

Best Books That Will Help You Overcome Body Dysmorphic Disorder

Love Your Body by Yong Kang Chan
This book is not just about body image and physical appearance. It’s also about learning to trust your body and developing a better relationship with it.
Many of us love ourselves conditionally, based on what we can see. We are only happy when we are beautiful and well. But what about those times when we are not? Does it mean we are unworthy of love?
Reading this spiritual book helps you love yourself beyond the physical form and see beauty in yourself and everyone else. If changing your physical appearance frustrates you, this book is for you.
Print | eBook | Audio
10 Best Books on Body Dysmorphic Disorder and Overcoming BDD
Disclosure: Please note that the links below are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. I will earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase, but it will be at no additional cost to you.
1. The Broken Mirror by Katharine Phillips
Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) isn’t rare but it’s usually hidden and underdiagnosed since sufferers often feel ashamed about being obsessed with their looks. When they share with others the perceived flaws in their appearance, they are usually misunderstood as vain so they rather hide it from their friends.
Drawn on years of clinical practice, scientific research, and numerous real-life stories from patients, this book clearly explains what BDD is and the private thoughts and lives of people struggling with this disorder.
If you want a compassionate yet informative read on this topic, this is the book for you.
2. The Body Image Workbook by Thomas Cash
If you don’t like what you see when you look in the mirror, it’s not about changing your looks. It’s about changing your perception.
Through a series of exercises, worksheets and reflections, you will embark on a journey to redefine the way you view yourself from the inside out.
Not only will you explore your perceptions, strengths and vulnerabilities, you’ll also learn powerful tools to build confidence and accept your body.
If you want a strategic, step-by-step, hands on approach to dealing with body image issues, this book is for you.
Print | eBook
3. Shattered Image by Brian Cuban
The author is a successful lawyer, TV host and the younger brother of the famous entrepreneur, Mark Cuban. In this memoir, he shares his struggles in Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) and the eating disorders, depression and addictions that come along with it.
Apart from giving an honest account of how he developed BDD and how it has affected his life for over thirty years, this book is also about how he overcame BDD and become confident in his body.
If you are losing hope with your condition, this book will give you new hope for recovery.
Print | eBook
4. The Body Image Workbook for Teens by Julia Taylor
Due to societal and peer pressure, it’s easy for a teenager to become self-conscious and obsessed with their looks and body image.
Written for teenage girls and their parents, this book helps teens to stop comparing themselves to others, silence their inner critic and build self-confidence. It includes 40 activities and various examples of real girls who are experiencing the problem.
Each chapter has one activity and it is only a few pages long. So this book is very reader-friendly for a teenager. You just need about 15 to 20 minutes per day to complete each exercise.
5. Understanding Body Dysmorphic Disorder by Katharine Phillips
This is an essential guide to understanding Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD). If you are not sure you have BDD or just some normal body image concern, you can read this book to find out.
Using various stories, interviews and a quick self-assessment questionnaire, this book shows you the different behaviors and symptoms of a BDD sufferer. Many sufferers are able to function well in society, but remain secretly obsessed by their imperfections.
This book is good for family and friends too as it provides them with advice on how to interact with the BDD sufferer and the treatments that work.
Print | eBook
6.Reflections on Body Dysmorphic Disorder by Nicole Schnackenberg & Sergio Petro
This book is written mostly by sufferers, family members, and carers of those who have struggled with Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD).
If you are someone who learns through reading about other people’s experiences and how they overcome their struggle, this is the book for you. In this book, you will find thirty-six stories of courage, determination and hope, which give you insights into how this disorder exhibits in different people.
Their stories will inspire you to seek treatment and believe that recovery is possible. At the start of the book, the author also summarizes the core themes found in these stories.
Print | eBook
7. Feeling Good about the Way You Look by Sabine Wilhelm
Written by a Harvard psychologist, this book uses cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) as a process to deal with body imperfections. It can be used as a self help resource or with a therapist.
The author leads you through a step-by-step program that helps you fight the urge to spend hours grooming, camouflaging your flaws, or checking the mirror.
This book is mainly written for people who suffer from Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD). But even if you do not have BDD and only have mild body image issues, this book can be useful to you too.
Print | eBook
8. A Man Devoured By His Body, Food & Work by Stuart McRobert
If you believe that your body is not sufficiently muscular or large enough, this is the book for you.
This book is written for people who suffer from Muscle Dysmorphia (MD) (also referred as Bigorexia). People with MD are obsessed with weight training and no matter how much they improve their body, they are still dissatisfied with it. Even if others admire their physique, they still find their body imperfect.
Written by a strength training writer, this book details the author’s personal struggle with his mental health and the healing he received from therapy. It is suitable for bodybuilders and exercise enthusiasts.
