Body dysmorphophobic disorder and other non-psychotic mental disorders in persons with cosmetic defects and deformities of the nose

Abstract

Aim. To explore the features of non-psychotic mental disorders in people with cosmetic defects and deformities of the external nose in order to optimize their treatment and rehabilitation measures. Material and methods. The authors examined 99 persons who reffered to a plastic surgeon for cosmetic rhinoplasty. The first group (Group I) included 30 individuals; they did not have cosmetic defects of the nose; however, these individuals fixed unreasonably great attention on the nose and persistently demanded to change its shape. The second group (Group II) included 69 individuals with visible defects and deformities of the external nose, which deviated from the established aesthetic norm, but did not distort the appearance and did not violate the physiological functions. A comprehensive clinical-anamnestic, clinical-psychopathological, psychodiagnostic and socio-demographic examination of patients was carried out. Results. Patients of Group I with dysmorphophobic disorder and without defects and deformities of the nose, who insisted on surgical correction, compared with persons of Group II with minimal defects and deformities, had a deeper severity of depressive symptoms and personal anxiety with a predominance of dysthymic character accentuation, low adaptability, complete intolerance of themselves and their appearance, a high level of emotional discomfort and internal control. Conclusions. It is necessary to improve a comprehensive system of psychotherapeutic measures in combination with pharmacotherapy, in order to reduce psychopathological symptoms, improve the level of psychosocial functioning of the patients and create the preconditions for decision to abandon surgery.