You’ve likely heard of the mental health condition called body dysmorphia, which causes individuals to ruminate and dwell on their perceived physical flaws. But did you know there’s a similar term describing an unhealthy relationship with money? Also called money dysmorphia (not an actual diagnosis), this term describes a fixation on and distorted view of one’s personal finances.An Expert’s Take on Money DysmorphiaMoney dysmorphia describes a warped or inaccurate view of your own financial situation. Some people have a scarcity mindset despite having financial security and even abundance, while others are unaware of their own debt.According to Steven Bradshaw, a licensed psychotherapist in Los Angeles and founder of Beyond Psychology Center, with a prior career in investment banking and private equity, there are various ways money dysmorphia can show up. For example, you might engage in one of the following behaviors: overestimating your security and spending too much; underestimating your security and living in fear; social comparison that causes feelings of inadequacy; limiting beliefs around what is financially possible for you; and avoiding the topic or issue of money altogether.“Limiting beliefs are the ones I see having the greatest impact in my clients,” Bradshaw shares. “I like the term ‘scarcity mindset,’ or a deep-seated feeling of insecurity combined with defensive beliefs around money and success. “Money dysmorphia can cause several mental health impacts like anxiety, self-doubt, low self-esteem, and even underinvesting in yourself and your passions, Bradshaw says.“I hear clients say sentences like ‘I’m not good with money’ or ‘it will never work out for me,’ or take firm stances against the very thing that could change things (for example, asking for money from a parent or relocating),” he explains.Causes of Money DysmorphiaIn my opinion, money dysmorphia feels like an inevitable outcome of today’s economy. However, several factors can contribute to this experience.“Money dysmorphia is basically fear-conditioning or fear-learning that overgeneralizes,” Bradshaw explains. “It prevents us from making investments and backing ourselves, particularly at crucial make-or-break moments. It also causes avoidance and social comparison distress.”For example, if someone grew up with financial insecurity or a lack of stability in their home, they might carry this trauma and fear into their adult lives, despite earning a high salary and maintaining a solid savings account.“It results primarily through some conditioning from the environment, either as a result of personally experiencing a traumatic insult that punctures the felt sense of safety (e.g., financial stress, illness, accident, loss, etc.) or as a result of intergenerational transmission where it is passed down or internalized from parents who experienced difficulty themselves or through their own traumatized parents.”And, of course, if you’re someone who already struggles with anxiety, self-doubt, and other mental health conditions, you might channel these feelings into your relationship with money.“There are also genetic factors, including a person’s sensitivity (along the lines of Elaine Aron’s Highly Sensitive Person) and trait neuroticism,” says Bradshaw. “These genetic factors make it more likely that a person will be sensitized through the environmental factors described above.”How to Treat Money DysmorphiaSince money dysmorphia often stems from earlier experiences with money, many mental health professionals address the core of the issue.“The thing we fear is usually a version of something that already happened that we are projecting into the future (Donald Winnicott’s “fear of breakdown” outlined in his 1974 paper of the same name),” says Bradshaw. “If we can surface and metabolize the traumatic incident through something like Somatic Therapy, EMDR, or exposure therapy, the charge is removed from the feared memory and the projected fear dissolves.”“Once you have processed this feared material, you naturally regain access to your emotional core and start to feel more connected and more yourself,” he continues. “You can then feel your capability more easily, and your fears and doubts lose power over you.”The post How to Know If You Have Money Dysmorphia (and How to Treat It), According to an Expert appeared first on vice.