Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD)

Surgery can be lifesaving. Surgery is often needed and can, for many conditions and situations, be a game changer. But more often than not, a surgical procedure for someone with Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) will not help. It could potentially relieve the person of their symptoms for a short amount of time but it cannot treat or cure the underlying disorder.
There can be confusion when differentiating between body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) and eating disorders (EDs). They both involve pre-occupying appearance-related thoughts and repetitive behaviours, but are treated differently.
The pandemic set a new era into motion. When the world went into lockdown in 2020, people learned to fear the outside and any social interaction, becoming extremely fearful of contracting the deadly virus.
Body Dysmorphic Disorder is an unhealthy preoccupation with not just the look, shape, or feel of one’s body or a specific part, but the shame one experiences in the appearance of their body, or a certain aspect of it, really hits the mark. BDD is a chronic condition that can be debilitating and can disrupt various aspects of the person’s day-to-day life for years.
Many mental health professionals are now conducting patient visits virtually. I am one of the only psychologists left in my building who has stayed behind to continue in-person work while abiding by COVID protocols. Since our practice specializes in refractory OCD spectrum disorders and anxiety disorders a lot of the work done at our outpatient clinic requires in-vivo exposures, which cannot be replicated on Zoom.
In BDD, people are tormented by obsessive thoughts associated with a part or parts of their physical appearance being flawed in some way, yet these flaws tend not to be noticeable to anyone but themselves.
Eda Gorbis, PhD, LMFT
ADAA Member Eda Gorbis, PhD, LMFT shares information about the various forms of OCD and the best treatment options.
Eric Goodman, PhD

Telling oneself not to be anxious during the COVID-19 pandemic is like trying to tell water not to be wet. These are anxious times.

Eda Gorbis PhD, LMFT

We all have that one feature on our face or bodies that we don’t like. Maybe your nose tip is a millimeter longer than you would prefer? Perhaps you feel that your cheekbones can be more pronounced? No matter the issue, body insecurity is common among us all.

Eda Gorbis PhD, LMFT

Peggy, an attorney in her late 30s, establishes rituals to protect herself from aging and in her mind, becoming ugly.