Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD)
What is body dysmorphic disorder, or body dysmorphia?
Body dysmorphic disorder is a mental illness that involves an obsessive focus on a perceived flaw in appearance. This “flaw” may be imagined, but extreme measures may be taken to “fix” that flaw, such as cosmetic surgery, restrictive behaviors, disordered eating, obsessive exercise, and many others.
Who is affected?
Anyone can be affected by body dysmorphia. Moreover, “...research shows that it affects men and women almost equally. In the United States, BDD occurs in about 2.5% of males, and in 2.2 % of females” (adaa.org). Like any other mental disorder, body dysmorphia does not discriminate when it comes to race, gender, and age.
How can BDD lead to eating disorders?
People with body dysmorphic disorder may take extreme measures to control the perceived flaw in their appearance. One measure would be extreme diet control and/or obsessive exercise. One similarity between people who struggle with eating disorders and those who struggle with body dysmorphia is that they “may both be overly concerned with their size, shape, weight, or outward appearance” (Cowden 2021).
However, it is also important to note that body dysmorphic disorder does not always involve fixations on one’s body. Not everyone who has body dysmorphic disorder also has an eating disorder.
The following video is an interview with Chloe Catchpole, who suffers from body dysmorphia:
Symptoms
Some symptoms of body dysmorphic disorder include, but are not limited to extreme preoccupation with a perceived flaw, avoidance of social gatherings, comparison of appearance with others, and engagement in body checking, skin picking, and disordered eating behaviors.
You are not alone
If you feel that you, or a loved one, are struggling with an eating disorder, please consult a professional or visit the sites below. Asking for help is not easy, but you are not alone, making that first will help you so much in the long run. Happiness and health are worth much more than societal standards.
https://www.helpguide.org/articles/eating-disorders/eating-disorder-treatment-and-recovery.htm
Works Cited
Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) | Anxiety and Depression Association of America, ADAA. adaa.org/understanding-anxiety/body-dysmorphic-disorder. Accessed 9 Oct. 2022.
“How Body Dysmorphic Disorder and Eating Disorders Are Connected.” Verywell Mind, 15 Aug. 2021, www.verywellmind.com/body-dysmorphic-disorder-eating-disorders-1138186.
