‘I will be at death’s door and realize that I’ve wasted maybe half of my life on one body part’: the experience of living with body dysmorphic disorder

Body dysmorphic disorder in female Swedish dermatology patients

“…The shame associated with the disorder may also prevent BDD patients from revealing their "real" BDD preoccupations to healthcare professionals. 20 To the best of our knowledge, no previous studies have reported data on the psychological condition of BDD patients in dermatology settings. The high levels of depression and anxiety in patients who screened positive for BDD in our study support the findings of previous studies of BDD patients.…”

“…Another explanation may be that, as many BDD patients scrutinize their skin and facial features, in addition to their perceived defects, they may become aware of other skin changes and seek dermatological care. The shame associated with the disorder may also prevent BDD patients from revealing their “real” BDD preoccupations to healthcare professionals …”

“…8,[16][17][18][19] However, BDD often goes unrecognized by dermatologists, plastic surgeons, and other physicians whom these patients approach first in their attempts to correct their perceived flaws. 12,20 Body dysmorphic disorder prevalence rates of 1.7-2.4% have been identified in general population samples in Germany, Sweden, and the United States. [21][22][23][24] In dermatology settings, a few studies have systematically assessed the occurrence of BDD and have found higher prevalence rates of 4.5-14%.…”

“…Treatments that have been shown to be effective for BDD are high‐dose serotonin‐reuptake inhibitors and cognitive behavioral therapy . However, BDD often goes unrecognized by dermatologists, plastic surgeons, and other physicians whom these patients approach first in their attempts to correct their perceived flaws …”

Predictors of remission from body dysmorphic disorder after internet-delivered cognitive behavior therapy: a machine learning approach

“…Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) has an estimated prevalence of about 2% [1,2] in the general population, and is characterized by a distressing and impairing preoccupation with perceived defects or flaws in physical appearance that are not noticeable, or only appear slight to others [3]. Thoughts about the disliked body parts are perceived as intrusive, difficult to control and time consuming, leading to a disproportionate preoccupation [4]. Insight about the perceived defects varies on a continuum from fair to delusional, but is typically poor [5,6].…”