Characteristics of BDD ... BDD is a body-image disorder characterized by persistent and intrusive preoccupations with an imagined or slight defect ...SkiptomaincontentBodyDysmorphicDisorderAdvertisementUnderstandingBodyDysmorphicDisorder(BDD) Mostofushavesomethingwedon'tlikeaboutourappearance—acrookednose,anunevensmile,oreyesthataretoolargeortoosmall.Andthoughwemayfretaboutourimperfections,theydon’tinterferewithourdailylives. Butpeoplewhohavebodydysmorphicdisorder(BDD)thinkabouttheirrealorperceivedflawsforhourseachday.Theycan'tcontroltheirnegativethoughtsanddon'tbelievepeoplewhotellthemthattheylookfine.Theirthoughtsmaycausesevereemotionaldistressandinterferewiththeirdailyfunctioning.Theymaymissworkorschool,avoidsocialsituationsandisolatethemselves,evenfromfamilyandfriends,becausetheyfearotherswillnoticetheirflaws.   CharacteristicsofBDDBDDisabody-imagedisordercharacterizedbypersistentandintrusivepreoccupationswithanimaginedorslightdefectinone'sappearance. PeoplewithBDDcandislikeanypartoftheirbody,althoughtheyoftenfindfaultwiththeirhair,skin,nose,chest,orstomach.Inreality,aperceiveddefectmaybeonlyaslightimperfectionornonexistent.ButforsomeonewithBDD,theflawissignificantandprominent,oftencausingsevereemotionaldistressanddifficultiesindailyfunctioning. BDDmostoftendevelopsinadolescentsandteens,andresearchshowsthatitaffectsmenandwomenalmostequally.IntheUnitedStates,BDDoccursinabout2.5%inmales,andin2.2%offemales.BDDoftenbeginstooccurinadolescents12-13yearsofage(AmericanPsychiatricAssociation,2013). ThecausesofBDDareunclear,butcertainbiologicalandenvironmentalfactorsmaycontributetoitsdevelopment,includinggeneticpredisposition,neurobiologicalfactorssuchasmalfunctioningofserotonininthebrain,personalitytraits,andlifeexperiences(e.g.childmaltreatment,sexualtrauma,peer-abuse). LearnmoreaboutBDDSymptoms&RelatedDisorders   AdvertisementAdvertisementEducationalResourcesTips&StrategiesfromourMemberExpertsandPublicCommunityBlockreferenceBlogTheUnderdogofOCD-RelatedConcernsJustGotTr