The rise of social media, reality TV programmes and influencer culture has changed the way people across the world relate to and seek to perfect their physical appearance. With the constant pressure to always look your best comes the rise of body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), a mental health condition where a person consistently worries about perceived defects or flaws in their appearance.1
BDD is most prevalent in adolescents and teens, as shown in the NHS Mental Health in Young People survey, which found that in 2017, more than one in 20 (5.6%) 17- to 19-year-old girls in the UK experienced BDD.2 While BDD is not covered in the recent Mental Health of Children and Young People in England 2022 report, a rise in eating problems was seen in 17-to-19-year-olds from 44.6% in 2017 to 58.2% in 2021, which could indicate a possible rise in BDD as well.3 As more of these individuals become of an…
