“i’m not concerned about my hair, for example. i will have a bad hair day, but it won’t stop me from going out, having fun, going to work, good feelings,” wallace explains. “ [but with bdd] it would absolutely impair that. if i was at work, i might be distracted thinking about looking at my hair. how does my hair look?…do i look okay? but then often what’s looking back at you, you think isn’t okay. so that creates a whole new cycle.”
bdd is also commonly associated with depression and anxiety disorders and has among the highest associated rates of suicidal ideation of any psychiatric condition, says dr. richter. it is estimated that approximately 80 per cent of people with body dysmorphic disorder contemplate suicide, while one in four may make an attempt.
treatment is available
cognitive behavioural therapy is often successful in treating bdd, richter explains. during treatment, patients will be taught how to recognize maladaptive thoughts and how their behaviour has adjusted to these thought patterns. medication may also be a useful tool to help manage symptoms of bdd.
“it is treatable. you can get help, and you can get better,” says wallace, who also mentions that so many people have sought help from the bdd foundation that they’ve had to put efforts into expanding. “and it’s such a shame that people are suffering alone and feeling like they’re stuck.”