Skip to main content

Body Dysmorphic Disorder: Some Signs and Symptoms

I was delivering training/lecturing to a group of trainee CBT Therapists in Glasgow yesterday about treatment and therapy for Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD). They learned a lot about BDD and just how much it really distresses those experiencing it and impact on their life.

Some of the signs and symptoms of BDD include (we are all different though, so some signs may not be listed/be different): 

* Do you feel that you have one or more features that are very noticeable, abnormal, ugly or ‘not right’?

* Have others close to you or a health professional said that the feature(s) are not that noticeable, abnormal or ugly or look OK?

* If you add up all the time your feature(s) is/are at the forefront of your mind and make the best estimate for a typical day, do you worry (or brood) about it/them for an hour or more a day?

* Does your worry about your feature(s) cause you marked distress?

* Does your worry about your feature(s) significantly interfere with your ability to work, study, as a homemaker?

* Does your worry about your feature(s) significantly interfere with your social life? Or do you try to avoid social situations because of your feature(s)?

* If you have no current partner: has your worry about your feature(s) had a significant effect on dating or interfered with your ability to form an intimate relationship?

* If you have a regular partner: has your worry about your feature(s) interfered in the relationship with your partner?

If ‘yes’ to first 3 questions and one or more to 4-7 – may have BDD. If you are mainly preoccupied with weight and it affecting your relationship with food/eating, it's more likely you are experiencing an eating disorder (although some people with eating disorders experience BDD too.

It's important to note body image problems are not BDD: BDD is a form of body image problem.

I also planning a 2-day training course on BDD for other mental health clinicians (therapists,psychologists, counsellors etc. next year).

Hope the info above is useful. Please seek help and support if you think you may be experiencing BDD or body image problems that are causing you distress or impacting on your life.

Best wishes, 

Alexandra 

www.eatingdisorderscotland.co.uk
support@eatingdisorderscotland.co.uk


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

VACANCY: EATING DISORDERS THERAPIST/COUNSELLOR/CBT THERAPIST (ADULTS AND/OR CHILDREN) - GLASGOW CITY CENTRE

  Psychotherapist/CBT Therapist/Counsellor: Child and/or Adult Eating Disorders (over 16s) (all modalities welcome to apply)  We also welcome applications from specialist eating disorder therapists who can also work with under 16s as we have demand for this. So, if you can work with children and adults, please also apply. Please STATE IF YOU ARE APPLYING for OVER 16s ONLY or CHILDREN AND ADULTS. CLOSING DATE: MONDAY 2nd June 2025, 5PM INTERVIEWS: W/B 9th June 2025 START DATE: BY END OF June 2025 (following induction training and clinic viewing/induction) You will see clients at our offices in Glasgow city centre. This is NOT an online role so please do not apply if you cannot work with clients at our clinic in Glasgow city centre.This role is NOT SUITABLE for international candidates. Please contact email us on support@eatingdisorderscotland.co.uk for a Role Description and Application Form. We do not accept CVs.   ROLE DESCRIPTION Talking EDs: Eating Disorders Suppo...

Attention all therapists and counsellors working in Glasgow!

Attention all therapists and counsellors working in Glasgow!   We offer therapy and consulting room hire in Glasgow city centre (discount for your first 3 months).   But did you know we all offer a range of other services to psychotherapists, counsellors, psychologists and other mental health professionals including clinical supervision, supervision groups, networking clubs, discounted therapy and dietitian services, private practice coaching and mentoring and more.   Get in touch today to find out more!   Best wishes,    Glasgow Therapy Rooms     CONTACT W: www.glasgowtherapyrooms.co.uk E: contact@glasgowtherapyrooms.co.uk      

Learning more about my relationship with food

Learning more about my relationship with food     ''Learning more about my relationship with food in therapy and where that came from not only helped me to see it wasn't my fault I had an eating disorder: it motivated me to do something about it and my therapist really supported me to make those changes'' (Previous Client) . We are here to support you to make the changes you want and need in your life, regardless of what form the eating disorder takes, your weight, how much you eat/don't eating, how you feel, what age you are and hoe long you have been struggling. If life is difficult and you want some support to improve that, our skilled, encouraging and professional therapists and dietitians are here to work with you and your personal and individual needs, concerns and preferences.    We offer in-person appointments in Glasgow city centre and online appointments to anyone in the UK - we're not restricted to working with people in Scotland only.    Get in ...