I got a call one morning from a psychiatrist in Boston who needed some advice about a patient. “He’s seeing all the ophthalmologists in Boston,” he told me. “He thinks his eyes look cross-eyed, and he can’t be reassured that they’re not. He’s seeing doctor after doctor. They all tell him he looks fine, but he won’t stop doctor shopping. He wants to get his eyes fixed.”
This story isn’t unusual. Many people with BDD seek nonpsychiatric treatment, often dermatologic or surgical. They see dermatologists for slight or nonexistent hair loss or skin problems, requesting various types of treatment. They see surgeons to have their lips thickened, jaws widened, ears pinned, or breasts enlarged. They see endocrinologists for supposedly excessive or insufficient body hair, dentists for braces, orthopedic surgeons for a supposedly crooked spine, podiatrists for “bent” toes, and urologists for penis enlargement. They may see doctor after doctor, trying to find one who will provide the desired treatment. Others visit nonprofessionals, seeking electrolysis, a hairpiece, or hair-growth tonics. There’s no limit to the types of treatment requested.
“Seeing doctors is an obsession for me,” Victoria told me. “I’m looking for something from them. I want to keep some until I find out the answer. I’ve seen all types—general practitioners, orthopedists, and podiatrists. I’m trying to find someone who can tell me why my feet are so misshapen. They all tell me that nothing’s wrong with my feet. One doctor said my problem was that I had an obsession with body image. I agree that I have a body image problem because I’m so obsessed, but I also need to find out what’s wrong with my feet.”
Doctors are seen for various reasons: to diagnose a perceived appearance problem, do testing to determine the cause of the perceived problem, obtain reassurance that it looks okay, or give treatment. They may be asked to provide
treatment after treatment, or to redo a disappointing procedure done by themselves or another physician. ‘
Jennifer had seen at least 15 different dermatologists. She visited each of them repeatedly, asking them over and over if her skin looked okay. “I saw some of them several times a week,” she said. “I couldn’t be reassured that my skin was fine. I wouldn’t go away. I asked and asked them about my skin, and I begged and begged them for treatment. A lot of them refused to see me anymore.”
*107\204\8*
BDD BEHAVIOURS – DOCTOR SHOPPING: THE NEVER-ENDING QUESTI got a call one morning from a psychiatrist in Boston who needed some advice about a patient. “He’s seeing all the ophthalmologists in Boston,” he told me. “He thinks his eyes look cross-eyed, and he can’t be reassured that they’re not. He’s seeing doctor after doctor. They all tell him he looks fine, but he won’t stop doctor shopping. He wants to get his eyes fixed.”This story isn’t unusual. Many people with BDD seek nonpsychiatric treatment, often dermatologic or surgical. They see dermatologists for slight or nonexistent hair loss or skin problems, requesting various types of treatment. They see surgeons to have their lips thickened, jaws widened, ears pinned, or breasts enlarged. They see endocrinologists for supposedly excessive or insufficient body hair, dentists for braces, orthopedic surgeons for a supposedly crooked spine, podiatrists for “bent” toes, and urologists for penis enlargement. They may see doctor after doctor, trying to find one who will provide the desired treatment. Others visit nonprofessionals, seeking electrolysis, a hairpiece, or hair-growth tonics. There’s no limit to the types of treatment requested.”Seeing doctors is an obsession for me,” Victoria told me. “I’m looking for something from them. I want to keep some until I find out the answer. I’ve seen all types—general practitioners, orthopedists, and podiatrists. I’m trying to find someone who can tell me why my feet are so misshapen. They all tell me that nothing’s wrong with my feet. One doctor said my problem was that I had an obsession with body image. I agree that I have a body image problem because I’m so obsessed, but I also need to find out what’s wrong with my feet.”Doctors are seen for various reasons: to diagnose a perceived appearance problem, do testing to determine the cause of the perceived problem, obtain reassurance that it looks okay, or give treatment. They may be asked to providetreatment after treatment, or to redo a disappointing procedure done by themselves or another physician. ‘Jennifer had seen at least 15 different dermatologists. She visited each of them repeatedly, asking them over and over if her skin looked okay. “I saw some of them several times a week,” she said. “I couldn’t be reassured that my skin was fine. I wouldn’t go away. I asked and asked them about my skin, and I begged and begged them for treatment. A lot of them refused to see me anymore.”*107\204\8*
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