9. Skin Picking by Annette Pasternak
Written by a holistic health coach, this book is about skin picking. Skin picking can be one of symptoms or behaviors that a Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) sufferer exhibits.
Even though Excoriation Disorder (also referred as Dermatillomania) is not the same as BDD, reading this book can help you break your habit of skin picking.
In this book, you will find techniques to reduce stress and anxiety naturally, thus reducing the body’s need to pick. You will also learn to release negative thoughts and emotions that are holding you back.
If you are obsessed with skin picking, this book is suitable for you.
10. Compared to Who? by Heather Creekmore
If you are a chronic comparer and you are tired of others telling you not to worry about your body image, this is the book for you.
Written with humor and honesty, the author weaves her personal story and struggle into the book. Unlike the other books, this book helps you change your perspective on the whole body image issues by offering you spiritual solutions and a biblical path to improve your body image.
The author writing style is highly relatable but only read this book if you are open to Christianity.
Hey there, I’m Yong Kang, best known as Nerdy Creator. I’m an author of seven books. I write about spirituality, self-compassion, and mindfulness. I love reading books, especially non-fiction. The list above is a combination of what I have read and my research. Each year, I create a Top 10 list of my favorite books .
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The BDD Workbook: Overcome Body Dysmorphic Disorder and End Body Image Obsessions (A New Harbinger Self-Help Workbook) Paperback – September 9, 2002
- Paperback $28.94 19 Used from $2.99 5 New from $24.94
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Do you struggle with constant feelings that your body is not good enough? Do you imagine that, if you could just change you appearance, you would be happier and more fulfilled? If you do, you might be dealing with the effects of a problem called body dysmorphic disorder (BDD).
Individuals who suffer from BDD are excessively preoccupied with the shape or size of their body-obsessed with a facial blemish, a minor bodily defect, or some specific aspect of their appearance. They spend hours each day thinking about their perceived deformity, checking and rechecking their appearance in the mirror, camouflaging themselves with makeup or clothing. Men affected by a form of BDD known as muscle dysmorphia are obsessively concerned about their muscular development, no matter how large and pumped up they are. In extreme cases BDD leads to unnecessary plastic surgery, serious eating disorders, steroid abuse, and even suicide.
The good news is that BDD is highly treatable with cognitive-behavioral techniques provided in The BDD Workbook in a step-by-step, easy-to-follow format. OCD experts Claiborn and Pedrick guide you through a proven intervention plan that helps you recognize your distorted self-perception and come to terms with how it leads you to self-inflicted emotional and physical pain. Exercises, charts, and worksheets help you to develop a healthier response to your body and a more balanced self-image. The book provides information about BDD-related eating disorders and the special problems of children with self-image issues. It also offers suggestions to help you gain support from family members, medical professionals, and support groups.
This book has been awarded The Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies Self-Help Seal of Merit — an award bestowed on outstanding self-help books that are consistent with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) principles and that incorporate scientifically tested strategies for overcoming mental health difficulties. Used alone or in conjunction with therapy, our books offer powerful tools readers can use to jump-start changes in their lives.
- Part of series A New Harbinger Self-Help Workbook
- Print length 208 pages
- Language English
- Publisher New Harbinger Publications
- Publication date September 9, 2002
- Dimensions 8.46 x 0.47 x 10.92 inches
- ISBN-10 1572242930
- ISBN-13 978-1572242937
- See all details

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- Publisher : New Harbinger Publications; 1st edition (September 9, 2002)
- Language : English
- Paperback : 208 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1572242930
- ISBN-13 : 978-1572242937
- Item Weight : 1.11 pounds
- Dimensions : 8.46 x 0.47 x 10.92 inches
- #141 in Self-Help for Eating Disorders & Body Image Issues (Books)
- #763 in Self-Esteem (Books)
- #2,673 in Personal Transformation Self-Help
About the authors
Cherry pedrick.
I’m Cherry Pedrick, a writer with over twenty years experience as a nurse. The goal of my writing has been to help people make positive changes in their spiritual, mental, and physical lives. Much of my writing is about obsessive-compulsive disorder. My husband Jim and I live with our four cats in the beautiful South Puget Sound in the Pacific Northwest and travel frequently to Texas. Visit my blog at ocd-breakingfree.blogspot.com/
James Claiborn
Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read author blogs and more
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Simple and Practical Mental Health
The BEST resource for mental health clinicians
BEST books about Body Dysmorphic Disorder
The broken mirror: understanding and treating body dysmorphic disorder, understanding body dysmorphic disorder, cognitive-behavioral therapy for body dysmorphic disorder: a treatment manual.
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Are we missing body dysmorphic disorder , body dysmorphic disorder: pharmacological treatment, body dysmorphic disorder: cognitive-behavior therapy, what are the best books on each topic related to psychiatry/ mental health.
