Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsDefinitionSymptomsExamplesDiagnosisCausesTreatmentCopingWays to Help

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Definition

Symptoms

Examples

Diagnosis

Causes

Treatment

Coping

Ways to Help

Body dysmorphia, or body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), is a mental health condition where people become fixated on aspects of their appearance that others may not even notice. It affects both men and women and is more common in teens and young adults. Those with BDD often feel something is “wrong” or “ugly” about them, leading them to constantly check mirrors, avoid social events, or compare themselves to others. These thoughts can be tough to control and bring intense sadness,anxiety, and embarrassment.

While BDD can be managed, it may not fully go away for everyone. Therapy, especiallycognitive-behavioral therapy(CBT), and sometimes medication, can help reduce symptoms. If you know someone with BDD, it’s important to listen without judging, encourage them to talk to a mental health professional, and avoid focusing on appearance. Support and understanding can help them feel less alone and may give them the confidence to seek help.

If you or a loved one are struggling with body dysmorphic disorder, contact theSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helplineat800-662-4357for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.If you are having suicidal thoughts, dial988to contact the988 Suicide & Crisis Lifelineand connect with a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call911.

If you or a loved one are struggling with body dysmorphic disorder, contact theSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helplineat800-662-4357for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.

If you are having suicidal thoughts, dial988to contact the988 Suicide & Crisis Lifelineand connect with a trained counselor. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call911.

NickyLloyd / Getty Images

Person with body dysmorphia checking appearance in mirror

What Is Body Dysmorphia?

The “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition” (DSM-5) defines body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) as a mental health condition involving an intense preoccupation with one or more perceived physical flaws.

Classified underobsessive-compulsiveand related disorders, BDD involves both persistent, intrusive thoughts about appearance (obsessions), and repeated actions to reduce the anxiety these thoughts create (compulsions).

People with BDD often believe that others are noticing and judging their perceived flaws, even if these flaws are barely visible or invisible to others. This belief can make social situations overwhelming, leading to feelings of embarrassment, anxiety, or discomfort around others.

Estimates suggest that up to 4% of the U.S. population meets the diagnostic criteria for body dysmorphic disorder. It is most common among people age 15 to 30.

People with body dysmorphia worry excessively about minor or nonexistent flaws in their body and/or face.To “fix” those flaws, they may go to extreme lengths, such as drastically altering their looks withplastic surgery.

Research suggests that people with BDD often spend three to eight hours a day worrying about their perceived physical imperfections. Any body part may become a target for these worries. However, people with body dysmorphia are most likely to worry about their skin, nose, or hair.

Common symptoms of body dysmorphia include:

Someone with body dysmorphia may feel so consumed with thoughts about their looks that they neglect other areas of their life. They may even avoid school, social events, dating, or work out of fear of being judged for their looks.

Body dysmorphia can look different from person to person, with some individuals showing more obvious signs than others. Examples of behaviors linked to body dysmorphia include:

Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) can vary in severity, from mild worries about a single feature to more extreme cases that significantly impact daily life.

For example, someone with mild BDD might obsess over the size of their nose, while someone with more severe BDD could become so fixated on their skin’s appearance that they avoid leaving the house and spend hours applying makeup or engaging in skin treatments.

If you think you may have BDD, talk to your healthcare provider. They can refer you to a mental health specialist who can make a diagnosis using the criteria in the DSM-5. If your worries about your looks are focused more on your body weight or size, you may be diagnosed with aneating disorderinstead.

To be diagnosed with body dysmorphia, the preoccupation with your appearance must negatively affect your life and/or cause significant emotional distress. Your healthcare provider may also specify whether you have muscle dysmorphia, a type of body dysmorphia that involves worrying about appearing “too small” or not muscular enough.

During the diagnostic process, your mental health specialist may specify whether you have good, fair, or poor insight into your BDD symptoms.

According to theDSM-5, some people with body dysmorphic disorder have “good” insight, which means they are aware that their beliefs about their body are not true. People with “fair” or “poor” insight aren’t aware that their worries are excessive or not based in reality.

The exact cause of body dysmorphia is unknown. Researchers believe that several factors may contribute to the development of BDD, including:

Can It Be Cured?

Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) cannot be cured and will not go away on its own. However, effective treatments can help people manage symptoms and improve quality of life.

The most effective approach typically combines talk therapy and medication:

Leaving BDD untreated can lead to severe depression and evensuicidal thoughts. Seeking treatment early is essential to avoid the more severe effects of the disorder.

If you have BDD, it’s important tobuild your self-esteemand reach out to others for support. In addition to seeking professional treatment, here are some ways to cope with the symptoms of body dysmorphia:

Helping Someone With BDD

Supporting someone with body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) can be challenging, but your understanding and encouragement can make a difference. Here are some ways to help:

Remember to set boundaries and prioritizeself-careto keep your communication healthy and effective. Supporting someone with BDD can be challenging, so taking care of your own well-being helps you offer consistent, positive support without becoming overwhelmed.

