Recover from Body Dysmorphia with Journaling

Do you find that you obsess over a small physical attribute that you deem a flaw? Have 
you worried yourself into a panic, becoming severely anxious or depressed over it? Is it 
something you can’t stop thinking about or that sends you into a tailspin of negative 
thoughts? If so, you might be suffering from body dysmorphia.

This condition goes beyond just wanting to change certain physical attributes. Typically, 
someone with this condition are thinking about it almost constantly, staring in the mirror 
for hours, figuring out how to fix it. It can affect your overall health and wellness, and 
lower your quality of life. This is also what leads many people to developing eating 
disorders.

Managing and Treating Body Dysmorphia

Like other mental health conditions, body dysmorphia is treatable with a variety of 
different methods. Before talking about using your journal to help with body dysmorphia, 
let’s discuss some other options available to you.

First of all, you should seek professional help if this condition is affecting your quality of 
life, especially if it is the root cause of your eating disorder. If it exacerbates an anxiety 
disorder or depression, that is another good reason to see a mental health professional.
Some treatment options from your therapist might include cognitive behavioral therapy 
and taking certain types of anti-depressant medications. 

Other tips often given to people with body dysmorphia include seeking mental health 
before thinking about plastic surgery or other surgical procedures, talking to someone 
about it, exercising for those happy-feeling endorphins, and yes, journaling.

How a Journal Can Help

Journaling is an amazing tool for eating disorders, but also for mental issues that might 
lead to them, including body dysmorphia. This is closely linked to anxiety and 
depression, which is another good reason to use journaling as a method of coping.

With journaling, you are able to express your thoughts and feelings about your physical 
appearance, describing in detail how you feel about the situation and how it makes you 
feel. This can be therapeutic on its own, as you get these thoughts out of your head and 
onto paper. What often happens is that people start journaling, and suddenly they 
realize they are being unrealistic with their worries and concerns, and notice a pattern of 
negative thoughts.

The journal can also help you determine any triggers you might have for episodes of 
panic or depression that lead to the eating disorder. 
