Do you think you are ugly?

Faulty body image perceptions are common. But are you bordering on a disorder? Check yourself to find out if you are a silent victim of it. Read on to see what the experts have to say about it Looks have become really important for a lot of us. In this visual world everyone wants to look attractive and beautiful. Infact, it is our moral duty to look good. But what happens when this becomes an obession? Reports say that every two children in 100 suffer from this disorder. Scientifically termed as Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), it is a disorder when a person perceives a defect in her physical features (body image). It can either be a mentaldisorder characterized by physical symptoms or an eating disorder or in extreme cases both. With the glamour world showing the perfect beauties, lots of girls and women are dissatified with their bodies. People do fret about their appearance but when it goes to extreme levels, there is a problem. Psychiatrist, Dr Dayal Mirchandani says it is all in the head, " Disorders like these are based on beliefs which stand no ground. I have has cases where people are not ready to listen and end up going to different doctors for their opinions." Mentioning about the the King of Pop - Michael Jackson, he adds, " He was an extreme case of such a disorder. They do not realise that going under the knife for the 'perfect look' does more harm than good." Termed as 'imagined ugliness', the appearance issues people have are really small that people do not even notice them. But for the people undergoing BDD, it is reality. These obsessive thoughts distort and magnify tiny imperfections. Dr Liza Mishra, a psychotherapist backs this notion and says, "There are bigger problems that are behind such a behaviour. It starts with a simple obsession which leads to more complicated issues. I had a young girl who had issues with pimples on her face. Even though after giving her proper medication and getting suitable results, she was not satisfied. A time came when she stopped going out of her home, just because she thought she's not looking good." A person with BDD has either a compulsive behaviour wherein she keeps asking people around her about her apperanace or avoidance behaviour wherein the person becomes a recluse and not not socialise at all. BDD can hamper the normal functioning of a person and her daily activities, robbing her of all the pleasures of life and draining all energy. The best way to treat this is cognitive behavioural therapy, where a therapist helps a person to examine and change faulty beliefs. It takes time, patience and a lot of hardwork. The family members and loved ones support can help immensely.