W hether by means of television, newspapers or magazines, we are constantly presented with images of perfect faces and bodies. While maturing in such an environment, the impressionable adolescent develops a mental image of how the ideal man or woman should appear. Persons who become preoccupied with perfection often view themselves as imperfect and may develop a distorted picture of their own body and face. Often, the primary care physician has the first opportunity to intervene with these patients. Definitions and Etiology Patients with BDD are excessively preoccupied with a minor or an imagined defect of a specific body part, resulting in impaired social, academic or occupational functioning.
Body image is defined as a mental picture of the size, shape and form of our body.
It also describes our feelings about these physical characteristics. A significantly distorted perception of the body may lead to self-destructive behaviors aimed at improving the appearance of the body. 1 Patients with BDD have an excessive preoccupation with a slight or imagined defect of a specific body part that results in impaired social, academic or occupational functioning. BDD must be distinguished from eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa that involve a preoccupation with overall body shape and weight. Table 1 4-6 contrasts the features of BDD and eating disorders.