Body Dysmorphic Disorder
Are you unhappy with your body? Learn about body dysmorphic disorder on this Moment of Science.
Psychologists estimate that one to two percent of the population has what is called body dysmorphic disorder. These people obsess over what they perceive as a terrible defect in their physical appearance.
In contrast to the case with eating disorders, where people’s concern over their physical appearance typically involves their body image as a whole, people with BDD are concerned about specific physical features. The concern often has to do with the face or head, but BDD can involve any body part.
A person with the disorder might think her nose is too big or his chest not (1)muscular enough. Sometimes the (2)perceived defect is invisible to anyone else. In other cases, such as is the case with thinning hair, the individual’s perception of that body part is extreme, far from what an objective observer sees.
People with body dysmorphic disorder spend at least an hour a day, sometimes much longer, thinking about that imperfection. They’re often so (3)self-conscious about how they look that they may avoid social activities, even work.
They may suffer extreme anxiety and depression. Much remains to be learned about BDD, but if you suspect that your cousin may have the disorder, you should advise him/her to seek help from an (4)therapist with experience with it.
譯文:
身體畸形恐懼癥
心理學(xué)家估計一到兩成的人口有所謂的身體畸形恐懼癥。這些人認為他們的外表有非常嚴重的缺陷,并為之困擾。
與飲食失調(diào)癥形成鮮明對比的是,身體畸形恐懼癥的患者更關(guān)心某一特殊的外表特征,而不是關(guān)注他們身體外觀的整體形象。他們通常只關(guān)心臉或頭,但是也可以涉及全身的任何一個部位。身體畸形恐懼癥的人可能會認為她的鼻子太大,或者他的胸肌不夠發(fā)達。有時候這些被他們感知的缺點是別人根本不會注意的。在其他情況下,如頭發(fā)稀疏,個人對自己身體的感知是極端的,遠不如客觀的觀察者所見。
身體畸形恐懼癥的人們一天至少會花一個小時,有時甚至更長的時間來思考他們的瑕疵。他們經(jīng)常感覺自己的外表不自然,以致于避免社會活動,甚至工作。
他們可能遭受極端的焦慮和抑郁。關(guān)于身體畸形恐懼癥仍然有許多問題亟待了解。如果你懷疑你的表兄弟姐妹患有此病,應(yīng)該建議他/她去向一個有經(jīng)驗的治療師尋求幫助。
Notes:
(1)muscular ['m?skjul?] adj.肌肉的;肌肉發(fā)達的;強健的
He is a muscular young person.
他是一個強壯的年青人。
(2)perceived v.感知;認為(perceive的過去分詞);領(lǐng)會 adj. 感知到的;感觀的
Similar perceived health benefits have also been attributed to beer.
對于啤酒對健康的好處也有類似的認知
(3)self-conscious adj. 自覺的
be self-conscious: 感覺不自然
He hated that, felt self-conscious; but it was the standard procedure in small towns. Someone new!
他討厭這樣,覺得不自在,但這是所有小鎮(zhèn)的標(biāo)準程序有個新來的
(4)therapist ['θer?pist] n. 臨床醫(yī)學(xué)家;治療學(xué)家
Even the best therapist can't give you that.
即使是最好的理療師也不能給你這。