Skip to main content Skip to bottom nav

What is body dysmorphia?

166 Answers
Last Updated: 09/15/2023 at 5:48am
1 Tip to Feel Better
United States
Moderated by

Jill Kapil, PsyD

Psychologist

I have over 9 years of clinical experience, specialize in anxiety, and am passionate about my work. My approach is collaborative, empathic, supportive, and goal-oriented.

Top Rated Answers
TheDerpyLlama
June 21st, 2016 12:41pm
Body dysmorphic disorder is a disorder involving obsessive focus on a perceived flaw in appearance. It's an/a anxiety/mental disorder which causes a person to have a distorted view of how they look and to spend a lot of time worrying about their appearance. For example, they maybe convinced that a barely visible scar is a major flaw that everyone is staring at, or that their nose looks abnormal.
OneMomentInHerPresence
April 28th, 2018 5:27pm
Body dysmorphia is not feeling comfortable in your body or feeling like there's something wrong with it. There are many types of body dysmorphia, one is a lot people with eating disorders have body dysmorphia and they think that they are fat when they are not
Anonymous
July 20th, 2017 8:44am
Body dysmorphia is not seeing what you actually look like. It's when you have a completely different view of how you look compared to how you look to other people. This can cause great anxiety and feelings of self-consciousness to people who experience body dysmorphia.
Anonymous
July 9th, 2016 7:21am
The idea that one's body is inherently flawed, and must do anything to fix it. Some of the issues in society that contribute to it are society's pressures as conveyed by the fashion industry and magazines.
blitheSun94
July 15th, 2016 11:59pm
I know more about this than I would like to admit. Body dysmorphia is an exaggerated thought pattern that leads you to identify flaws in your physique, real or imagined, and fixate on them in often harmful ways. Put simply, it means the person staring at their reflection does not see what others see, most notable among those with Eating Disorders. For a more formal definition, see WIKI- "Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), also known as body dysmorphia or dysmorphic syndrome, but originally termed dysmorphophobia, is a mental disorder characterized by an obsessive preoccupation that some aspect of one's own appearance is severely flawed and warrants exceptional measures to hide or fix it.[1] In BDD's delusional variant, the flaw is imagined.[2] If the flaw is actual, its importance is severely exaggerated.[2] Either way, one's thoughts about it are pervasive and intrusive, occupying up to several hours a day. The DSM-5 categorizes BDD in the obsessive–compulsive spectrum, and distinguishes it from anorexia nervosa."
Anonymous
June 25th, 2016 3:11am
Have you ever looked in a mirror and become fixated on a pimple or a scar or other flaw on your skin? Or been suddenly consumed by the idea that your nose looks weird? Now, imagine that this is all you saw every time you looked in the mirror. Imagine thinking that these flaws were the only things other people saw when they looked at you. With all of this leading to feelings of shame, self-hatred, and overly-critical thoughts about your appearance. When these thoughts and feelings become too time-consuming and cause problems in your daily life — this is body dysmorphic disorder.
MouseS
May 24th, 2020 10:33am
Body dysmorphic disorder is a mental health disorder in which you can't stop thinking about one or more perceived defects or flaws in your appearance (usually a flaw that appears minor or can't be seen by others). A sufferer from such a disorder may feel so embarrassed, ashamed and anxious that they may avoid many social situations. The signs of body dismorphic disorder tends to be: intensely focusing on your appearance and body image, repeatedly checking the mirror, grooming or seeking reassurance (sometimes for many hours each day). The perception of these flaws and the repetitive behaviors cause the sufferer significant distress, and impact their ability to function in daily life. Hope this helped - if you feel you identify with these symptoms/behaviours, consider seeking out a professional diagnosis/confiding in a loved one.
MikeyK
January 3rd, 2018 5:35pm
Body Dysmorphia is a mental illness in which a person focuses obsessively on their body image, consistently seeing and/or looking for flaws with how their body looks. These thoughts are often very intrusive, so even if someone tells a person with Body Dysmorphia that they look great, they still wouldn't see or agree to those compliments. This can sometimes lead to people eating less so that they look more fit or thinner, among other things. Some warning sides are: if a person is consistently looking in the mirror or pinching their body, comparing bodies, looking into getting surgeries, self-hate, avoiding mirrors, consistent clothes-changing, etc. Therapy can really help. I don't have Body Dysmorphia, but I have struggled with a lot of these symptoms and found that therapy can help, opening up about the flaws you see and realizing that there are really no flaws, everyone's beautiful the way they are.
DayDreamWithYou
June 25th, 2020 12:02am
