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.
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:
Youth Room
We have created a Youth Room, specifically for 14 – 18 year olds. Speaking in our Youth Room are:
Jennifer Clough, an OCD Action Youth Group Facilitator with lived experience of OCD.
Dr Sasha Walters, a Senior Clinical Psychologist currently working part time in the South London and Maudsley National and Specialist CAMHS OCD, BDD & Related Disorders Team. Dr Sasha will be presenting on OCD in young people, making sense of it and getting the best out of treatment. She will then present with Dr Elif Gökçen on OCD and BDD in the context of Autism, and key adaptions to CBT treatment.
Dr Elif Gökçen, a Clinical Psychologist at the National and Specialist OCD, BDD and Related Disorder Clinic at the Maudsley Hospital. Dr Elif will be presenting on Understanding and Treating BDD in young people, followed by a joint presentation with Dr Sasha Walters on OCD and BDD in the context of Autism, and key adaptions to CBT treatment.
Alanah Bagwell, Mairéad Ruane and Zack Tucker, three young people with lived experience of OCD and BDD, discussing the difficulties of growing up with the conditions.
Jack Pridmore, an author, business consultant and CEO of The Accessful Foundation, a UK disability charity. Jack has lived experience of OCD from a young age and he wants to help you to take the pressure out of recovery!
Elias Marchetti, a 21 year old student with lived experience of OCD and BDD. Elias will be talking about how CBT changed his life.
Once we have received your form, we will send you instructions to buy your tickets.
What will the virtual conference look like?
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!
Bursary Fund people on low incomes
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.
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.’
In the first of a two part special focusing on the debilitating body image disorder, Body Dysmorphia, Dr Linda chats to Kitty Wallace who has battled with BDD since her teens. BDD is an all consuming disorder, where the sufferer finds themselves fixating on a perceived flaw or defect in their appearance that is invisible to others and it can have a hugely debilitating effect on their ability to engage in every day activities.
In Kitty’s darkest times she found herself unable to leave the house for months on end, avoiding social situations because of her anxiety over her skin. When she did try and leave the house there were times when she found herself locked in an 8 hour cycle of trying to cover up the skin on her face, applying and removing make up until she eventually gave up, exhausted.
However, there is a light at the end of the tunnel as she goes on to discuss her recovery through therapy.
In part two of the Body Dysmorphia special it explores treatment and therapies that are available if you or someone you know may be struggling to cope with living with BDD.
Dr Amita Jassi is a Consultant Clinical Psychologist at the National and Specialist OCD, BDD and Related Disorder Service for Children and Young People chats to Dr Linda about the hallmarks and symptoms of BDD, how to support a loved one and sheds light on how effective CBT is when seeking treatment and support.
Minnie is a remarkable lady who not only knows the effects BDD can have first-hand but facilitates BDD support groups to help other sufferers. We get to hear, in her own words, her story with BDD starting from experiencing racism in her childhood, to cosmetic surgery in her late teens and suicidal thoughts through to finally getting diagnosed at the age of 44 and then her recovery journey.
She discusses how her CBT therapy worked and what some of her exposure challenges looked and felt like. Very significantly she talks about the ups and downs of recovery and that relapses are a normal part of this.
Vogue has written an article highlighting the new challenges of using zoom for individuals with BDD. “We’re hearing that [patients are] becoming fixated on worrying about their own appearance during the call, getting stuck fixing their appearance for the call by changing their makeup, lighting, or camera angle, and getting distracted during the call by comparing their appearance to others,”
Laura, the host of ‘This Full Mind’ says: “I am so honoured to have been able to have this conversation with Dr Nicole Schnackenberg, a psychologist, psychotherapist and part of the team at the @bddfoundation.
Since getting diagnosed with Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) a few months ago, it’s felt like a huge weight has been lifted off me. After two decades of feeling alone with my obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviours I have a team of people supporting me and have been equipped with language and tools to explain my experience to the people I love (who have been so supportive). Talking to Nicole was such a dream because I felt so seen and understood, and normal! I really recommend this episode for anyone struggling with self image acceptance or supporting someone going through something similar. Huge thank you to Nicole and the @bddfoundation for their support and the important work they are doing! Available now on iTunes, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and all good podcast apps. Looking to support me and the podcast? Please rate and review on Apple Podcasts ♥️
“When I was a teenager, I discovered make-up, but it was camouflage, a mask…”
When she was at primary school, Alex (not her real name) remembers the teacher asking the class what they would do if they won the lottery. “Go on holiday!” “Buy my mum a present!” were typical answers, but all Alex could think about was how she would use the money to fix her appearance, which she describes as “horrific and abnormal.” It wasn’t until years later that Alex was referred to a psychologist, who told her she had body dysmorphic disorder and that together they could beat it.
Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a mental health condition. It causes people to worry excessively about what they think are flaws in their appearance, even though these flaws might not be noticeable to other people. BDD affects both men and women and can affect people of any age, but is most common in teenagers and young adults. It’s usually treated with a type of talking therapy called Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, which is sometimes used alongside an antidepressant medication.
As a teenager, Alex got to the point where she couldn’t leave the house without three layers of make-up, if she could leave at all. She spent a lot of her adolescence indoors.
Alex is now 25 years old and has been in treatment for body dysmorphic disorder for over six years. She has learnt that when thinking about herself, she should always think first about who she is on the inside, not what she looks like on the outside. “I’m not blowing my own trumpet,” she says, “but I can be quite funny…”. Alex has realised that she has lots of beautiful qualities and although she still battles every day with feelings of low self-worth, she feels her condition is slowly improving. “I just carry on,” she says, “because I’m going to win the war eventually.”
