Condition : Body dysmorphic disorder

Condition Body dysmorphic disorder

What is body dysmorphic disorder?

Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), also known as body dysmorphia, is where personal worries about defects or flaws in your appearance (often unnoticeable to others) impact daily life, including your work, social life, and relationships.

Any part of the body can be involved in BDD, but concerns are often about symmetry or size of facial features or overall body build.

BDD is most common in teenagers and young adults, but it can affect both men and women at any age.

If you have BDD, you might spend a lot of time worrying about a specific area of your body, comparing your looks to others’, looking at yourself in mirrors a lot, picking at your skin to make it ‘smooth’, or concealing flaws through personal grooming, applying make-up, or choosing clothes.

Avoiding mirrors and public or social situations can also be a symptom of BDD.

BDD can lead to:

What causes body dysmorphic disorder?

BDD may be linked to a traumatic experience, such as being bullied or abused as a child, but sometimes there won’t be a clear link.

Genetics could play a role in developing BDD if you have a close family member who also has it or a similar mental health problem.

It may also appear alongside:

Next steps

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Managing your health

Adults

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External support

Children and young people

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