Battling Your Reflection: When Nit-Picking Becomes a Disorder

Battling Your Reflection: When Nit-Picking Becomes a Disorder. According to TheBostonChannel.com, Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) is a growing concern in America, usually starting in those awkward teenage years. In theory, this is the phenomenon in which sufferers see themselves as ugly — or rather, “disfigured or deformed,” as Dr. Sabine Wilhelm of Mass. General says in the piece article. Research suggests that most who suffer from the disorder have issues with their skin, and others with their hair and nose. Signs of BDD among adolescents include a tendency to keep from friends and using clothing or make-up as shielding masks. An obsession with cosmetic surgery could also be an indication. If left untreated, there is a risk that BDD could lead to dangerous self-medication, severe depression and suicidal thoughts or actions. Yes, it sounds a lot like pretty much every teenager’s growing years, but in a society of perfectionism, this could have roots. So parents: If your kid is spending more time with the mirror than with friends, it may be time to intervene. [BostonChannel]