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Books for Clinicians
Here are some treatment manuals that you might find useful if you have a patient who is presenting with bdd symptoms, treatment guidelines (nice).
The UK has produced best practice guidelines for treating BDD.
- The NICE Clinical Guidelines for Obsessive Compulsive and Body Dysmorphic Disorder (2005).
Find out more how to best support a patient with BDD >
Treatment Manuals

Body Dysmorphic Disorder: a treatment manual
David Veale, Fugen Neziroglu Wiley: Chichester
Declaration of Interest: David Veale is a trustee of the BDD Foundation.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Body Dysmorphic Disorder: A Treatment Manual
Wilhelm S, Phillips KA, Steketee G.
Presenting an effective treatment approach specifically tailored to the unique challenges of body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), this book is grounded in state-of-the-art research. The authors are experts on BDD and related conditions. They describe ways to engage patients who believe they have defects or flaws in their appearance. Provided are clear-cut strategies for helping patients overcome the self-defeating thoughts, impairments in functioning, and sometimes dangerous ritualistic behaviors that characterize BDD. Clinician-friendly features include step-by-step instructions for conducting each session and more than 50 reproducible handouts and forms; the large-size format facilitates photocopying.
See also the related self-help guide by Dr. Wilhelm, Feeling Good about the Way You Look , an ideal recommendation for clients with BDD or less severe body image problems.

Body Dysmorphic Disorder: Advances in Research and Clinical Practice
Katharine Phillips
This landmark book is the first comprehensive edited volume on body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), a common and severe disorder. People with BDD are preoccupied with distressing or impairing preoccupations with non-existent or slight defects in their physical appearance. People with BDD think that they look ugly ― even monstrous ― although they look normal to others. BDD often derails sufferers’ lives and can lead to suicide.
BDD has been described around the world since the 1800s but was virtually unknown and unstudied until only several decades ago. Since then, research on BDD has dramatically increased understanding of this often-debilitating condition. Only recently, BDD was considered untreatable, but today, most sufferers can be successfully treated.
This is the only book that provides comprehensive, in-depth, up-to-date information on BDD’s clinical features, history, classification, epidemiology, morbidity, features in special populations, diagnosis and assessment, etiology and pathophysiology, treatment, and relationship to other disorders. Numerous chapters focus on cosmetic treatment, because it is frequently received but usually ineffective for BDD, which can lead to legal action and even violence toward treating clinicians. The book includes numerous clinical cases, which illustrate BDD’s clinical features, its often-profound consequences, and recommended treatment approaches.
This volume’s contributors are the leading researchers and clinicians in this rapidly expanding field. Editor Katharine A. Phillips, head of the DSM-V committee on BDD, has done pioneering research on many aspects of this disorder, including its treatment.
This book will be of interest to all clinicians who provide mental health treatment and to researchers in BDD, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, and other obsessive-compulsive and related disorders. It will be indispensable to surgeons, dermatologists, and other clinicians who provide cosmetic treatment. Students and trainees with an interest in psychology and mental health will also be interested in this book.
This book fills a major gap in the literature by providing clinicians and researchers with cutting-edge, indispensable information on all aspects of BDD and its treatment.
Helpful Resources
Donate today to support our work.
Together, we can relieve suffering for people with BDD, while advancing research, treatments and awareness of the condition.
STORIES & BOOKS about body dysmorphia

We have collected a set of stories and informative pieces about BDD. From stories from people who have overcome it to celebrities who have openly talked about it, you can find articles and videos about body dysmorphia from these following links.
Public figures on BDD
Modern Family actor Reid Ewing on BDD and plastic surgery
Artist Billie Eilish on depression and BDD
The Good Place actor Jameela Jamil on BDD and eating disorders
Actor Robert Pattinson on anxiety and BDD
Documentaries and videos
What BDD feels like | BBC Three
Seeing myself as ugly | BBC Three
I feel so ugly: Body dysmorphic disorder | Only Human
Imperfect me: The impact of BDD | SkyNews
BDD patients see faces differently | ABC Science
Bigorexia: Muscle dysmorphia | BBC Newsbeat
Believing is seeing: New perspective on BDD | TEDx Oxford
The BDD Foundation on Youtube
Personal stories and interviews
Perfection is impossible | A personal story
Living with BDD | A personal story
I felt so ugly I didn't want to be alive | Interview
BDD ruined my life | Interview
Beating BDD podcast (11 episodes) | BDDFoundation
What is BDD? | Stuff Mom Never Told You
Books by people with BDD
Books by professionals
The BDD workbook
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The OCD Stories: Episode 59 with Rob Willson Overcoming OCD and BDD
Rob is a therapist and author of many books including “Overcoming OCD” which he co-authored with David Veale and “Managing OCD with CBT for dummies.” He is the chair of the Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) Foundation, the world’s first charity exclusively devoted to BDD. This podcast episode discusses why it’s good to know your values, why you can overcome and not just manage your condition, the comfort of knowing you aren’t the only one, applying recovery techniques systematically and consistently, and getting creative in therapy.
