ISSUES
: Body Confidence
Chapter 1: Body Image
13
When a negative body image becomes
a mental health condition
Sadly, a growing preoccupation
with body image is a recurring
theme of the digital age. Some claim
that the popularity of selfies and
posting photos onto social media
has created a generation obsessed
with their looks. Whether or not this
is true, preoccupation with physical
appearance is normal, especially
during puberty.
But, when taking care over
appearance tips over into the
realms of obsession, it could be a
sign that your child has BDD. Here,
the charity BODY, explains more
about this upsetting condition.
How does BDD differ from
negative body image?
Body hang ups are common. You’d
be hard pressed to find many people
100% happy with their body. But
for people with body dysmorphic
disorder (or BDD), a hang up can
develop into an all-encompassing
obsession which can make them
deeply unhappy and put them at risk
of other mental health problems,
such as depression and self-harm.
BDD is a serious mental health
condition characterised by a
Body image in the digital age
Recent research from YMCA
revealed that 34% of teenage boys
and 49% of teenage girls had been
on a diet in an effort to change their
body shape.[1] An issue which was
previously seen as one primarily
affecting girls has now been shown
to be a problem for both genders.
The worrying state of young
people’s body confidence has
been an ongoing issue in recent
years, with several companies now
beginning to address the situation.
Mattel, the company behind Barbie,
has recently introduced a new range
of the doll that comes in a range of
shapes, heights, and hair and skin
colours in an effort to broaden their
representation of the female figure.
Having a positive body image is an
important part of your overall sense
of self-esteem. Having negative
thoughts about how you look can
impact on your entire life, and make
it difficult to feel happy.
As a parent, you play a key role in
building your child’s confidence
about their body, and making sure
they have a healthy body image.
preoccupation with one or more
flaws in appearance. These flaws
are often minor or even non-
existent, leading some to call BDD
“imagined ugliness”.
People with BDD become so hung
up over their body image that it
starts to have a negative effect
on their entire life. This can range
from continual extreme thoughts
about corrective surgery to being
completely housebound. They may
avoid seeing friends or family, quit a
job or start skipping school. People
with BDD may also be at risk of self-
destructive behaviour.
It isn’t vanity
BDD is sometimes confused
with vanity or attention-seeking
behaviour, but it’s important to
remember that it’s a serious mental
health condition. People with BDD
genuinely feel flawed or ugly and
tend to be socially isolated, in
part because they believe others
will think they are vain. This often
makes it harder to get help.
Sufferers of BDD usually focus on
what they see as their flaws for up
to eight hours a day, affecting one or
all aspects of their life. People can
concentrate their negative thoughts
on any part of their body, but the
most common areas to become
preoccupied with are the skin, nose
and hair.
People may focus on small features
or on larger areas, like their muscles.
For example, muscle dysmorphia
sufferers believe they’re small and
weak even when they’re large and
muscular. This disorder is common
in boys and men and has recently
been reported on mainstream
media, referred to as ‘bigorexia’.
What are the symptoms of
BDD?
The following behaviours are often
warning signs of BDD. Some of
these things can be warning signs
for other issues, and some, like
self-consciousness, are a normal
part of growing up. But if your child
The consequences of
low body image
Source: Body confidence campaign, Progress report 2015,
Government Equalities Office, 2015.
The
number of
cosmetic procedures
performed in the UK
has quatrupled over the
last decade
Impacts on aspirations:
– reduced social participation
– decreased academic performance
– reduced participation at school
Health problems
such as:
– eating disorders
– depression
– low self-esteem
– reduced physical activity
– weight gain
Engaging in risky
behaviour such as:
– unsafe sex
– self-harm
– substance abuse
– steroid use
– cosmetic surgery
Around four
and a half
thousand teenage
girls develop an
eating disorder in the
UK every year
1 in
6 GCSE
students has
avoided going to
school because they
felt bad about their
appearance
