Michael Jackson Body Dysmorphic Disorder Essay

Michael Jackson seems to be suffering from body dysmorphic disorder code 300.7. In the Diagnostic and Statistical Manuel of Mental Disorders IV Edition (1994) it states “Body Dysmorphic Disorder is the preoccupation with an imagined or exaggerated defect in physical appearance” (p. 445). When a person suffers from body dysmorphic disorder they imagine defects which are not visible to others around them. The person will feel the need to change their appearance with the help of surgeries or even make up to conceal what is causing him or her to feel displeased. Mr. Jackson obviously was displeased with his appearance because his image kept on changing constantly. In addition, pictures of Mr. Jackson from the years 1971 through 2009 reveal a drastic

Also, the media portrays a specific physical image in which all celebrities need to display. It may require some artist to change their image with the help of cosmetic surgeries. A person who suffers from body dysmorphic disorder may feel the need to minimize any visual contact with mirrors. In 1993 Oprah Winfrey interviewed Michael Jackson and he had said “’try not to look in the mirror…I'm never happy with what I see.’" All the changes that Michael Jackson had done were not enough in his eyes because no matter what he did he kept on seeing these defects within himself. Imagine changing a part of yourself and still not feel satisfied with what you see in the mirror. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manuel of Mental Disorders IV Edition (1994) a person who suffers from body dysmorphic disorder present one or more of the following “Other common preoccupations include the shape, size, or some other aspect of the nose, eyes, eyelids, eyebrows, ears, mouth, lips, teeth, jaw, chin, cheeks, or head” (p. 466). Of course, there are a few theories justifying Mr. Jackson’s multiple