The Broken Mirror: Understanding and Treating Body Dysmorphia by Katherine Phillips
In The Broken Mirror, the first and most definitive book on BDD, Dr. Katharine Phillips draws on years of clinical practice, scientific research, and professional evaluations of over 700 clients to bring readers her expertise and experience with this often-debilitating illness. The Broken Mirror is a lifesaving handbook for individuals, their families, and their doctors.
An Essential Guide to Understanding and Overcoming Body Dysmorphia by Judy Stromberg
This book covers all the factual basics for BDD including causes and symptoms, diagnosis, behavioral treatments, medications, home therapies and interventions, tips for coping with the disorder and how to choose the appropriate therapist.
Shattered Image: My Triumph Over Body Dysmorphic Disorder by Brian Cuban
Through a series of very personal, witty and poignant anecdotes, the younger brother of Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban opens up about his personal battle with body dysmorphic disorder. Cuban illustrates the ongoing nightmare of (BDD) that has permeated his thoughts since childhood, taking the reader through the painful journey of childhood bullying over his weight, rejection and the behaviors that slowly developed as a young adult which brought him into the abyss of depression, alcoholism, drug addiction, steroid abuse and eating disorders, nearly causing him to take his own life at the age of 44.
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Article contents
- The Broken Mirror: Understanding and Treating Body Dysmorphic Disorder , by Katharine Phillips (2005)
- Feeling Good about the Way You Look: A Program for Overcoming Body Image Problems , by Sabine Wilhelm (2006)
- The Adonis Complex: The Secret Crisis of Male Body Obsession , by Harrison Pope, Katharine A. Phillips and Roberto Olivardia (2000)
- The BDD Workbook: Overcome Body Dysmorphic Disorder and End Body Image Obsessions , by James Claiborn and Cherry Pedrick (2002)
- The Body Image Workbook: An Eight-Step Program for Learning to Like Your Looks , by Thomas F. Cash (1997)
- Overcoming Body Image Problems including Body Dysmorphic Disorder , by David Veale, Rob Willson and Alex Clarke (2009)
Self-help guided by charities and websites
Reading about … self-help books for body dysmorphic disorder.
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 02 January 2018
Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is extraordinarily under-researched compared with other mental health problems and yet is one of the most distressing and disabling of psychiatric disorders. As a group, people with BDD have high rates of suicide, psychiatric hospitalisation and unemployment, are often housebound or socially isolated, and have difficulties with relationships. It is a hidden disorder. Many individuals do not seek help because of shame and stigma and instead seek relief through unhelpful cosmetic or dermatological procedures. People with BDD are driven by a felt impression of how they look and are therefore convinced of their ugliness. ‘Self-help for BDD’ may therefore appear to be an oxymoron and indeed there is no evidence that self-administered or guided self-help books with a psychological well-being practitioner are of any benefit to BDD (in the way that the latter is helpful for depression). However, expert opinion is that such books may assist people with BDD who are not yet ready to engage in therapy, as an adjunct during cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) and for family members who are struggling to cope.
Many of the self-help books target body image problems, some of which include BDD. Some have more of an emphasis on education and understanding, others on practical treatment guidance. Some are a useful aid for clinicians treating body image problems; others promote more of an independent, self-directed intervention. We have generally chosen self-help material that covers the options in the NICE treatment guidelines on BDD. 1
The Broken Mirror: Understanding and Treating Body Dysmorphic Disorder , by Katharine Phillips (2005) Reference Phillips 2
This is a revised and updated version of the original 1996 edition. The author draws on more recent research in this field and on her extensive clinical experience to give a comprehensive picture of current understanding of BDD, and practical identification and treatment guidance. There are detailed and capturing case descriptions interspersed with research findings and data throughout the book, which provides an interesting and informative read. Patients’ stories are thoughtfully used to demonstrate a variety of presentations, ranging from mild cases that cause some interference and distress, to severe cases that are overwhelming and devastating.
Theories on how BDD develops are discussed in detail and include genetic and neurobiological vulnerabilities as well as psychological and sociocultural influences. Screening questionnaires are included, of use to both patients and professionals, offering a clear and practical way of quantifying and diagnosing possible BDD. However, only 4 out of the 18 chapters are given to treatment: an overview of effective treatments, a particularly thorough, specific and somewhat dry chapter on medication, one chapter on CBT for BDD, and then treatments that do not work such as cosmetic and surgical procedures.
