How often do you look in the mirror to find imperfections, the first wrinkles, ridges of fat on your sides? Bodysmorphophobia is a mental disorder that affects both men and women of different ages equally. A person with such a mental pathology looks for defects and shortcomings in himself, which he strives to disguise or hide from others. What is dysmorphophobia? Few people know how to like themselves. The promotion of model figures with signs of anorexia and ideal facial features of “natural” origin radically changes people’s ideas about beauty. As a result, even the beauty of youth turns into ugliness when a woman finds something in herself that does not correspond to modern ideals. Dissatisfaction with one's appearance is formed, which gradually turns into outright hatred of one's own body. Some, in order to improve their appearance, decide to undergo plastic surgery or radical cosmetic procedures, exposing themselves to risks. Those who cannot pay for plastic surgery, as a rule, isolate themselves from society and withdraw into themselves. Signs of a mental disorder. Symptoms of dysmorphophobia appear in different combinations and with varying degrees of severity. It is worth paying attention to your psychological state if you notice signs such as :• Excessive interest in one’s appearance - while dysmorphophobia regularly asks others questions about his appearance and excitedly talks about ways to eliminate “shortcomings”;• Studying oneself for a long time in the mirror;• Refusal to take photos and videos together, including with family and loved ones; • Avoidance of society and shyness; • Passion for fashion trends and products of the cosmetology industry - for a dysmorphophobe, this hobby turns into a mania that literally prevents a person from living and working; • Emotional background disorders - increased irritability, anxiety, apathy and depressed state; • Long-term, strict diets (often using aggressive drugs and techniques) that negatively affect health; • Exhausting workouts with a disproportionately chosen (excessive) load; • Correction of appearance using plastic surgery, beauty injections and other aggressive methods; • Care own appearance - for a dysmorphophobe, this overshadows other life priorities and values; • Tendency to modify the body and appearance. How to cope with body dysmorphophobia. It is difficult for a dysmorphophobe to stop in his desire to achieve, in his opinion, an ideal appearance. The causes of the anomaly can be genetic failures, improper upbringing, school bullying, and the patient’s excessive sensitivity to criticism. Dysmorphophobia can lead to unpredictable consequences, including depression, fatal anorexia and suicide. That is why the disorder should be treated under the supervision of a psychologist and psychiatrist. One of the effective ways to treat dysmorphophobia in psychology is to replace beauty standards with the elaboration of negative attitudes and eliminate the causes of hatred in oneself. Good luck in working on yourself!