Summary

11 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Singh AR, Veale D.Understanding and treating body dysmorphic disorder.Indian J Psychiatr. 2019;61(1):131-135. doi:10.4103/psychiatry.IndianJPsychiatry_528_18American Psychological Association.Obsessive-compulsive disorder.American Psychological Association.Body dysmorphic disorder.Varma A, Rastogi R.Recognizing body dysmorphic disorder (dysmorphophobia).J Cutan Aesthet Surg. 2015;8(3):165-168. doi:10.4103/0974-2077.167279Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.DSM-5 changes: implications for child serious emotional disturbance; Table 23: DSM-IV to DSM-V body dysmorphic disorder comparison.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Body dysmorphic disorder.Li W, Arienzo D, Feusner J.Body dysmorphic disorder: Neurobiological features and an updated model.Z Klin Psychol Psychother (Gott). 2013;42(3):184–191. doi:10.1026/1616-3443/a000213Krebs G, Fernández de la Cruz L, Mataix-Cols D.Recent advances in understanding and managing body dysmorphic disorder.Evid Based Ment Health. 2017;20(3):71-75. doi:10.1136/eb-2017-102702Schieber K, Kollei I, de Zwaan M, Müller A, Martin A.Personality traits as vulnerability factors in body dysmorphic disorder.Psychiatry Res. 2013;210(1):242-246. doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2013.06.009Hartmann AS, Staufenbiel T, Bielefeld L, et al.An empirically derived recommendation for the classification of body dysmorphic disorder: findings from structural equation modeling.PLoS One. 2020;15(6):e0233153. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0233153NHS.Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD).

11 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Singh AR, Veale D.Understanding and treating body dysmorphic disorder.Indian J Psychiatr. 2019;61(1):131-135. doi:10.4103/psychiatry.IndianJPsychiatry_528_18American Psychological Association.Obsessive-compulsive disorder.American Psychological Association.Body dysmorphic disorder.Varma A, Rastogi R.Recognizing body dysmorphic disorder (dysmorphophobia).J Cutan Aesthet Surg. 2015;8(3):165-168. doi:10.4103/0974-2077.167279Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.DSM-5 changes: implications for child serious emotional disturbance; Table 23: DSM-IV to DSM-V body dysmorphic disorder comparison.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Body dysmorphic disorder.Li W, Arienzo D, Feusner J.Body dysmorphic disorder: Neurobiological features and an updated model.Z Klin Psychol Psychother (Gott). 2013;42(3):184–191. doi:10.1026/1616-3443/a000213Krebs G, Fernández de la Cruz L, Mataix-Cols D.Recent advances in understanding and managing body dysmorphic disorder.Evid Based Ment Health. 2017;20(3):71-75. doi:10.1136/eb-2017-102702Schieber K, Kollei I, de Zwaan M, Müller A, Martin A.Personality traits as vulnerability factors in body dysmorphic disorder.Psychiatry Res. 2013;210(1):242-246. doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2013.06.009Hartmann AS, Staufenbiel T, Bielefeld L, et al.An empirically derived recommendation for the classification of body dysmorphic disorder: findings from structural equation modeling.PLoS One. 2020;15(6):e0233153. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0233153NHS.Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD).

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Singh AR, Veale D.Understanding and treating body dysmorphic disorder.Indian J Psychiatr. 2019;61(1):131-135. doi:10.4103/psychiatry.IndianJPsychiatry_528_18American Psychological Association.Obsessive-compulsive disorder.American Psychological Association.Body dysmorphic disorder.Varma A, Rastogi R.Recognizing body dysmorphic disorder (dysmorphophobia).J Cutan Aesthet Surg. 2015;8(3):165-168. doi:10.4103/0974-2077.167279Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.DSM-5 changes: implications for child serious emotional disturbance; Table 23: DSM-IV to DSM-V body dysmorphic disorder comparison.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Body dysmorphic disorder.Li W, Arienzo D, Feusner J.Body dysmorphic disorder: Neurobiological features and an updated model.Z Klin Psychol Psychother (Gott). 2013;42(3):184–191. doi:10.1026/1616-3443/a000213Krebs G, Fernández de la Cruz L, Mataix-Cols D.Recent advances in understanding and managing body dysmorphic disorder.Evid Based Ment Health. 2017;20(3):71-75. doi:10.1136/eb-2017-102702Schieber K, Kollei I, de Zwaan M, Müller A, Martin A.Personality traits as vulnerability factors in body dysmorphic disorder.Psychiatry Res. 2013;210(1):242-246. doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2013.06.009Hartmann AS, Staufenbiel T, Bielefeld L, et al.An empirically derived recommendation for the classification of body dysmorphic disorder: findings from structural equation modeling.PLoS One. 2020;15(6):e0233153. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0233153NHS.Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD).

Singh AR, Veale D.Understanding and treating body dysmorphic disorder.Indian J Psychiatr. 2019;61(1):131-135. doi:10.4103/psychiatry.IndianJPsychiatry_528_18

American Psychological Association.Obsessive-compulsive disorder.

American Psychological Association.Body dysmorphic disorder.

Varma A, Rastogi R.Recognizing body dysmorphic disorder (dysmorphophobia).J Cutan Aesthet Surg. 2015;8(3):165-168. doi:10.4103/0974-2077.167279

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.DSM-5 changes: implications for child serious emotional disturbance; Table 23: DSM-IV to DSM-V body dysmorphic disorder comparison.

Johns Hopkins Medicine.Body dysmorphic disorder.

Li W, Arienzo D, Feusner J.Body dysmorphic disorder: Neurobiological features and an updated model.Z Klin Psychol Psychother (Gott). 2013;42(3):184–191. doi:10.1026/1616-3443/a000213

Krebs G, Fernández de la Cruz L, Mataix-Cols D.Recent advances in understanding and managing body dysmorphic disorder.Evid Based Ment Health. 2017;20(3):71-75. doi:10.1136/eb-2017-102702

Schieber K, Kollei I, de Zwaan M, Müller A, Martin A.Personality traits as vulnerability factors in body dysmorphic disorder.Psychiatry Res. 2013;210(1):242-246. doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2013.06.009

Hartmann AS, Staufenbiel T, Bielefeld L, et al.An empirically derived recommendation for the classification of body dysmorphic disorder: findings from structural equation modeling.PLoS One. 2020;15(6):e0233153. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0233153

NHS.Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD).

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