Feeling Good about the Way You Look: A Program for Overcoming Body Image Problems , by Sabine Wilhelm (2006) Reference Wilhelm 3
The emphasis of this book is on self-assessment and explanation of appearance concerns, their possible development, and understanding what maintains them. Basic CBT principles are described and examples are given for challenging existing thinking, beliefs and associated behaviours, making this book a good choice for those with milder body image concerns who are motivated to alleviate their preoccupation and distress.
The Adonis Complex: The Secret Crisis of Male Body Obsession , by Harrison Pope, Katharine A. Phillips and Roberto Olivardia (2000) Reference Pope, Phillips and Olivardia 4
Drawing from their clinical work and using detailed case descriptions and numerous results from studies, the authors address male body image concerns. These include ‘muscle dysmorphia’, men concerned that they are not muscular enough; eating disorders, men concerned that they are not thin enough; and BDD. The book introduces two body image symptom tests: a brief questionnaire quantifying time preoccupied with body image, distress and associated behaviours, and a test in which the reader can adjust the body fat and muscularity of a body outline to help the clinician as well as himself to understand how he perceives his body and how he believes others see him.
The emphasis of this book is on the identification, and the how-and-why, of male body image problems, including modern society and media influence, and gives only a brief overview of available treatments. The authors indicate that there are an increasing number of men attempting to achieve physical perfection. They highlight the shame and secrecy that exists within concerns with body image with the aim of exposing the hidden prevalence of body image problems.
The BDD Workbook: Overcome Body Dysmorphic Disorder and End Body Image Obsessions , by James Claiborn and Cherry Pedrick (2002) Reference Claiborn and Pedrick 5
This book aptly introduces itself as resource for clinicians treating BDD as well as a self-directed intervention for those with less severe body image problems. It promotes recovery by emphasising the importance of balance in our perceptions and responses to body image. It is clearly divided into two halves; the first is psychoeducational and succinctly builds an understanding of BDD in its cultural, media and peer context; the second is a step-by-step series of concise explanations complemented by clinical examples and practical guidance on how to change your body image, thinking and associated behaviours and habits to be more balanced.
Unlike some of the other books discussed here, readiness for and the process of change are addressed thoughtfully and thoroughly, and individual chapters are given to self-esteem and social isolation. This is a neat and straightforward workbook for individuals with body image concerns and BDD.
The Body Image Workbook: An Eight-Step Program for Learning to Like Your Looks , by Thomas F. Cash (1997) Reference Cash 6
This book accessibly navigates the reader towards changing their relationship with their body through eight clearly defined steps. It is a structured combination of theory, research and clinical examples and from the outset is hopeful, considered and empathetic. Cash competently imparts knowledge and skills to the individual, with the intention of promoting autonomy and empowerment in a sensitive manner. He encourages action and progress through the tone of the book as well as practical goal and summary sheets at the end of each step. The book is not specific to BDD but for body image problems in general. It is skilfully written and a useful tool, with over 40 help sheets suitable for use by an individual or for a clinician as an adjunct to therapy.
Overcoming Body Image Problems including Body Dysmorphic Disorder , by David Veale, Rob Willson and Alex Clarke (2009) Reference Veale, Willson and Clarke 7
As implied by the title, this book provides a step-by-step, self-help guide to understanding and treating body image problems using cognitive-behavioural techniques. It follows a current evidence-based treatment manual Reference Veale and Neziroglu 8 directed to the patient, based on how a clinician should provide CBT for a person with body image concerns.
Post-introductions, there is a single chapter with screening questions given to identifying the presence of a body image problem. The remaining thirteen chapters are a concise combination of information and actions directed to the patient and designed to develop their own understanding, formulation and treatment of BDD. It is punctuated throughout with practical exercises, worksheets, common examples, and skills training techniques.
The reader is guided, via an easy-to-read manual, through how to apply the cognitive-behavioural techniques. The tone of the book from the outset is positive, proactive and hopeful.
There are various virtual support groups where people with BDD and their carers are likely to get a lot of information from.
• BDD Help ( www.bddhelp.co.uk ) is a website set up by an individual who has recovered from BDD. It has useful information and resources on BDD.
• The BDD Foundation ( www.thebddfoundation.com ) is a fledgling organisation in the UK that eventually aims to become a distinctive charity and forum for people with BDD and their carers. Their website has useful web links and stories about BDD.
• OCD Action ( www.ocdaction.org.uk ) is a national charity in the UK for people with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and related disorders such as BDD. Its main focus is on OCD but there is an excellent advocacy service that can be accessed by people with BDD and their carers. The website has useful information about BDD and a bulletin board with a forum on BDD. They hold details of a few support groups for BDD in the UK.
• BDDCentral ( www.bddcentral.com ) is an international website and primarily a forum for BDD. There are sponsored advertisements and links to therapists and research programmes around the world.

