Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a distinct mental disorder in which a person is preoccupied with an imagined physical defect or a minor ...MenuAnxiety&PanicDisordersBipolarDisorderDepressionEatingDisordersSchizophreniaSubstanceAbuse&AddictionNews&FeaturesReferenceQuizzesSlideshowsVideosQuestions&AnswersFindaPsychiatristADHDCrisisAssistanceHealth&BalanceLivingHealthyMilitaryFamiliesSupportPersonalityDisordersPTSDStressManagementMoreRelatedTopicsMentalHealthReferenceMenuMedicallyReviewedbySmithaBhandari, MDonJune30,2020InthisArticleWhatAretheSymptomsofBodyDysmorphicDisorder?WhatCausesBodyDysmorphicDisorder?HowIsBodyDysmorphicDisorderDiagnosed?HowIsBodyDysmorphicDisorderTreated?WhatComplicationsAreAssociatedWithBodyDysmorphicDisorder?WhatIstheOutlookforPeopleWithBodyDysmorphicDisorder?CanBodyDysmorphicDisorderBePrevented?Bodydysmorphicdisorder(BDD)isadistinctmentaldisorderinwhichapersonispreoccupiedwithanimaginedphysicaldefectoraminordefectthatothersoftencannotsee.Asaresult,peoplewiththisdisorderseethemselvesas"ugly"andoftenavoidsocialexposureorturntoplasticsurgerytotrytoimprovetheirappearance.BDDsharessomefeatureswitheatingdisordersandobsessive-compulsivedisorder.BDDissimilartoeatingdisordersinthatbothinvolveaconcernwithbodyimage.However,apersonwithaneatingdisorderworriesaboutweightandtheshapeoftheentirebody,whileapersonwithBDDisconcernedaboutaspecificbodypart.Peoplewithobsessivecompulsivedisorder(OCD)haverecurringanddistressingthoughts,fears,orimages(obsessions)thattheycannotcontrol.Theanxiety(nervousness)producedbythesethoughtsleadstoanurgentneedtoperformcertainritualsorroutines(compulsions).WithBDD,aperson'spreoccupationwiththedefectoftenleadstoritualisticbehaviors,suchasconstantlylookinginamirrororpickingattheskin.ThepersonwithBDDeventuallybecomessoobsessedwiththedefectthattheirsocial,work,andhomefunctioningsuffers.BDDisachronic(long-term)disorderthataffectsmenandwomenequally.Itusuallybeginsduringtheteenyearsorearlyadulthood.Themostcommonareasofconcernforpeoplew