Disorders (Tipology)

Obsessive-compulsive disorders

Obsessions are characterized by the repeated appearance of unwanted, inopportune, intrusive thoughts, which in most people generate anxiety or malaise in general; and the compulsions are behaviors or repeated mental representations that the affected person carries out in the hope that they will reduce their discomfort or to avoid negative events that could happen in the future.

Often these thoughts are produced around issues related to organization, order, cleanliness, but they can also be objectified in the environment of one’s own body, globally or partially. Repeated thoughts about the image itself, the little musculature and, for example, what should be done to increase it, are frequent.

Addictive disorders

Traditionally, addictive disorders are related to drugs. Better said, with people who carry out abusive behaviors. Although there are drugs of different types (tobacco, alcohol, caffeine, cannabis derivatives, etc.), in humans, its action on the central nervous system (CNS) triggers a psychological and chemical mechanism by which a predisposition to repeat its use in a much higher proportion than the previous one. This phenomenon is known as dependence, and involves the loss of the freedom to decide to take a drug. Progressively, this concept has been expanding in recent years. The American Psychiatric Association (APA) also includes ludopathies, since there was evidence that pathological gambling behaviors activate brain reward systems in much the same way drugs of abuse do. Several authors describe as behavioral addictions other repetitive behaviors that can occur in the context of activities such as compulsive shopping, strenuous physical exercise, abusive ingestion of certain foods (chocolate, pastries…), pathological search for extreme sensations, compulsive sex, etc.

Disorphic body disorders

Are those that lead the affected person to have an excessive concern for what he considers a “defect” (or more than one) of the body itself, whether imagined or exaggerated. These disorders, also closely related to the priority of achieving a perfect body based on certain criteria of physical beauty, can also be very limiting. Affected people can insist repeatedly to want to undergo surgical interventions, specific diets, to hide, not wanting to leave home, etc. Certainly there is a large number of people who may be interested in achieving a certain physical appearance, the difference is that the affected person of dysmorphia repeatedly experiences an idea of rejection of his body (or several parts) that makes relationships difficult and a good performance in the activities of his daily life.