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- Volume 36, Issue 7
- Annemarie O'Connor (a1) and David Veale (a1)
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1192/pb.bp.111.035816
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Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. DSM-5 Changes: Implications for Child Serious Emotional Disturbance [Internet]. Rockville (MD): Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (US); 2016 Jun.

DSM-5 Changes: Implications for Child Serious Emotional Disturbance [Internet].
Table 23 dsm-iv to dsm-5 body dysmorphic disorder comparison.
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From: 3, DSM-5 Child Mental Disorder Classification
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- Cite this Page Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. DSM-5 Changes: Implications for Child Serious Emotional Disturbance [Internet]. Rockville (MD): Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (US); 2016 Jun. Table 23, DSM-IV to DSM-5 Body Dysmorphic Disorder Comparison.
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After a medical evaluation to help rule out other medical conditions, your health care provider may make a referral to a mental health professional for further evaluation.
Diagnosis of body dysmorphic disorder is typically based on:
- A psychological evaluation that assesses risk factors and thoughts, feelings, and behaviors related to negative self-image
- Personal, social, family and medical history
- Signs and symptoms
Treatment for body dysmorphic disorder often includes a combination of cognitive behavioral therapy and medications.
- Cognitive behavioral therapy
Cognitive behavioral therapy for body dysmorphic disorder focuses on:
- Helping you learn how negative thoughts, emotional reactions and behaviors maintain problems over time
- Challenging automatic negative thoughts about your body image and learning more-flexible ways of thinking
- Learning alternate ways to handle urges or rituals to help reduce mirror checking, reassurance seeking or excess use of medical services
- Teaching you other behaviors to improve your mental health, such as addressing social avoidance and increasing engagement with healthy supports and activities
You and your mental health provider can talk about your goals for therapy and develop a personalized treatment plan to learn and strengthen coping skills. Involving family members in treatment may be particularly important, especially for teenagers.
Medications
Although there are no medications specifically approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat body dysmorphic disorder, medications used to treat other mental health conditions ― such as depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder ― can be effective.
- Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Because body dysmorphic disorder could be caused in part by problems related to the brain chemical serotonin, SSRIs may be prescribed. SSRIs appear to be more effective for body dysmorphic disorder than other antidepressants and may help control your negative thoughts and repetitive behaviors.
- Other medications. In some cases, you may benefit from taking other medications in addition to an SSRI , depending on your symptoms.
Hospitalization
In some cases, your body dysmorphic disorder symptoms may be so severe that you require psychiatric hospitalization. This is generally recommended only when you aren't able to keep up with day-to-day responsibilities or when you're in immediate danger of harming yourself.
More Information
Lifestyle and home remedies.
Body dysmorphic disorder warrants treatment from a mental health professional. But you can do some things to build on your treatment plan, such as:
- Stick to your treatment plan. Don't skip therapy sessions, even if you don't feel like going. Even if you're feeling well, continue to take your medications. If you stop, symptoms may come back. You could also experience withdrawal-like symptoms from stopping a medication too suddenly.
- Learn about your disorder. Education about body dysmorphic disorder can empower you and motivate you to stick to your treatment plan.
- Pay attention to warning signs. Work with your health care provider or mental health provider to learn what might trigger your symptoms. Make a plan so you know what to do if symptoms return. Contact your health care provider or mental health provider if you notice any changes in symptoms or how you feel.
- Practice learned strategies. At home, routinely practice the skills you learn during therapy so they become stronger habits.
- Avoid drugs and alcohol. Alcohol and recreational drugs can worsen symptoms or interact with medications.
- Get active. Physical activity and exercise can help manage many symptoms, such as depression, stress and anxiety. Consider walking, jogging, swimming, gardening or taking up another form of physical activity you enjoy. However, avoid excessive exercise as a way to fix a perceived flaw.
Coping and support
Talk with your health care provider or mental health professional about improving your coping skills, and ways to focus on identifying, monitoring and changing the negative thoughts and behaviors about your appearance.
Consider these tips to help cope with body dysmorphic disorder:
- Write in a journal. This can help you better identify negative thoughts, emotions and behaviors.
- Don't become isolated. Try to participate in social activities and regularly get together with friends and family who can act as healthy supports.
- Take care of yourself. Eat healthy, stay physically active and get sufficient sleep.
- Join a support group. Connect with others facing similar challenges.
- Stay focused on your goals. Recovery is an ongoing process. Stay motivated by keeping your recovery goals in mind.
- Learn relaxation and stress management. Try practicing stress-reduction techniques such as meditation or deep breathing.
- Don't make important decisions when you're feeling distress or despair. You may not be thinking clearly and may regret your decisions later.
Preparing for your appointment
Although you may start out talking with your health care provider about your concerns, you'll likely be referred to a mental health professional, such as a psychiatrist or psychologist, for further evaluation and specialized treatment.
