Body Dysmorphic Disorder

Body dysmorphic disorder requires obsessional thoughts regarding a perceived defect in appearance and/or compulsive behavior that develop in response to those thoughts. Individuals experience clinically significant impairment because of their appearance concerns. Body dysmorphic disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder have many similarities, including phenomenologic features, comorbidities, and underlying pathophysiology. Insight into the excessiveness or irrationality of their beliefs varies from good to delusional. Many individuals with body dysmorphic disorder present with comorbid suicidal ideation and substance use disorders. This review contains 1 table, and 30 references. Key words: body dysmorphic disorder, diagnostic and statistical manual, obsessive-compulsive and related disorder