“There are so many beautiful things to look forward to and none of them concern your appearance.”
Our guest, Mia Hill, describes how an obsession with perceived flaws in her appearance took over her life during the COVID-19 lockdown. Already living with OCD, she found herself trapped in a relentless cycle of filming, analysing and scrutinising her appearance. Today, Mia works for OCD-UK, serves as an ambassador for the BDD Foundation and openly shares her experiences to help others find hope and recovery.
You can download the transcript for this episode here:
Dominique Omeonga, a Trainee Counselling Psychologist at Middlesex University is conducting a study that aims to explore how Black British women make sense of their experiences of living with Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) and engaging in psychological therapy.
You can take part if:
Are a Black British cisgender woman aged 18 or over (including African, Caribbean, or mixed Black heritage).
Experience ongoing or past persistent preoccupation with perceived appearance concerns consistent with BDD (a formal diagnosis is not required).
Have completed psychological therapy where BDD or appearance-related distress was the primary focus between 6 months and 3 years ago.
Are not currently receiving therapy specifically for BDD or experiencing acute psychological distress.
Are able to participate in an interview conducted in English.
Taking part includes:
A brief 10-15 minute call and one confidential online interview (60-90 mins)
A brief questionnaire
An opportunity to reflect on your experiences and contribute to an under-researched topic with the aim of informing future psychological practice
If you are interested in finding out more or taking part, follow the link or contact:
“There is happiness after body dysmorphic disorder.”
In this episode, Sheila Paul reflects on the role that cultural expectations and painful childhood experiences played in her developing body dysmorphic disorder. And she describes how sharing her experiences within the African Caribbean community is helping reduce the shame around mental health issues.
You can download the transcript for this episode here:
BDD is a common mental health condition, but little is known about people’s experiences of seeking help in the UK.
Researchers from UCL would like to hear from those who have sought support for BDD, whether you’ve been able to access treatment or found it hard to. Participants do not need to have a formal BDD diagnosis.
Taking part involves an anonymous online survey which will take about 20 minutes. This will ask about your experiences of seeking support for BDD and accessing treatment.
You will be entered into a prize draw for the chance to win a £20 voucher
You can take part if:
Age 18+
Have experienced appearance related concerns consistent with BDD (diagnosed or not)
Currently living in the UK
Able to read and understand English
If you are interested in finding out more or taking part, follow the link or contact:
emma.dunford20@ucl.ac.uk
This is a doctorate of Clinical Psychology research study
UCL Researchers are seeking adult participants for research on Body Dysmorphic Disorder symptoms.
The study aims to explore the experiences of people in the UK with BDD who have sought support from mental health services. The researchers are looking to understand barriers and facilitators to getting help, to inform improvements in support and care.
Taking part involves a 1 hour confidential interview via phone or video call. This will ask about your journey in recognising symptoms, seeking help and receiving treatment
You will receive a £10 thank you for your time.
You can take part if:
Age 18+
Self-identify as having BDD (diagnosed or not)
Have sought out or received psychological treatment for BDD-related concerns in the UK
Fluent in English
If you are interested in finding out more or taking part, follow the link or contact:
emma.denton.24@ucl.ac.uk
This is a doctorate of Clinical Psychology research study
We are honoured to announce the creation and celebration of an inaugural Body Dysmorphic Disorder Awareness Day on September 3, 2026, presented by the the International OCD Foundation and the BDD Foundation. We have exciting plans for the day and among them are a social media campaign that highlights the BDD lived experience voice.
If you have lived experience with BDD and feel comfortable doing so, we would love to invite you to take part in the social media awareness campaign. Hearing directly from people with lived experience can spread hope and help others feel less alone.
If you’d like to participate, we’ve created a short form where you can share as much or as little as feels right to you.
UCL Researchers are seeking adult participants for research on Body Dysmorphic Disorder symptoms.
Body dysmorphic symptoms are thought to exist along a spectrum in the general population, with some not experiencing these at all, while others experience these at a high level. The research team are interested in how these experiences relate to the types of feedback we request from other people about us (e.g. reassurance). Understanding this better has the potential to improve support and aid our understanding of BDD.
Taking part includes a brief 10-15 min online survey, and a chance to win one of five £20 vouchers.
You can take part if:
Age 18+
Fluent in English
Please note that you do not need to experience BDD symptoms or body image concerns in order to participate.
If you are interested in finding out more or taking part, follow the link or contact:
lara.erritt.21@ucl.ac.uk
This is a doctorate of Clinical Psychology research study
“It can feel quite lonely, and scary. I just hope that by sharing my story, it will help someone else.”
