Archive for Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD)
Latisse and Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD)
In late 2008, the drug Lumigan, originally developed to treat glaucoma, was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to be prescribed as an eyelash enhancer. It seems that one of the side effects of the glaucoma drug, now called Latisse when marketed for eyelash enhancement, is eyelash growth. According to a recent article in the Los Angeles Times, Latisse is being prescribed by dermatologists, plastic surgeons, and day spa physicians to women who want to increase the length and fullness of their lashes.
Is this a good thing? One of the most common issues we see in our clients with Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) is excessive focus on the appearance of their eyes, including their eyelashes. Latisse plays right into this common BDD concern. › Continue reading
Proposed DSM-5 Changes for OCD and Anxiety Disorders
There have long been rumblings that the American Psychiatric Association (APA) was undertaking a thorough review of its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV). The ostensible goal of such a review would be to create a more accurate and in-depth edition of the DSM, which was last updated in 1994.
After ten years of ongoing debate, the numerous APA work groups investigating potential revisions to various diagnoses and categories to be included in a planned fifth edition have presented their suggestions to the APA. Some of these changes are likely to be as controversial as current classifications in the DSM-IV, while others will pass barely noticed into the new DSM-5 (for example, the switch away from Roman numerals in the title). A number of these proposed changes directly impact conditions treated here at the OCD Center of Los Angeles. To wit: › Continue reading
Reassurance Seeking in OCD and Related Conditions
People with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) who experience the pain and terror brought on by unwanted intrusive thoughts will use whatever means necessary to alleviate their discomfort. If they can’t make themselves feel sure about something internally, they reach out to the nearest person who they think can do it for them. If they are unavailable, the person with OCD will often reach out to the cold, unforgiving internet where the answers they hope not to find will always be waiting. › Continue reading
Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) and Cosmetic Surgery
Recently, a friend suggested I read Bodies, the most recent book by Susie Orbach. I had not previously heard of this book, but even a casual reading of the synopsis on Amazon confirms what we see every day at the OCD Center of Los Angeles. Between our clients with Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD), and the thousands (millions?) of cosmetic procedures that are basically the norm here in Los Angeles, it is painfully obvious that many people not only dislike their bodies, but are willing to undergo painful, expensive surgeries in an effort to reduce their insecurities. › Continue reading
OCD & Anxiety: The Year 2009 in Review
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and anxiety were in the news throughout 2009. Some news was good, some bad, and some flat-out ugly. Here are our votes for the top stories of the year related to OCD, Social Anxiety, Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD), Trichotillomania, Phobias, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): › Continue reading
Exposure Therapy for OCD and Anxiety
At the heart of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for OCD and related anxiety disorders is the process of “exposure therapy”, during which we help clients repeatedly do the very thing that most terrifies them. For a client with OCD, this might mean purposely touching doorknobs without then washing. For someone with Pure Obsessional OCD, this could mean purposely thinking about being a pedophile or a murderer. A client with Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) may be asked to go out for a walk without the hat they usually wear to hide their face or to go to a brightly-lit restaurant with a group of friends. Someone with Panic Disorder exposure might mean driving on the freeway or taking a plane flight. And an individual with Social Anxiety may be urged to go to the mall to initiate conversations with strangers. › Continue reading
Michael Jackson and Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD)
Michael Jackson has died. And predictably, reports of his various mental health issues have rapidly come to the fore.
Of course, anyone who has been paying attention knew that Jackson was troubled. Over the past twenty-five years, his physical appearance radically changed. The glaringly obvious alterations of his nose, chin, facial structure, and skin tone indicate that he had multiple cosmetic procedures, and suggest that he suffered from a significant case of Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD). › Continue reading
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