The BDD Foundation is the only charity in the world exclusively dedicated to raising awareness and alleviating the suffering caused by Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD), an under-recognised and often misunderstood condition. We are a small but high impact organisation, focussing on raising awareness, understanding and providing support to anyone affected.
BDD is a serious mental health disorder which affects around 1 in 50 people. It consists of a disabling preoccupation with perceived defects or flaws in appearance. People with the condition are excessively self-conscious, believing that they are ugly, deformed or disfigured. This will lead them to carry out compulsive behaviours to try to fix or conceal the perceived flaw. Many will avoid public and social situations, dropping out of education or work and around 30% will become housebound.
BDD causes devastating distress and interferes substantially with a person’s ability to function in everyday life. As a result, people with BDD are 45 times more likely to die by suicide than the general population.
We are dedicated to raising awareness through the media and social platforms whilst providing accurate information via our website, webinars and conferences. We offer support through an email helpline, support groups and an Overcoming BDD Programme where we try to bridge the gap for those struggling to access specialist treatment. We are comprised of a small team with only one full time member of staff and 3 part-time staff with many committed volunteers who help us to deliver our services. We have a dedicated board of trustees including several leading BDD clinicians.