What you can do
Before your appointment, make a list of:
- Any symptoms you or your family noticed, and for how long. Ask friends or family members if they've felt concerned about your behavior and what they've noticed.
- Key personal information, including traumatic events in your past and any current, major stressors. Find out about your family's medical history, including any history of mental health conditions such as body dysmorphic disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
- Your medical information, including other physical or mental health conditions with which you've been diagnosed.
- All medications you take, including the names and doses of any medications, herbs, vitamins or other supplements you're taking.
- Questions you want to ask your health care provider or mental health provider to make the most of your appointment.
Some basic questions to ask include:
- What do you think is most likely causing my symptoms?
- What are other possible causes of my symptoms?
- Could behavioral therapy be helpful?
- Are there medications that might help?
- How long will treatment take?
- What can I do to help myself?
- Do you have any brochures or other printed materials that I can have?
- Are there any websites that you can recommend?
Don't hesitate to ask additional questions during your appointment.
What to expect from your doctor
Your health care provider or mental health provider may ask you questions, such as:
- Are you concerned about your appearance?
- When did you first begin worrying about your appearance?
- How is your daily life affected by your symptoms?
- How much time do you spend each day thinking about your appearance?
- What other treatment, if any, have you had?
- What cosmetic procedures, if any, have you had?
- What have you tried on your own to feel better or control your symptoms?
- What things make you feel worse?
- Have friends or family commented on your mood or behavior?
- Do you have any relatives who've been diagnosed with a mental health condition?
- What do you hope to gain from treatment?
- What medications, herbs or other supplements do you take?
Your health care provider or mental health provider will ask additional questions based on your responses, symptoms and needs. Preparing and anticipating questions will help you make the most of your appointment time.
- Body dysmorphic disorder. In: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM-5. 5th ed. American Psychiatric Association; 2013. https://dsm.psychiatryonline.org. Accessed Aug. 17, 2021.
- Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). Office on Women's Health. https://www.womenshealth.gov/mental-health/mental-health-conditions/body-dysmorphic-disorder. Accessed Aug. 18, 2021.
- Body dysmorphic disorder. Merck Manual Professional Version. https://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/psychiatric-disorders/obsessive-compulsive-and-related-disorders/body-dysmorphic-disorder?query=Body%20Dysmorphic%20Disorder#. Accessed Aug. 18, 2021.
- Hong K, et al. Pharmacological treatment of body dysmorphic disorder. Current Neuropharmacology. 2019; doi:10.2174/1570159X16666180426153940.
- Krebs G, et al. Recent advances in understanding and managing body dysmorphic disorder. Evidence Based Mental Health. 2017; doi:10.1136/eb-2017-102702.
- Dong N, et al. Pharmacotherapy in body dysmorphic disorder: Relapse prevention and novel treatments. Expert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy. 2019; doi:10.1080/14656566.2019.1610385.
- Lifeline Chat. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/chat/. Accessed Aug. 18, 2021.
- For people with mental health problems. MentalHealth.gov. https://www.mentalhealth.gov/talk/people-mental-health-problems. Accessed Aug. 18, 2021.
- Mental Health: Managing stress. National Alliance on Mental Illness. https://www.nami.org/Your-Journey/Individuals-with-Mental-Illness/Taking-Care-of-Your-Body/Managing-Stress. Accessed Aug. 18, 2021.
- Sawchuk CN (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic. Aug. 30, 3021.
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Body Dysmorphia: An Essential Guide to Understanding and Overcoming Body Dysmorphic Disorder
Judy stromberg.
66 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 30, 2015
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Amazon.com: Body Dysmorphia: Books 1-24 of 449 results for "body dysmorphia" RESULTS The BDD Workbook: Overcome Body Dysmorphic Disorder and End Body Image Obsessions (A New Harbinger Self-Help Workbook) Part of: A New Harbinger Self-Help Workbook (115 books) 4.3 (94) Paperback $1699 $24.95
Body Dysmorphia Books Showing 1-50 of 52 Eat, and Love Yourself (Paperback) by Sweeney Boo (shelved 2 times as body-dysmorphia) avg rating 3.79 — 3,369 ratings — published 2020 Want to Read Rate this book 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars With A Vengeance (Paperback) by Freydís Moon (Goodreads Author)
A Man Devoured By His Body, Food & Work by Stuart McRobert If you believe that your body is not sufficiently muscular or large enough, this is the book for you. This book is written for people who suffer from Muscle Dysmorphia (MD) (also referred as Bigorexia).
