Flora Howarth suffered with BDD alongside an eating disorder until just 18 months ago. Since then, she’s made truly inspirational progress is overcoming the disorder, and built up a personal toolkit of tricks that will be really helpful to listeners.
You can download the transcript for this episode here:
Evidence was given by Professor David Veale on behalf of the BDD Foundation and can be found on page 22.
The MPs launched a year-long inquiry following the explosion in the popularity and availability of these treatments. They were concerned that currently anyone can carry out any treatment, with minimal legal restrictions on who can provide them or what qualifications they must have to do so.
There is a complete lack of a legal framework of standards around these treatments, which has left consumers at risk and undermined the industry’s ability to develop.
The APPG investigated practitioner standards and qualifications, the case for a registration of practitioners or licensing, ethics and mental health considerations, and the serious issues around advertising and social media.
There is much good practice from aesthetic practitioners in the beauty and medic industries, but also cases of poor practice from both. It was not the APPG’s intention to state who should or shouldn’t be allowed to become a practitioner, but ensure all practitioners gain the appropriate training and prove their competence to deliver advanced aesthetic treatments.
The Group today makes 17 recommendations for Government to plug this regulatory gap, including:
These recommendations are based on evidence given in public inquiry sessions and written submissions from a wide range of stakeholders including trade associations, aesthetics industry operators, trainers, practitioners, health bodies, regulatory agencies and consumers themselves.
Co-Chairs of the APPG, Carolyn Harris MP and Judith Cummins MP, said:
“For too long there have been next to no limits on who can carry out aesthetic treatments, what qualifications they must have, or where they can administer them.
“We launched this inquiry as we were deeply concerned that as the number of advanced treatments on the market continues to grow, the regulation remains fragmented, obscure and out of date which puts the public at risk.
“We were also particularly concerned about the advertising and social media promotion of these treatments and how to make sure vulnerable people, such as children and those at risk from mental ill-health, are protected.
“We strongly urge the Government to implement the recommendations in our report and to take action to improve to improve the situation for the benefit of the industry and public safety. Maintaining the status quo is simply not an option.”
Minister for Patient Safety, Nadine Dorries, said:
“Far too many people have been left to live with the emotional and physical scars caused by their experience of cosmetic surgery, needing prolonged medical treatment after botched cosmetic procedures, particularly fillers.
“Patients must always come first and I am committed to protecting their safety making sure people have the right information they need to make informed decisions about cosmetic surgery and ensuring the highest quality training is accessible to all practitioners.
“This report is an important contribution to our shared understanding of the consequences of this kind of treatment and I look forward to reviewing its recommendations on how we continue to improve people’s safety.
“Anyone considering Botox, or fillers, should pause and take the time they need to consider the potential impact of surgery on both their physical and mental health, and take steps to ensure they are using a reputable, safe and qualified practitioner.”
Further information on the APPG can be found at www.baw-appg.com or on Twitter @BAW_APPG.
This report is not an official publication of the House of Commons or the House of Lords. It has not been approved by either House or its committees. All-Party Parliamentary Groups are informal groups of Members of both Houses with a common interest in particular issues. The views expressed in this report are those of the group.
I’m attempting to break a Guinness world record by bear crawling a marathon (26.2 miles) in aim of raising awareness and funds in support of Body Dysmorphic Disorder because it’s something we all should talk more about, be aware of and support each other with.
It effects so many people and leads to devastating long term side effects to the body and mind. It’s close to my partner, family, some clients and even colleagues but what I have found recently is that it’s so present in today’s society. Social media plays a big part in the down fall unfortunately with a negative outlook which needs to be turned around in to a positive!
Please support this cause and stay tuned by following Greg’s journey on Instagram @gb_fitnessculture
I am going to love this body
I am going to be in Love with this body
No one can love this body more than me
I am precious, sexy and beautiful
I accept my body
This love that I give you is inevitable and infinite
I am feminine like a rose
Beauty is not in the eye of the beholder
My body is a universal beauty
A wonder
And I am blessed to own it
“The time I had written this diary entry/love letter to myself I felt the ugliest and didn’t believe any of the words written. They were more of affirmations and what I wanted to eventually think of myself. The scarring on my chest and stomach left me afraid to wear clothes that would reveal them. I couldn’t stand myself naked. I thought giving other people permission to determine whether I was beautiful or not – by any means – would make me love myself.
My standards of beauty began to change when I became intentional in what I consumed in the media. I no longer desired to be white or despised how dark I was. As my standards became more Afrocentric, I sabotaged myself by finding other problems. I wasn’t curvy or didn’t have breasts like the way the average African woman did. It felt like I won but was losing at the same time. So, I modelled at a life drawing class to try to love myself – one of the best things I did. I was so empowered to be standing in what I thought to be my most ugly and vulnerable state whilst watching others appreciate it as art.
