Seeing Body Dysmorphic Disorder and Yourself Clearly
Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) causes you to see nonexistent or minor problems with your appearance. According to the International OCD Foundation, the issue affects between 5 and 10 million Americans.
“BDD is often confused with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) or social anxiety disorder, because the conditions share some features,” says Dr. Katharine Phillips, psychiatrist, internationally renowned BDD expert and professor of psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medicine. “As a result, BDD is often underdiagnosed and underrecognized.”
If you suspect BDD affects you or someone you love, keep reading to learn how to detect it and what to do about it.
Beyond Normal Dissatisfaction
Body dysmorphia causes you to obsess over how you look. It may be difficult to pass by a mirror without sneaking a look. You also spend a lot of time worrying about and covering up what you see as flaws.
According to Dr. Phillips, most people with BDD spend three to eight hours daily stressing about their appearance.
The condition usually starts in the teen years. Though women are at higher risk, nearly four out of 10 people with BDD are men.
Many with the condition also experience depression, anxiety or other mental health issues. Having a parent or sibling with OCD or BDD or getting bullied or abused increases your risk of experiencing body dysmorphic disorder.
Living with BDD causes you to do more than think about perceived appearance shortcomings. You may also:
- Frequently compare yourself to others
- Habitually pick your skin
- Have suicidal thoughts
- Seek then discount compliments from others
- Undergo cosmetic surgery and be displeased with the results
Managing Body Dysmorphic Disorder
“BDD can be very damaging,” Dr. Phillips says. “It’s often so severe that it gets adolescents off their developmental track for building relationships and becoming more independent.”
Proper treatment aims to prevent such long-term complications and bring relief. While many with body dysmorphic disorder turn to cosmetic surgery, this approach doesn’t help. Instead, Dr. Phillips encourages those with BDD symptoms to seek other treatment options.
This may include one or both of the following:
- Behavioral therapy. With cognitive behavioral therapy, a psychologist or other psychotherapy professional helps you understand your condition. You then learn ways to cope with and correct improper thinking.
- Medical therapy. Though no medications are FDA approved to treat body dysmorphia, many medications can help address the condition. You may benefit from medication designed to treat depression, OCD or other mental health issues. Finding the right fit may take time. By keeping with it, you may enjoy great improvement.
“Getting the right treatment improves quality of life and functioning and can be lifesaving,” Dr. Phillips says. “After people get one or both of those treatments, they often don’t feel a need for surgery anymore, which is a great outcome.”
Do you feel you can’t do enough to improve your appearance? Find a doctor at Weill Cornell Medicine who can help you detect and manage BDD and other mental health conditions.