甚麼是容貌焦慮症？它有多重要？ | What is BDD and why we need to know this

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Jan 11, 2024 • 6 min read

容貌焦慮症（或身體臆形症、軀體變形障礙、Body Dysmorphic Disorder BDD）是一種心理疾病，是源於對自身外貌或身形過度關注而引起的焦慮。患者經常會對自己的外表有過度的關注和不滿，相信某個身體部位存有缺憾（通常是鼻子、耳朵和皮膚），儘管在他人看來沒有明顯的瑕疵或缺陷。

容貌焦慮症很常見，但通常未被醫療界以及大眾充分了解。因容貌焦慮症而引起的強烈的羞恥感和擔憂，經長年積壓，會影響患者的生活、社交和工作。患者可能每天用上三至六小時檢查或梳理外表，甚至透過外科手術來矯正他們感知到的缺陷。

為什麼我們要認識容貌焦慮症呢？

🩺它對一個人的身體、心理和社交健康都有莫大的影響。患者的思想經常被自己外貌上的瑕疵佔有，但這些想法被自己無法控制。這樣會造成焦慮，影響日常生活，例如他們可能因為過於擔心自己的外表有瑕疵而不上學，或逃避各種職責。患者有可能每天花費大量時間照鏡子、試圖遮蓋或改變身體部位（如以頭髮遮蓋他們認為有缺陷的耳朵），或從其他人尋求認同。生理上，容貌焦慮症會使人作出各種強迫性的行為，例如，患者可能強迫性地抓傷皮膚，導致皮膚受傷甚至感染。嚴重個案可能導致抑鬱或增加自殺風險。
⚕️社會上，當人人都正確了解容貌焦慮症後，便可以增加精神健康意識。現時，容貌焦慮症和它對心理健康的影響經常被忽視或錯誤判斷，導致患者未能及早獲得診斷及接受治療。認識這個病可幫助我們分辨一般人對容貌的過度關注，幫助有懷疑的人士早日求醫。
💕大眾普遍對精神疾病存在誤解，亦經常標籤患者，此亦包括容貌焦慮症患者。透過增加大眾對這個情況的認知，能增加大眾對患者的關懷和支持，減少對患者的歧視，以免他們因為擔心被歧視而不尋求專業協助。提早接受治療能減低病情惡化和對生活的影響，亦對治療效果十分顯著。

對容貌焦慮症的認識對預防這病症，以至推廣對身體形象的正確價值觀非常重要。這自我接納的態度使我們和自己的外貌建立健康的關係，免受社會觀念和脫離現實標準的影響。透過大眾宣傳，我們可以建立建立對患者的了解，和一個包容接納的社會。

🙋 問題：以下哪一項關於容貌焦慮症的描述是正確的？

A) 容貌焦慮症是一種常見、診斷不足的心理疾病。
B) 容貌焦慮症會影響患者的學業，職業以及社交上的生活。
C) 容貌焦慮症的患者更容易患上憂鬱症或有自殺的風險。
D) 以上皆是

答案

D) 以上皆是

🙋 問題：患有容貌焦慮症的人會傾向

A) 喝水
B) 患有抑鬱症/有自殺傾向
C) 做適量運動
D) 吃甜點

答案

B) 患有抑鬱症/有自殺傾向

Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a mental health condition that revolves around an obsessive preoccupation with perceived flaws in one’s appearance. Individuals with BDD often experience an intense and excessive concern about their physical appearance, despite the absence or minimal presence of any noticeable defects. BDD is common but usually underrecognised. It causes clinically significant distress and/or impaired functioning, and is often associated with suicidal ideation and behaviour.

Why it is important to learn more about BDD:

It could be devastating to one’s physical and psychosocial wellbeing. People with BDD are pre-occupied by flaws in their physical appearance. Even though they often find these thoughts unwanted and intrusive, they find the thoughts difficult to control. It gives them a lot of anxiety. It may impair daily functioning as well. For instance, one may feel too troubled by their appearance to go to school or may neglect their parenting duties. Physical health is not spared from harm either. Those worries about appearance drive people to have compulsive behaviours which may harm their health. For example, excessive skin picking may damage the skin or even cause infections. In severe cases, there may be an increase risk of depression and suicide.
Understanding BDD increases awareness and helps shed light on the impact of this mental health condition. BDD often remains undiagnosed or misdiagnosed due to limited awareness among individuals. Knowing about BDD allows us to recognise the clinical features of the disorder. It helps us differentiate between normal concerns about appearance and the excessive preoccupation seen in BDD.
Raising awareness dismantles the stigma and misunderstanding surrounding BDD. Individuals with BDD often face societal judgements, which can lead to shame and prevent them from seeking professional help. Through public education, we can cultivate empathy, compassion and a more supportive environment.
Having knowledge about BDD allows for early intervention, which is essential in enhancing treatment outcomes. When BDD is identified and addressed promptly, individuals have a higher likelihood of receiving timely and effective treatment. This can prevent the escalation of symptoms and minimise the negative impact on an individual’s life.
Knowledge about BDD plays a crucial role in prevention efforts and in promoting positive body image. Education about body positivity and self-acceptance can help create a culture that fosters a healthy relationship with appearance. By challenging societal beauty standards and promoting self-acceptance, we can foster a positive body image that is not driven by unrealistic ideals, reducing the likelihood of developing BDD.