Mental Disorder Analysis

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With any disorder there are always different theories on what causes a person to develop a mental disorder; however, it can be very difficult to decipher what is the true cause for the onset of a disorder. The exact cause of BDD is unknown but there is a combination of factors that could lead to the onset of this particular disorder (Philips, K. 2015). One of the main factors is genetics. It is likely that if a family member suffered from BDD that another family member could potentially suffer from it as well (Philips, K. 2015). It could be the perceptual/visual processing abnormalities, which essentially means that the individual tends to over focus on details (Philips, K., 2015). This theory is particularly interesting because it deals with …show more content…

It is pertinent that patients suffering from this particular disorder receive the education on the disorder and how it can be treated. The most important thing is that patients need to understand that it is not their fault nor vanity, and not just a normal adolescence appearance. Many people assume that adolescents suffering from this disorder are just going through a phase of being a teenager and concerned about how they look; however, it is more than that. It is also important for them to know that they are not alone. It is a common disorder and there are available treatments to help. An important piece to educate the patients on is the medication and therapy involved for treatment. Sometimes the medication has to be taken long term and low rates of side effects and they will work if they allow a couple of weeks for them to build up in their system. Cognitive behavioral therapy is also very helpful but again it is pertinent to allow time for it to work. They are not going to be treated the first time they receive therapy. The first few times that they go to therapy should be at least once a week to help them reveal their concerns and behaviors that are self-harming. There is a vast amount of education to be introduced to the patients suffering from this