Critical Looks: An Analysis of Body Dysmorphic Disorder

Abstract

This paper sets out a framework for a comprehensive theory of Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD), based on interview data and theoretical reading. It combines psychoanalytic, cultural and political insights. It develops the author's earlier work on body hatred (Parker, 2003). The role of the other -actual, imagined or fantasized -is central, and ambivalence about the body, inflated by shame, is key to this dynamic. Any part of the body may be involved, and checking is compulsive, betraying an omnipotent struggle for acceptability and normality. The author suggests that BDD sufferers are especially sensitive to the power, pleasure and pain of looking and being looked at, with the objective sense of self dominating any subjective sense. Object relations provides explanations of individual differences in susceptibility to BDD, through failures of maternal mirroring. Lacan's theory of the mirror stage explains the origin of the ambivalent relation of the subject to his/her own image, rivalry with self and other, shame and desire, as well as the enduring power of cultural norms of appearance. Freud's ideas on taboo and ambivalence, and their dynamics in changing cultural forms, are illustrated and linked to Douglas's ideas of pollution and taboo.

‘I will be at death’s door and realize that I’ve wasted maybe half of my life on one body part’: the experience of living with body dysmorphic disorder

“…´Normal' was the participants' own word choice; although it could be argued that it is an arbitrary term, it is nonetheless important to acknowledge these feelings of being abnormal. The longing for normality is consistent with reports in the existing literature on BDD, that have indicated that concerns of appearance are driven by a desire for 'normality' and not for beauty; BDD patients often emphasize that they do not seek an ideal body but simply want to change their imperfections so that they look 'normal' (Lemma 2009;Parker 2014). However, our participants generally had high expectations of themselves, and some participants specifically expressed high standards regarding their appearance.…”

“…Notably, participants were concerned about appearing superficial to other people, although that knowledge did not help them to put their appearance problems in perspective. In line with existing descriptions of people with BDD, reassurance was received as patronizing, trivializing, or dishonest (Parker 2014). An important finding of our study is that reassurance and compliments from other people can in fact exacerbate symptoms.…”

Feminine Identity and Female Friendships in the ‘Neapolitan’ Novels of Elena Ferrante

“…But it begins with her physical presence. Rozsika Parker, in her paper on body dysmorphic disorder (), comments on an interview she carried out with a woman, who described the instinctual hierarchy of power expressed through the body, and the consequent shame of lesser status. The woman is looking at the fashion pages, and comments: ‘For a second I merge with the photo of the model then almost at once I know I could never achieve that look’ (p. 447).…”

Body Dysmorphic Disorder : Capturing a prevalent but under-recognized disorder

“…Although it could be argued that 'normal' (the participants' own choice of word) is an arbitrary term, it is nonetheless important to acknowledge these ideas of being abnormal. In line with these dindings, previous research has indicated that concerns with appearance are driven by a desire for 'normality' and not for beauty; BDD patients often emphasize that they do not seek an ideal body but simply want to change their imperfections so that they look 'normal' (Lemma, 2009, Parker, 2014. Notably, participants were concerned about appearing superdicial to other people, although that knowledge did not help them to put their appearance problems in perspective.…”

“…In dermatology patients, the two studies that reported prevalence rates for men and women separately found slightly higher rates in men, although the differences were non-signidicant (Table 2). While BDD in its most serious manifestation seems to affect both sexes almost equally, it has been suggested that mild BDD predominantly affects women, and even that preoccupation and manipulation of the body surface is considered a 'normal' gendered activity for women (Parker, 2014). …”