Body dysmorphia is essentially a mental health disorder in which a person cannot stop thinking about a particular flaw in his/her/their appearance. These flaws are often minor, cannot be seen by others, or nonexistent. Some symptoms of body dysmorphia include: - constantly checking one’s own appearance - trying to hide this particular flaw (constantly checking mirrors, etc) - constantly comparing themselves to others - need constant reassurance from other - believing that others will notice and mock their flaw - attempting to fix their appearance (medical, cosmetics, etc) Some possible effects: - cause a significant amount of distress - affect one’s daily life - avoid any social events (avoiding family, friends, etc) - have a hard time seeing any good in themselves regarding their appearance
Evalistening
February 16th, 2020 5:15am
Body dysmorphia is when you focus on just one flaw in your body or something that you don’t like about yourself that probably no one sees except you and this “flaw” start getting to you that you start to avoid going out or socializing. It usually results from low self confidence. Many people used to relate it to past events where they were bullied by it. Also many people who get into body dysmorphia start getting anxious and can even suffer from depression. And the other way around, depression and anxiety can cause body dysmorphia. It’s a vicious cycle that revolves around self esteem and anxiety and depression. It is usually treated by Cognitive behavioral therapy
AlyssaP
August 27th, 2017 4:31am
Body dysmorphia is when you perceive your physical self in a way that is not reality. It is common and can be dealt with in many ways. It can feel like a trap, but with time and patience and care, someone suffering with it can begin to see themselves as they truly are.
courageousMelody30
March 14th, 2018 3:05pm
People with body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) think about their real or perceived flaws for hours each day. They can't control their negative thoughts and don't believe people who tell them that they look fine. Their thoughts may cause severe emotional distress and interfere with their daily functioning. They may miss work or school, avoid social situations and isolate themselves, even from family and friends, because they fear others will notice their flaws. It requires a great deal of strength to accept yourself the way you are.
Anonymous
November 22nd, 2020 5:52pm
body dysmorphic disorder is a mental disorder in which you can't stop thinking about one or more perceived defects or flaws in your appearance a flaw that, to others, is either minor or not observable. but you may feel so ashamed and anxious that you may avoid many social situations. when you have body dysmorphic disorder, you intensely obsess over your appearance and body image, repeatedly checking the mirror, grooming or seeking reassurance, sometimes for many hours each day.
pamharley003
January 5th, 2020 11:37pm
Body dysmorphic disorder is a mental health disorder in which you can't stop thinking about one or more perceived defects or flaws in your appearance — a flaw that appears minor or can't be seen by others. But you may feel so embarrassed, ashamed and anxious that you may avoid many social situations Signs and symptoms of body dysmorphic disorder include: Being extremely preoccupied with a perceived flaw in appearance that to others can't be seen or appears minor Strong belief that you have a defect in your appearance that makes you ugly or deformed Belief that others take special notice of your appearance in a negative way or mock you Engaging in behaviors aimed at fixing or hiding the perceived flaw that are difficult to resist or control, such as frequently checking the mirror, grooming or skin picking Attempting to hide perceived flaws with styling, makeup or clothes Constantly comparing your appearance with others Frequently seeking reassurance about your appearance from others Having perfectionist tendencies Seeking cosmetic procedures with little satisfaction Avoiding social situations
SpontaneousDragonfly
May 13th, 2018 9:47pm
Body dysmorphia is when a person looks at themselves and sees a worst version of themselves than what everyone else sees. The person's faults and flaws are all exaggerated to the point that they can't see past them.
WarmRainbow97
June 25th, 2016 3:41pm
Body dysmorphia is a mental disorder characterized by an obsessive preoccupation that some aspect of one's own appearance is severely flawed and warrants exceptional measures to hide or fix it. People who suffer with Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) don't just see things about themselves they don't like such as a lumpy nose or chubby cheeks. We all have flaws about our appearance we don't like. BDD is different. These people can't control their negative thoughts and they can get so serious that they isolate themselves.
Anonymous
June 29th, 2016 2:03pm
When individuals do not see their body how others see their body. They may believe themselves to be fat when really they are 100lbs.
Miracle
July 6th, 2016 4:06pm
