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Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is an anxiety disorder related to body image.

You might be given a diagnosis of BDD if you:

  • experience obsessive worries about one or more perceived flaws in your physical appearance; the flaw cannot be seen by others or appears very slight

  • develop compulsive behaviours and routines, such as excessive use of mirrors or picking your skin, to deal with the worries you have about the way you look

If you have BDD, these obsessions and behaviours cause emotional distress and have a significant impact on your ability to carry on with your day-to-day life. In this way,

Body Dysmorphic Disorder

Symptoms

  • obsessively checking your appearance in mirrors or avoiding them completely

  • using heavy make-up to try to hide the area you're concerned about

  • changing your posture or wearing heavy clothes to disguise your shape

  • seeking constant reassurance about your appearance

  • exercising excessively, often targeted at the area you're concerned about

  • frequent body checking with your fingers

  • frequent weighing

  • brushing or styling your hair obsessively

  • constantly comparing yourself with models in magazines or people in the street

  • seeking cosmetic surgery or having other types of medical treatment to change the area of concern

"I've struggled with BDD for 13 years. It changes. Sometimes it is something little, like my nose, that is really bothering me that day. Sometimes it is every centimetre of my body that just feels wrong"

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