in patients with dermatological conditions and stress has a significant impact on the presentation and course of skin disease. Many of the psychophysiological disorders respond to a bio-psychosocial model of management where the reduction of stress in a key therapeutic target. In addition, psychodermatologists are often called upon to treat complex psychiatric disorders such as body dysmorphic disorder and delusional parasitosis. Managing such a patient group requires considerable clinical skill but treatment options are slowly gathering bodies of evidence to support their efficacy and...

Multidimensional body image comparisons among patients with eating disorders, body dysmorphic disorder, and clinical controls: a multisite study.

Body Image — Sun, 31 May 2009 23:00:00 +0100

This study examined the multidimensional nature of body image functioning among individuals with either anorexia nervosa (AN; n=35), bulimia nervosa (BN; n=26), or BDD (n=56), relative to female (n=34) and male (n=36) psychiatric controls. Participants were recruited from 10 treatment centers in the United States and England and completed psychometrically validated and standardized self-report measures of body image. Overall, the AN, BN, and BDD groups were characterized by significantly elevated disturbances in most body image dimensions relative to their gender-matched clinical controls. There was variability, however, in the comparisons among the three groups of interest, including foci of body dissatisfaction and body image coping patterns. On omnibus indices of body image disturbance ...

Demystifying Treatment for Body Dysmorphic Disorder

Psych Central — Mon, 04 May 2009 13:34:55 +0100

Some dismiss body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) as vanity; others believe it’s a rare and extreme condition. Though many misconceptions continue to circulate, BDD is a real, fairly common body image disorder. It affects men and women equally and has shades of severity. Fortunately, BDD can be successfully treated with medication and psychotherapy. In fact, both cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs or SRIs) are considered the first line of treatment for BDD, according to Jennifer L. Greenberg, Psy.D, Clinical and Research Fellow in Psychology (Psychiatry) at the Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School. Here’s a closer look at how this underdiagnosed, often misconstrued condition is treated in adults and adolescents. CBT Techni...

Perinatal risk factors and obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders in patients with rheumatic fever

General Hospital Psychiatry — Fri, 01 May 2009 04:00:00 +0100

Obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders (OCSDs) include psychiatric conditions with similar phenotypes and putative genetic background to those of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Such conditions include tic disorders, body dysmorphic disorder and pathologic ‘grooming’ habits (trichotillomania, pathologic onychophagia and skin picking) in addition to OCD . (Source: General Hospital Psychiatry)