With the rise of these virtual platforms, a phenomenon known as Zoom Dysmorphia is gaining attention in the psychiatric and plastic surgery communities. Even as more of the population becomes vaccinated, it appears that the virtual meeting place will continue to play an important role in the hybrid work model. In-person meetings were replaced with virtual ones, and platforms such as Zoom became ubiquitous. The onset of the COVID-10 pandemic saw a global shift in the workplace dynamic. SSRIs and cognitive-behavioral therapy have traditionally been used, though the exact therapy will depend on the specific patient. Treatment for BDD consists of pharmacological and psychiatric interventions. Patients with BDD may also be more likely to seek out unnecessary and risky cosmetic procedures. Their preoccupation with the supposed physical defect or defects often leads to social isolation, depression, and difficulty forming relationships.īDD patients are at high risk for suicide, with one study reporting that as many as 80% of surveyed patients had experienced suicidal ideation.

Patients who suffer from BDD have a poor quality of life.

In reality, the “flaw” may be completely non-existent or far more subtle than described by the BDD patient. The individual with BDD will be absolutely convinced that the perceived flaw is not only noticeable to others but also disturbing or unattractive enough to keep them from going out in public. The predominant symptom of BDD is a preoccupation with an imagined physical ugliness.

It is estimated that between 1.7 and 2.9 percent of people in the US experience symptoms of BDD. Today, DSM-5 classifies BDD as a somatoform disorder-a disorder with unexplained physical symptoms-with a delusional variant. The original term, dysmorphophobia, was coined in 1891 by Italian physician Enrique Morselli who first described the illness.ĭespite being well-researched in the 19th century, BDD was not formally added to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) until 1987. Dbrown2209 Disorders, Dysmorphic Disorder, Zoom Dysmorphia A History of Body Dysmorphic Disorderīody Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) is a mental health disorder in which an individual fixates on a perceived physical flaw, most often unnoticed or undetectable by anyone else.

What is zoom dysmorphia