Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) can deeply affect how you see yourself. If you feel consumed by worries about a perceived flaw in your appearance, you are not alone and support is available.
BDD involves persistent and distressing thoughts about the way you look. These thoughts can become overwhelming and may lead to repetitive behaviours such as mirror checking, reassurance seeking or avoiding social situations.
At Priory, we provide specialist, evidence-based treatment for BDD, helping you reduce obsessive thoughts and regain control over your life.
Start your recovery today by booking a confidential mental health assessment.
Body dysmorphic disorder is a mental health condition that involves an intense preoccupation with one or more perceived flaws in your appearance. These flaws are often minor or not noticeable to others, but to you they can feel overwhelming and impossible to ignore.
BDD is closely related to obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). Like OCD, it involves intrusive thoughts and repetitive behaviours. For example, someone might repeatedly think “my nose looks too big” and feel compelled to check mirrors or reflective surfaces to examine it.
The distress caused by these thoughts can interfere with work, studies, relationships and social life.
Everyone feels self-conscious about their appearance from time to time. With BDD, however, concerns about appearance can dominate your day, sometimes for several hours, and feel very difficult to control.
Symptoms vary from person to person, but they usually involve both obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviours.
The face, skin and hair are common focus areas in BDD, but the condition can involve any part of the body, including weight, muscle size or body shape.
In some cases, people seek cosmetic procedures to try to “fix” the feature they feel distressed about. However, cosmetic treatments rarely improve BDD symptoms because the difficulty lies in how the person perceives their appearance rather than the feature itself. As a result, distress often remains or shifts to another part of the body.
BDD can affect people of any age or gender. However, it is most commonly diagnosed in teenagers and young adults, often during periods of significant physical and social change.
Research suggests BDD may affect around 1% to 2% of the population, although the true number may be higher because many people do not seek help.
Social media, body image pressures and exposure to edited or filtered images may intensify existing vulnerabilities, particularly among younger people.
There is no single cause of BDD. It is likely to develop as a result of several interacting factors.
Experiences such as bullying, teasing or criticism about appearance can contribute to the development of BDD. These experiences may increase sensitivity to perceived flaws.
BDD often occurs alongside other mental health conditions, including anxiety disorders, depression and OCD. Having one of these conditions may increase the likelihood of developing BDD.
There is some evidence that BDD can run in families. This may be related to inherited traits associated with anxiety or obsessive thinking.
Unrealistic beauty standards and repeated exposure to idealised images, particularly on social media, can reinforce appearance-focused thinking in people who may already be vulnerable to body image concerns.
Understanding the factors that may be contributing to your symptoms can help guide an effective treatment plan.
You should consider seeking professional support if:
If you are in immediate danger or feel unable to keep yourself safe, call 999 or go to your nearest A&E department. You can also contact NHS 111 for urgent mental health advice.
Seeking support early can make a real difference and help you understand your symptoms and begin appropriate treatment.
BDD is treatable and evidence-based therapies can significantly reduce symptoms and improve quality of life.
CBT is the most widely recommended treatment for BDD. It helps you understand how your thoughts, emotions and behaviours are connected, and how these patterns maintain appearance-related distress.
Treatment may focus on:
Over time, CBT can help reduce obsessive thoughts about appearance and lessen the urge to carry out compulsive behaviours.
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) may be prescribed if symptoms are moderate to severe or if depression is also present. Medication is usually most effective when combined with therapy.
Any decision about medication should be made with a GP or psychiatrist, who can monitor progress and discuss potential benefits and side effects.
If you are also experiencing depression, anxiety or OCD, treatment can address these difficulties alongside BDD as part of a coordinated care plan.
Alongside professional treatment, the following strategies may help support recovery:
Recovery is usually gradual. Being patient and compassionate with yourself can make a meaningful difference.
At Priory, we offer personalised treatment for BDD as part of our wider mental health services.
Your care begins with a comprehensive mental health assessment. From there, we develop a tailored treatment plan that may include:
Our multidisciplinary teams include experienced psychiatrists, psychologists and therapists who specialise in anxiety-related conditions. We provide evidence-based treatment in a supportive and confidential environment.
As one of the UK’s leading independent providers of mental healthcare, we support thousands of people each year across a wide range of conditions, helping them move towards recovery and improved wellbeing.
Book your mental health assessment today to explore the most suitable treatment options for you.
BDD can feel isolating and overwhelming, but it is not something you have to manage alone.
With the right support, many people experience meaningful improvement in their symptoms and learn to build a healthier relationship with their appearance.
If you recognise these signs in yourself or someone you care about, speak to our team today and take the first step towards recovery.
