What is it?
This disorder has also been nicknamed ‘Imagined Ugliness Syndrome’ as sufferers of the condition have an irrational preoccupation with a perceived body defect, either present in themselves or in others; the latter being dysmorphophobia by proxy.
BDD sufferers cannot accept that their fears of their perceived body defect are out of all proportion, and frequently seek plastic surgery/other measures in an attempt to rectify the perceived problem.
DIY self diagnosis
If you can answer YES to most of the questions it is likely that you are affected by BDD.
Over the past 6 months:
- Have you felt disgusted by a particular aspect of your body?
- Did you feel that a part of your body is abnormal?
- Did you spend a lot of time examining/scrutinising your appearance?
- Did you avoid looking at yourself in mirrors, windows etc.?
- Did you feel that other people are looking at your appearance or are disgusted by it?
Anxiety UK strongly advises that people seek further information and guidance from their GP who will be able to make a formal diagnosis.
BDD Fact Sheet
To find out more information about BDD, click here to download a copy of our fact sheet.
How we can help
Anxiety UK is a user-led charity with more than forty years experience in supporting those living with anxiety. By becoming a member of Anxiety UK, you will have access to a range of benefits, including:
- Access to reduced cost therapy within two weeks of submitting your therapy request
- Access to our helpline (available Monday-Friday, 9:30 am – 5:30 pm) staffed by volunteers with personal experience of anxiety
- Receipt of four issues of Anxious Times, our quarterly members” magazine
- Access to the members only section of our website, featuring regular support surgeries facilitated by anxiety experts
- Access to specialist helplines, including the psychiatric pharmacy helpline and the psychology information helpline
And many, many other benefits that will help you manage your anxiety long term. To become a member of Anxiety UK click here or ring 08444 775 774 today.
Want to know more?
Overcoming Body Image Problems is a self help book based on cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). You can purchase it online in the Anxiety UK shop by clicking here.
Anxiety UK publishes a fact sheet and audio tapes dealing with BDD available to purchase by clicking here.
Recommended web sites
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Personal experience
Do you suffer from BDD and want to share your experience with other people? Post your personal experience in the comments box below where it will be sent to our moderator for approval. Many people find this part of the site very useful when trying to understand their disorder so your comments really do make a difference. Please note, all comments submitted to the Anxiety UK website may be used by Anxiety UK for (but not limited to) publicity and promotional material.
As far as I can remember I have always been conscious of my blemishes and scars; hiding my face behind makeup and shunning away from bright lighting.
I never let anyone see me without makeup because I feel naked without it. I feel that I am ugly and people will judge me. I have always heard comments that people find me pretty, but they see me behind the ‘mask’. This obsession rules my life. I can’t be seen without makeup; I can’t go underwater when I swim. My fear would be to have to remove my makeup in public. If I am having a very bad blemish day, sometimes it will prevent me from going out, especially in daylight. I feel stupid and I know to family and friends it sounds absurd, but they just don’t understand me. I feel alone in the way I’m feeling, but I’m sure other people are suffering to. I always believe if I could get rid of this problem my life would be so much happier and easier. It is my plight. I am even thinking of laser surgery, but am too scared to show my face to the surgeon and I am also worried about having to leave the hospital with no makeup. I’m lost.
Lara
sending...
Oh sweetheart….I know exactly how you feel. I have only just discovered that I have bdd, and I,m 53. You’re young(compared to me) and now you know that you have this condition…get some help. That elusive happiness is out there for you just waiting to be discovered. My heart went out to you reading your words. Big hugs from Wendy
Im am concerned that I have body dismorphic disorder. Im 26 and I havent felt comfortable with my body since I can remember. My earliest memory is being 5-6 years old and too scared to wear a certain pair of trousers because I thought they made me look fat.
I would tantrum and refuse to wear certain clothes. When I was a child i was very self concious, I always felt i looked fat and would be stressed how I looked when I went swimming, but looking back on photos I was a very slim child. I had bad teeth that required braces and I was often called goofy at school which lead me to cover my smile with my hand so people wouldnt look at my teeth, i carried on doing this subconciously even after my teeth were fixed. When I was a teenager I suffered with acne.
I used to spend a long time in the mirror picking at my skin. Picking it that it was so red and raw it would hurt. I used to hurt myself by putting too much acne cream, lemon juice, toothpaste or any remedy i could read about to get rid of my spots. I did it so much my skin would peel and then I would use excessive makeup. I would sit in the mirror and focus on my face so much I would cry at how ugly and repulsive I looked. It became a family joke that I was vain because I looked in the mirror so much, however this was not vanity it was because I was purely obessed with how ugly I look and id feel embarresed and would worry what people thought of me. It also got to the point that I hate standing in direct sunlight and if went out for the day I would stand in the shade or examine the room if i went to a bar or club to check if there were any spotlights as I always thought they make my skin look worse. I also went through a phase of wearing a scarf out and wrapping it around the lower half of my face. I dread the summer coming as I know theres more sunlight and I like winter because of the dark nights as I feel i can hide my face. The only time i felt normal about my body is when I was pregnant, i actually felt better being pregnant and relaxed for awhile about how I looked. However unlike normal pregnant women I wasnt worried about labour because of the pain, I was worried about the spotlights in the hospital room and how my skin would look under the light ( Mad I know ). My skin has cleared up alot however I do get the odd spot, i still pick at my skin somedays making it red raw and I sit in my mirror, observing my face from every angle. Ive started to focus on the size of my nose, to me it looks huge and so does my chin. Somedays I feel like i dont want to leave the house because I look so hideous I just want to cry and hide away. Ive always been told by other people and my partner that im attractive and ive never had a problem finding a partner, but I look at myself in the mirror and find it difficult to believe my partner could fancy me and then i convince myself hes going to cheat on me because im so ugly. I cant even answer my door if I have no make up on and when I have no make up on I feel vulnerable. I cant even look at my body now Ive had my son, my stretch marks and stomach make me feel sick and angry and im desparate to have a boob job at some point after breastfeeding my son. I probably couldnt give one part of my body that I like and it scares me that if I had the money the extensive surgery I probably would under go. I suffer with anxiety in general but my self-esteem is so low at the moment im so fed up of looking at myself and feeling so hideous. I then worry that im shallow and vain and why cant i just be grateful i have a loving partner and healthy child. Il feel ok for a few days and then I start crying in the mirror again, I constantly compare myself to other women and wish I looked like somebody else. I do compulsive things like cut off all my hair and then cry that I still look ugly then go and spend £150 on hair extensions and then still feel no better. Im exhausted of feeling this way and Im worried its spiraling out of control. Im so worried about talking about it because people just think im self-centred and vain, from the outside looking in I look confident and happy but its all a front. I take photos of myself reguarly to work out whether im pretty or ugly, I know they say if you have body dismorphia that you avoid photos but I dont, i like photos to see whether I look pretty or not, if i look awful I get upset and obsess about it, I then over analyse the photos, like my arms look big, I have horrible hands, hair etc.
I could go on and on, i just dont know what to do anymore I just want to be happy and content with the way I look, why should even matter as long as Im a nice person? Im worried im just a shallow horrible person and should be happy that im healthy, I keep telling myself this and I know the way i am is irrational but I cant control it :’(