Improving the Detection of Body Dysmorphic Disorder in Clinical Practice

Abstract

The aim of this article is to raise awareness of the underdiagnosis of body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) in clinical practice and provide suggestions to overcome key barriers to BDD detection. Disclosure of BDD symptoms is uncommon during routine assessments but can be increased by asking specifically about such symptoms. When BDD symptoms are present, it is important to differentiate them from anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and eating disorders, which may present with some similarities and are commonly comorbid with BDD. Assessment of BDD should be sensitive to issues of poor insight, elevated suicide risk, subthreshold BDD presentations, and the possibility of BDD by proxy. Furthermore, assessment should consider the potential impact of age, gender, ethnicity, and minor physical defects on the presentation of BDD. Improving the assessment of BDD in routine clinical practice will enhance disclosure, improve case conceptualization, and provide the opportunity to deliver appropriate treatment for this underdiagnosed and often serious disorder.