Comparing and contrasting body-dysmorphic disorder and eating disorders

Abstract

The medical aesthetics sector is very often associated with ideas of body image and self-perception. It is important that aesthetic practitioners have a sound knowledge of mental health disorders that may affect their patients or drive individuals to seek aesthetic treatment. In this article, Eda Gorbis and Justine Jamero compare some of these disorders and consider the implications for aesthetic practitoners Body-dysmorphic disorder (BDD) and eating disorders (EDs) are psychiatric disorders concerned with negative body image and similar repetitive behaviours, such as checking and reassurance-seeking, that impair cognitive, social and occupational functioning. Though BDD and EDs share common core characteristics, they are unique disorders that must be differentiated, as they require different treatment plans. BDD, anorexia nervosa, binge-eating disorder and bulimia nervosa will be reviewed in this article to address diagnostic criteria, prevalence rates, onset and common characteristics. Similarities, differences and comorbidities of BDD and EDs will be explored and discussed in terms of treatment implications. Treatment recommendations include medical treatment, psychoeducation, nutritional management, cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) and psychopharmacology.