Body Dysmorphia: An Essential Guide to Understanding and Overcoming Body Dysmorphic Disorder Kindle Edition by Judy Stromberg (Author) Format: Kindle Edition 35 ratings See all formats and editions Kindle $0.00 Read with Kindle Unlimited to also enjoy access to over 3 million more titles $2.99 to buy Paperback
Body Dysmorphic Disorder: A Treatment Manual 1st Edition by David Veale (Author), Fugen Neziroglu (Author) 11 ratings See all formats and editions Hardcover $135.85 - $139.97 5 Used from $40.00 7 New from $135.85 Paperback $52.76 - $71.34 8 Used from $49.00 8 New from $71.34 Digital —
This item: The Parents' Guide to Body Dysmorphic Disorder $1995 The Broken Mirror: Understanding and Treating Body Dysmorphic Disorder $3595 The BDD Workbook: Overcome Body Dysmorphic Disorder and End Body Image Obsessions (A New Harbinger Self-Help Workbook) $1699 Total price: $72.89 Add all three to Cart Customers who viewed this item also viewed
She has published many books on this condition, including the first book on BDD, The Broken Mirror: Understanding and Treating Body Dysmorphic Disorder, in 1996 (updated in 2005), and the first edited volume on BDD, Body Dysmorphic Disorder: Advances in Research and Clinical Practice, in 2017.
This item: The BDD Workbook: Overcome Body Dysmorphic Disorder and End Body Image Obsessions (A New Harbinger Self-Help Workbook) by James Claiborn Paperback $27.11 The Broken Mirror: Understanding and Treating Body Dysmorphic Disorder by Katharine A. Phillips Paperback $31.49
The Parent's Guide to Body Dysmorphic Disorder is an essential guidebook for parents of children of children and young people with BDD. Body Image Problems & Body Dysmorphic Disorder: The Definitive Treatment and Recovery Approach (Pulling the Trigger) Chloe Catchpole, Lauren Callaghan, and Dr Annemarie O'Connor (2017)
Brian Cuban - NetMinds Corporation. (2013) Body Dysmorphic Disorder - Memoir Stephen Westwood My Vision in the Mirror: One Man's Struggle With Body Dysmorphic Disorder Mark Postal Living With Body Dysmorphic Disorder (Biography series) Lea Walker and Janet Lee - Amazon Kindle edition
BEST books about Body Dysmorphic Disorder - Simple and Practical Mental Health BEST books about Body Dysmorphic Disorder The Broken Mirror: Understanding and Treating Body Dysmorphic Disorder Understanding Body Dysmorphic Disorder Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Body Dysmorphic Disorder: A Treatment Manual Are we missing body dysmorphic disorder?
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Body Dysmorphic Disorder: A Treatment Manual. Presenting an effective treatment approach specifically tailored to the unique challenges of body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), this book is grounded in state-of-the-art research. The authors are experts on BDD and related conditions.
by AutoModerator STORIES & BOOKS about body dysmorphia We have collected a set of stories and informative pieces about BDD. From stories from people who have overcome it to celebrities who have openly talked about it, you can find articles and videos about body dysmorphia from these following links. Public figures on BDD
An Essential Guide to Understanding and Overcoming Body Dysmorphia by Judy Stromberg This book covers all the factual basics for BDD including causes and symptoms, diagnosis, behavioral treatments, medications, home therapies and interventions, tips for coping with the disorder and how to choose the appropriate therapist.
Body dysmorphic disorder, or BDD, formally known as dysmorphophobia, is a psychiatric condition defined in the DSM 5 as a preoccupation with a perceived defect or flaw in one's physical appearance that is either not noticeable or only slightly observable by others.
The BDD Workbook: Overcome Body Dysmorphic Disorder and End Body Image Obsessions, by James Claiborn and Cherry Pedrick (2002) Reference Claiborn and Pedrick 5. This book aptly introduces itself as resource for clinicians treating BDD as well as a self-directed intervention for those with less severe body image problems.
Body dysmorphic disorder is a mental health condition in which you can't stop thinking about one or more perceived defects or flaws in your appearance — a flaw that appears minor or can't be seen by others. But you may feel so embarrassed, ashamed and anxious that you may avoid many social situations.
Table 23 DSM-IV to DSM-5 Body Dysmorphic Disorder Comparison. A. Preoccupation with an imagined defect in appearance. If a slight physical anomaly is present, the person's concern is markedly excessive. A. Preoccupation with one or more perceived defects or flaws in physical appearance that are not observable or appear slight to others. B.
Body dysmorphic disorder warrants treatment from a mental health professional. But you can do some things to build on your treatment plan, such as: Stick to your treatment plan. Don't skip therapy sessions, even if you don't feel like going. Even if you're feeling well, continue to take your medications. If you stop, symptoms may come back.
If you or your loved one is struggling with Body Dysmorphia and you need some support, book your FREE 45-minute consultation with me to discuss strategies on...
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Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) or dysmorphophobia is categorized as a chronic mental illness or anxiety disorder characterized by extreme concern about one's own physical appearance. If you have BDD, then unfortunately it's only natural that your social life, career, family, and interpersonal relationships will suffer. ... This book is ...