Body dysmorphia (sometimes termed BDD, or body dysmorphic disorder) is a psychiatric disorder in which the individual becomes preoccupied with a particular feature of their body and view it to be unacceptable or flawed. It lies on the OCD spectrum and often involves repeated checking of the body part thought to be ugly, but which to others would appear normal or significantly less flawed than the sufferer perceives it. In eating disorders body dysmorphia can also be seen and suffers may see themselves as much larger than they are in reality, although this is distinguished from BDD, and is considered a symptom of the eating disorder.
BalancED
July 6th, 2016 4:30am
From how I understand it, body dysmorphia is a reaction to perceived flaws on one's own body. Feelings of anxiety or self-hatred could come up following fixation on a certain body part(s), whether or not anybody outside of the sufferer can perceive the same flaws or not.
Anonymous
July 5th, 2016 4:06am
Most of us have something we don't like about our appearance — a crooked nose, an uneven smile, or eyes that are too large or too small. And though we may fret about our imperfections, they don’t interfere with our daily lives. But people who have body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) think about their real or perceived flaws for hours each day. They can't control their negative thoughts and don't believe people who tell them that they look fine. Their thoughts may cause severe emotional distress and interfere with their daily functioning. They may miss work or school, avoid social situations and isolate themselves, even from family and friends, because they fear others will notice their flaws.
Anonymous
July 3rd, 2016 1:47am
This is a type of anxiety that causes a person to view themselves differently and causes you to spend a lot of time worrying about your appearance.
Anonymous
July 1st, 2016 12:13pm
I feel it is when you think your body looks horrendous regardless of what anyone else says to you. It is looking in the mirror and feeling utter shame for your body isn't good enough. It is a thought planting into the very core of our brain since we're young and to abolish it completely would be hard, but not impossible.
Anonymous
June 30th, 2016 4:17pm
Body dysmorphia is avoiding mirrors, it's seeing something that others don't, its feeling flawed. It's hiding or trying to correct a part of you that you find disgusting. No matter the reassurance you get it is always there, always visable to you and because you think of it you notice it more. You hide it away and do what you can to be hidden from it. It's feeling ashamed. It is scary feeling so strongly about something you cant change but it is anxiety and it can be helped.
politePond33
June 29th, 2016 7:13pm
A mental illness involving obsessive focus on a perceived flaw in appearance that is what badly dysmorphia
Flawlessinsanity21
July 13th, 2016 4:06am
Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a distinct mental disorder in which a person is preoccupied with an imagined physical defect or a minor defect that others often cannot see.
Anonymous
July 8th, 2016 3:28pm
Body dysmorphia involves an inaccurate perception of ones own body shape or type. This may range from being unable to see that you are severely underweight due to a belief that you 'too fat', or vice versa.thus may also involve seeing a facial disfiguration for example, that is not as intense as one believes, or may not exist. The main idea is that one tends to hold a negative belief regarding their physical appearance, where the image they see is inaccurate, and represents the issue they have with their appearance - they will struggle to satisfy their need to be muscular for example, as they will always see themselves as inadequate and won't recognise the muscle they do have. It takes a lot of work for them to understand and value themselves accurately and positively, as they must overcome the intrusive thoughts and potentially the comments others have made that have aided in this feeling of inadequacy.
Anonymous
July 16th, 2016 5:57pm
Well, body dysmorphia is defined as a psychological disorder in which a person becomes obsessed with imaginary defects in their appearance. When someone has body dysmorphia they tend to obsess over certain features out of insecurity and fear.
Anonymous
July 12th, 2016 1:42am
Body dysmorphia is not feeling comfortable in the body you are, like feeling you were born the wrong gender. This is what drives a lot of transexual people, to transition
BeautifulSunshine86
June 29th, 2016 12:54am
Body dysmorphia is when you begin to see yourself in a way that is not how you really look. Your brain tricks you into thinking you look a certain way, so that's how you begin to see yourself. It's more common in those with eating disorders. For example, someone with anorexia may begin to see themselves as overweight no matter how small they actually are.
Anonymous
July 9th, 2016 3:04pm
Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is an anxiety disorder that causes a person to have a distorted view of how they look and to spend a lot of time worrying about their appearance. For example, they may be convinced that a barely visible scar is a major flaw that everyone is staring at, or that their nose looks abnormal.