Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) and Body Image in the News

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Recently there have been a number of stories in the media that have touched upon the topic of Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD).  These stories suggest the unfortunate extent to which women (and a growing number of men) appear to be internalizing extremely distorted ideas of beauty.

Will BDD become known as Heidi Montag Syndrome?

Perhaps the most public illustration of this growing problem is the case of Heidi Montag.  Until a year ago, I had never heard of Heidi Montag, and I still have no idea why she is famous.  Apparently, she is on a reality TV show called “The Hills”, which Stylite blogger Linda Ripoll describes as an “amazing exploration into self-hatred, body dysmorphic disorder, and addiction to plastic surgery”.  › Continue reading

Tags: Ann Taylor, Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD), Health, Heidi Montag, Jennifer Aniston, Kim Kardashian, Latisse, Mental Health, Michael Jackson, Pamela Anderson, Ralph Lauren

Treatment of OCD and OC Spectrum Disorders in Children

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“If I knew then what I know now.”

Chances are, if you’re reading this, you’ve found yourself saying the same thing at some point in your adult life.  Nowhere is this more relevant than from the perspective of someone looking back on a childhood with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) or an Obsessive Compulsive Spectrum Disorder.  When I meet a new client under 18, there is a powerful sense of traveling through time.  I think, “If only I had someone like me to go back and talk to me when I was someone like this.” How much time might I have saved being able to resist repetitive, unnecessary rituals?  How many more events, relationships, and simple moments of peace might I have been able to enjoy if only I had known what was really happening to me? › Continue reading

Tags: Anxiety, Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD), Children With OCD, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Compulsions, Compulsive Skin Picking, Dermatillomania, Hair Pulling, Health, Hypochondria / Health Anxiety, Mental Health, Mindfulness, Obsessions, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Panic Disorder, Phobias, Skin Picking, Social Anxiety / Social Phobia, Trichotillomania