Symptoms of Body Dysmorphia
6 Signs That You Could Have Body Dysmorphia, According to a Psychologist
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"Body checking is characterized by repetitive and time-consuming behaviours that allow one to 'check' the way their body is experienced," Dr. Harris told POPSUGAR. "Unfortunately, because body dysmorphia is characterized by distortion and how one experiences their body, efforts to engage in body checking often end up confirming the belief that there's something wrong with certain body parts."
While body checking may feel helpful in the moment, it only harms you further. When you have body dysmorphia, you aren't able to see your body as it actually is, even after looking at it for a long period of time.
"Avoid engageing in body checking by doing the opposite of the body checking action," Dr. Harris said. "For example, when you find yourself picking up your arm to pinch your skin, do the opposite of the body checking action by putting your arm down. You may consider hiding mirrors temporarily until you can work on your body checking enough to walk by mirrors without engageing in checking out your body."
This is yet another example of opposite action, a dialectical behaviour therapy skill. It helps you make more helpful choices when you're tempted to engage in a harmful behaviour.