7 months later I woke up to feeling no shame for my body or my face. It was sudden and unexpected, as quick as switching the light on. It was one of those moments where people tell you “you are beautiful” but it doesn’t matter unless you actually believe it – and I believed it.
Through my efforts to love this body I can say I’m happy naked, I love being a dark-skinned flat-chested black woman and I believe the words in my diary”
I hope my story can benefit somebody.
You may recognise the sound of Elias’s voice as he provided the story and voice for the brilliant “Because I’m ugly” animation on our homepage.
In this interview, recorded at the 2021 OCD Action and the BDD Foundation’s Joint Virtual Conference, Elias tells us how exposures helped him to do things he couldn’t have done even before he had BDD.
You can download the transcript for this episode here:
After being diagnosed with BDD in 2016 I’ve learned to be in awe of things my body can do rather than hate it! It’s been a long journey of growth, it hasn’t always been easy but I’m now at a point in my life where I live with it rather than suffer from it. I’m hoping that by supporting the BDD Foundation we can raise awareness off BDD and ensure others receive the support to recover in the process!
Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity. So it’s the most efficient way to donate – saving time and cutting costs for the charity.
BDD most typically emerges in adolescence and is estimated to affect 2.2% of the UK adolescent population. There is a dearth of research into children’s and young people’s lived experiences of BDD, particularly in relation to educational contexts. Using Constructivist Grounded Theory methodology, interview data from 10 young people between the ages of 16 and 25 were analysed for this study.
Findings informed the development of a psychological model of BDD in young people: The Shame Identity Model of BDD in Young People. This paper focuses on the educational aspects of this model. Implications for educational professionals are discussed.
You can read the full article which was published 17th March 2021:
The BDD Foundation and OCD Action have joined forces to bring our wide-reaching community together for a day of education, inspiration and connection.
We know that as a community, we have been one of the hardest hit by the restrictions, fear and isolation of the past year, and that as we start to emerge from lockdown, new challenges will emerge too.
We believe that being part of a supportive community and connecting with one another will be at the core of our journey as we move forward together, and since this event is happening online, we can truly make this invitation global.
On our main stage, BDD room and OCD room we’ll be hosting a range of world-renowned experts who will explore the latest breakthroughs in research, clinical practice, and emerging treatments. Meanwhile our breakout rooms will include a jam-packed schedule of workshops, performances and opportunities to connect.
And you can experience all of this and more without even having to leave your home.
So join us as we give our community a platform to gather together and focus on the strength and resilience of people who have lived experience of OCD, BDD and BFRBs.
VIEW OUR FULL SCHEDULE FOR THE DAY
Whether you want to hear about innovative treatments and research from leading international speakers, learn how to advocate for yourself and others responsibly, or simply want to meet new people and reconnect with old friends, there’s something for everyone!
We are delighted to announce our speakers:
We have created a Youth Room, specifically for 14 – 18 year olds. Speaking in our Youth Room are:
Tickets for the Youth Room are £3. You will need to obtain parental / guardian consent before purchasing a ticket for the Youth Room. Please download a consent form here and email it to conference@ocdaction.org.uk.
Once we have received your form, we will send you instructions to buy your tickets.
We want the conference to capture the feeling of a physical event as much as possible, so we’ve created several virtual rooms for different types of sessions. We have a main stream for our keynote speakers, and then break-out channels for an BDD room, a OCD room, a family room, a support room, a community room and a youth room. Seamlessly switch between them as you like, and experience all each space has to offer without even having to leave your home!
We want to share our conference with as many people affected by OCD, BDD and BFRBs as possible. To help people who could find the cost of a ticket prohibiting, we have put together a bursary fund with Maternal OCD for 40 free tickets.
We are allocating these tickets on a first come, first serve basis.
Download our simple application form here and send it back to us by email to conference@ocdaction.org.uk by 23:59 on Friday the 18th June.
If you have any questions about the bursary fund or application process, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us at conference@ocdaction.org.uk or by calling OCD Action’s London office on 020 7253 5272.
The event organisers of ‘What’s Going on in your Head?’ chose the theme of body image to coincide with MHAW and we had the fantastic Omari Eccleston-Brown representing the BDD Foundation with an interpretive dance and then discussion about his experience of BDD.
Elle Magazine reached out to the BDD Foundation for an article in their May edition: ‘The Girl in the Mirror: What it is like to suffer from Body Dysmorphic Disorder. While general feelings of insecurity plague many young women, for a person who has BDD, such thoughts are all-consuming. The problem crosses over from body image concern if it’s affecting your ability to work, manage a relationship or keep up a social life.
Rebecca and other’s talk about their experiences with BDD:
‘[BDD] stops you from doing everything. It’s a form of anxiety. You’re trapped in your head every second of every day. All you can think about is your body and how uncomfortable you feel in it.’
Read the full article here