Sam Milburn, mum to Jack, is a passionate advocate for more awareness and better access to treatment for BDD. In this episode, she shares her hard-won advice for other parents, including how to navigate the system on behalf of your child while also looking after yourself.
You can download the transcript for this episode here:
“Every mirror, every shop window, every reflective surface became something I had to check, not out of vanity, but out of fear.”
From as far back as I can remember – maybe 12 or 13 – the moment I became aware of my reflection, something inside me shifted. I never saw what other people saw. Every mirror, every shop window, every reflective surface became something I had to check, not out of vanity, but out of fear… fear that it would confirm what I already believed: that I looked wrong, awful, ‘horrendous’.
It wasn’t just feeling ugly, it was an obsession that wrapped itself around me. My hair became the centre of it. Being a redhead in the 2000s, with thick, wild, wavy hair that never did what I wanted, felt like a curse. Everyone wanted pin‑straight hair and thin eyebrows, and I had neither. I remember the first time I used straighteners, the shock of seeing my hair change, the tiny spark of hope, and then the crash that followed when the damage, the greasiness, the separation made me feel even worse. Greasy hair became something I hated with a kind of panic. I felt dirty, ashamed, convinced people would think I was disgusting.
I spent so much money, so much time, chasing the promise of ‘shiny, easy hair’, believing that if I could just fix that one thing, maybe I could finally like myself. But every new shampoo, every treatment, every hopeful delivery turned into disappointment. I hid it from people I lived with because the shame was too much.
At my lowest, BDD made me feel like disappearing. I genuinely believed the world would be better without me, that no one would care because I was ‘so ugly’. I stopped leaving the house unless I absolutely had to. I cancelled plans, made excuses, and hurt friendships without ever telling the truth – that I was terrified of being seen.
I spent hours in front of mirrors. Skin‑picking and hair‑plucking became rituals I couldn’t stop, even when they hurt me. I’d make my skin bleed, scab, and then pick again trying to ‘fix’ it. I carried tweezers everywhere. I felt trapped in a cycle I didn’t choose and couldn’t escape. And the anger I felt toward myself for not being able to stop… it was exhausting.
I look back and see how much time BDD has stolen from me, how many experiences, how much joy, how much life. I’m 40 now, and it took until last year to finally reach a point where I couldn’t keep going like that. I didn’t want to live in that pain anymore. One night, at my lowest, I searched the internet for anything – any story, any person – who might understand. That’s when I found the BDD Foundation and the 20‑week Overcoming BDD programme.
Reading those testimonials… it was the first time in my entire life I felt seen. Truly seen. Every word echoed something I had felt but never been able to explain. The relief of knowing I wasn’t alone was overwhelming. For so long I thought everyone secretly hated themselves and that confidence was something other people pretended to have.
I applied. Speaking to Gem during the screening was the first time I talked to someone who got it. I was grateful, terrified, hopeful. Twenty weeks felt huge. But it turned out to be one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. The group was incredible – no judgement, just understanding, compassion, and connection. By the end, none of us wanted it to stop.
I think a part of me hoped the programme would ‘fix’ me completely, that I’d come out cured. But healing doesn’t work like that. Twenty weeks is a beginning, not an ending. And yet… the change in me is real. The tools I’ve learned, the way I speak to myself now, the tiny moments of peace I never thought I’d feel, they’re proof that I can survive this. That I can get better. That the thoughts in my head aren’t the truth.
It’s not about being beautiful or ugly. It’s about not letting my appearance dictate my entire life. And slowly, slowly – it’s getting better. I’m learning self‑compassion. I’m learning not to punish myself. I’m learning to breathe.
My friends and family have been incredible. They’ll never fully understand, and I wouldn’t want them to, but their support has kept me going. I don’t know where I’d be without them.
Sometimes I wish I could go back and hold my younger self. Tell her she’s safe. Tell her she’s loved. Tell her that one day she’ll find people who understand her, and she’ll start to like herself, even just a little. But I also know that everything I’ve lived through has shaped who I am now.
BDD is cruel. It fills you with guilt and shame – how can someone with a good life be so consumed by how they look? But it’s real, and it’s painful, and it deserves to be talked about. I’m grateful it’s finally being spoken about more openly. And I’m grateful for the BDD Foundation for giving me something I never had before: the feeling of not being alone.
“What you see isn’t the true version of who you are. BDD has taken over your brain.”
Just a couple of years ago, Malise was in a wheelchair after spending three and a half years in hospital being misunderstood and mistreated. Today she is in recovery, volunteering for the BDD Foundation and even training for the Manchester Marathon. She shares the devastating impact of misdiagnosis and how finally receiving the right support changed everything.
You can download the transcript for this episode here:
