The Cognitive Behavior Therapy Center of Silicon Valley offers Body Dysmorphic Disorder Therapy. We serve the communities of San Jose, Saratoga, Mountain View, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, Los Gatos, Los Altos, Palo Alto, Cupertino and Campbell, CA as well as the state of California. Our approach to treating body dysmorphic disorder is practical, goal-oriented, compassionate, and scientifically-based while focusing on your individual needs.
Body Dysmorphic Disorder Therapy
If you have Body Dysmorphic Disorder, you may be overly concerned with a real or perceived flaw in your physical appearance such as your hair, skin, nose, stomach or another body part. Your thoughts may cause severe emotional distress and interfere with your daily functioning, causing you to may miss work or school and avoid social situation. You may isolate yourself from family and friends because you fear they will notice your defects. You may undergo plastic surgery to correct perceived flaws but never find satisfaction with the results. Body dysmorphic disorder often co-occurs with major depression and social anxiety disorder.
Symptoms of Body Dysmorphic Disorder
- Obsessive thoughts about real or imagined flaws in your appearance that can last for hours or up to an entire day
- Compulsive behaviors to try to hide or improve your flaws such as camouflaging (with body position, clothing, makeup, hair or hats), comparing your body part to other people, seeking surgery, excessive mirror checking or avoiding mirrors altogether, skin picking, excessive grooming, excessive exercise and/or changing clothes excessively
- Anxiety, depression, shame and chronic low self-esteem
- Feeling self-conscious in social environments and thinking that others notice your perceived defect(s)
- Avoidance behaviors such as staying home, missing work or avoiding social situations
Cognitive Behavioral Model of Body Dysmorphic Disorder
Body Dysmorphic Disorder is on the OCD Spectrum and has obsessive-compulsive features that are quite similar to those of OCD. Like OCD, the compulsive and avoidant behaviors that you use to reduce your anxiety actually reinforces and worsens your obsessions. You may get temporary relief from engaging in compulsions and avoidance but the problem comes back and worsens over time.
Cognitive Behavioral Treatment of Body Dysmorphic Disorder
The treatment for body dysmorphic disorder is similar to treatment for OCD. Cognitive behavior therapy for body dysmorphic disorder include Exposure and Response Prevention and Cognitive Restructuring. Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) will teach you to recognize irrational thoughts and change negative thinking patterns. You will learn to identify unhealthy ways of thinking and behaving and replace them with more helpful ones. CBT will focus on helping you reduce compulsive behaviors and avoidance and tolerating the anxiety that results. You will learn coping skills to reduce anxiety and depression, increase self-esteem and reduce avoidance.
How to Get Help for Body Dysmorphic Disorder
The Cognitive Behavior Therapy Center of Silicon Valley (San Jose/California) specializes in Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) therapy and counseling. We serve the communities of San Jose, Saratoga, Mountain View, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, Los Gatos, Los Altos, Palo Alto, Cupertino and Campbell, CA as well as the state of California. Click to send an email for more information on how we can help you manage your body dysmorphic disorder.
Silicon Valley Communities We Serve
Cognitive Behavior Therapy Center of Silicon Valley/San Jose offers evidence-based therapy for Anxiety and OCD near the following Silicon Valley/San Jose communities:
San Jose Therapy and Counseling • Saratoga Counseling and Therapy • Los Gatos Therapy and Counseling • Monte Sereno Therapy and Counseling • Cupertino Therapy and Counseling • Campbell Therapy and Counseling • Mountain View Therapy and Counseling • Los Altos Therapy and Counseling • Sunnyvale Therapy and Counseling • Santa Clara Therapy and Counseling • Palo Alto Therapy and Counseling
CBT Online Video Therapy
CBT Online Video Therapy for anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) offered in all the above locations as well as the following California communities:
San Francisco Therapy Counseling • Sacramento Valley Therapy Counseling • Carmel CA Therapy Counseling • Santa Cruz Therapy Counseling • Monterey Therapy Counseling • Los Angeles Therapy Counseling • San Diego Therapy Counseling • Orange County Therapy Counseling
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