page_title: Body dysmorphic disorder
section_title: Features of BDD
hierarchical_section_title: Body dysmorphic disorder / Features of BDD
caption_attribution_description: T-shirt slogan reads in mirror: it's not gonna suck itself Electric razor and stubble
context_page_description: Body dysmorphic disorder is a mental illness where people think they look different to how they really look. People are usually said to have BDD if they are extremely critical of their body, even though there may be nothing noticeably wrong with it. If there is something wrong with their body, it is usually so small that a person without BDD would not be unhappy about it at all. People claim that they are insecure, but BDD is far worse.
  Most people without BDD may not like some parts of their body, but people with BDD believe that they are so ugly, even though they are not, that they find it difficult to talk or exist with other people, or live normally, scared that other people will be mean to them because of the way they look. People with BDD often do not look for help because they are afraid others will think they are just vain, or they may feel too embarrassed to talk to other people as they think they are so ugly.
  BDD is a somatoform disorder. People with BDD may look at themselves in the mirror too much, or some people with BDD may actually try not to look in the mirror. Both of these are possible for a person with BDD.
context_section_description: A person with BDD will often do these things:
  Look in the mirror a lot, look in reflective doors, windows and other reflective surfaces.
  If the person does not look in the mirror a lot, they will try not to look in the mirror or at photographs ever, and will often not have mirrors in their home.
  Touch their skin a lot to feel the 'imagined' problem.
  Wanting other people to say good things to them about the way they look a lot.
  Asking other people about the way they look a lot.
  Not talk to people a lot.
  Not having much confidence
  Comparing the way they look to people they want to look like a lot. This may be of celebrities, or people in their life.
  Doing exercise or having diets more than normal.
  Doing these things a lot: combing hair, plucking eyebrows, shaving, etc.
  Using medicine to change the body shape and body size.
  Wanting plastic surgery or more than one plastic surgery, more than normal.
  In some extreme examples, patients have tried to do plastic surgery to themself.
caption: People with BDD spend hours getting ready to go out
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