Body dysmorphic disorder, or BDD, ails millions of Americans each year, including several outspoken celebrities — but many people don’t exactly know what it entails.
BDD is a mental health condition in which a person becomes obsessed with one or more perceived personal physical flaws, which usually appear minor or go undetected to others. The disorder can cause people to avoid social situations and even impact one’s ability to function in daily life, according to Mayo Clinic.
Experts estimate that between 1.7% to 2.9% of the general population have BDD, which means more than 5 million people in the U.S. suffer from the condition. BDD is about as common as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and is more common than disorders like anorexia and schizophrenia. BDD may be even more commonplace than reported, because people with the condition may be reluctant to disclose their symptoms out of feelings of embarrassment or