About 1 - 2% of the population may have BDD, with men and women equally affected.
BDD usually starts in the teenage years, when concern over physical appearance is common.
The cause of BDD is unknown. Theories include:
A person with BDD has a genetic tendency to develop this type of mental illness. The trigger may be the stress of adolescence. Particular drugs, such as ecstasy, may trigger onset in susceptible people. BDD could be caused by chemical imbalances in the brain. A person with low self-esteem who has impossible standards of perfection judges some part of their body as ugly. Over time, this behaviour becomes more and more compulsive. Western society’s narrow standards of beauty may trigger BDD in vulnerable people.
What causes Body dysmorphic disorder?
About 1 - 2% of the population may have {{ORGANIZATION}}, with men and women equally affected.
BDD usually starts in the teenage years, when concern over physical appearance is common.
The cause of {{ORGANIZATION}} is unknown. Theories include:
A person with {{ORGANIZATION}} has a genetic tendency to develop this type of mental illness. The trigger may be the stress of adolescence. Particular drugs, such as ecstasy, may trigger onset in susceptible people. {{ORGANIZATION}} could be caused by chemical imbalances in the brain. A person with low self-esteem who has impossible standards of perfection judges some part of their body as ugly. Over time, this behaviour becomes more and more compulsive. Western society’s narrow standards of beauty may trigger {{ORGANIZATION}} in vulnerable people.