Since people affected by BDD are often attractive objectively, it is not surprising that they may be misperceived as being vain and frequently are not properly diagnosed in a timely manner, or ever, in part because their plight is easy to minimize or mock.
One of the most conspicuous symptoms of BDD is the distorted perception of one's own appearance. For example, a person with BDD may believe his nose is crooked, or that he has acne scars all over his face, or that his hair is thinning.
In BDD, people are tormented by obsessive thoughts associated with a part or parts of their physical appearance being flawed in some way, yet these flaws tend not to be noticeable to anyone but themselves.
Don't counter with compliments like “you're so skinny,” “I'd kill to look like you,” or “but you're so gorgeous!” ― this will only minimize their concerns and demean how they feel, and that's the opposite of what you want to be doing.
Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) and insecurity are two different things. The former is a commonly misunderstood condition, while the latter is a feeling many people experience from time to time. Insecurity is part of having body dysmorphia, but it's not a clinical diagnosis like it.
Individuals with body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) have been postulated to have schizoid, narcissistic, and obsessional personality traits and to be sensitive, introverted, perfectionistic, and insecure.
BDD patients typically perceive defects of their own appearance, often a facial feature, which are not noticeable or appear minor to others. They also frequently check appearance features of others to compare to their own (Phillips, 2005).
You never want to chalk symptoms of BDD up to vanity or insecurity, or imply that it's a phase they'll get over. “When we hear such phrases, we feel discouraged from talking about BDD,” Esther, 20, who was diagnosed with BDD at 18, tells SELF.
Do not judge them as self-obsessed. Be a good listener. Open a safe space to talk. People with body dysmorphia can find it hard to acknowledge and share their thoughts and feelings in most cases because they find them embarrassing.
One problem is that many people who actually have BDD don't realize that they do, because they think they really do look ugly, abnormal, or flawed, even though they actually don't in the eyes of others.
BDD is most likely to start in your teens or early adult years. People usually develop BDD around 12 or 13 years old. Two-thirds of people with BDD develop it before age 18. However, BDD can also start in adulthood.
Symptoms of BDD typically begin during adolescence, most commonly by 12-13 years old. [1] If a child or teen obsesses about their appearance, is overly critical of perceived minor flaws and experiences severe distress as a result, they might be showing signs of body dysmorphic disorder.
This research echoes findings in the UCL research – that people with BDD find it hard to see their face holistically, instead focusing on perceived imperfections and convincing themselves that everyone else will see these in exactly the same way that they do.
Facial dysmorphia is a mental health condition where the sufferer has a warped perception of the appearance of their face. This commonly includes distorted views on how their nose, skin and teeth look.
People of any age can have BDD, but it's most common in teenagers and young adults. It affects both men and women. Having BDD does not mean you're vain or self-obsessed. It can be very upsetting and have a big impact on your life.
Body dysmorphic disorder usually doesn't get better on its own. If left untreated, it may get worse over time, leading to anxiety, extensive medical bills, severe depression, and even suicidal thoughts and behavior.
V“I'm sorry you're going through this.”
While this might sound like a simple thing to say, letting people with BDD know you're sympathetic towards their condition is comforting and expressing your empathy shows them that you truly care for them.
A 2018 study conducted by researchers from the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden found that patients with BDD were twice as likely to be diagnosed with ADHD, and a 2019 study revealed that body dysmorphia is more prevalent with conditions of obsessive compulsive disorder, anxiety and ADHD.
BDD tends to get worse with age. Plastic surgery to correct a body flaw rarely helps. If you have a child or teenager who seems overly worried about his or her appearance and needs constant reassurance, talk with your healthcare provider.
BDD has both psychotic and nonpsychotic variants, which are classified as separate disorders in DSM-IV (delusional disorder and a somatoform disorder).
A big way BDD can affect your relationships is by making it difficult for you to be intimate with your partner. You might feel ashamed or insecure about your appearance, which makes it really hard to be present and connected with your partner.
The brains of people with BDD may not provide adequate visual “templates” for them to integrate and contextualize details such as minor flaws or imperfections, which could contribute to distortions in perceptions.
Anyone of any age can have BDD - and it affects both men and women. But it can affect them differently - for instance, BDD may make a man see themselves as skinnier, and less muscly than they are. It can make a woman see themselves as much bigger than they are, and vice versa.
By Katharine Phillips, MD Body Dysmorphic Disorder currently affects 1.7% to 2.9% of the general population. This means that more than 5 million people to nearly 10 million people in the United States alone have BDD. These numbers are based on five nationwide population-based prevalence studies.