Body Dysmorphic Disorder
According to research reported in the American Journal of Psychiatry, individuals with body dysmorphic disorder are 45 times more likely to commit suicide than people in the general population.
Individuals with body dysmorphic disorder, or BDD, are excessively concerned with their body image, thinking obsessively about their appearance, or preoccupied with either an imagined or minor physical defect.
Kartharine Phillips, M.D., and Willian Menard studied 185 patients with the disorder for up to four years, the first known study of its kind examining both BDD and suicide.
A startling 57.8% of the participants reported suicidal ideation during this time period, a number that is 10-25 times higher when compared to the U.S. population. Of those studied, 2.6% have attempted suicide per year. Two subjects actually completed suicide.
The disorder leads to self-loathing, poor self-esteem, high levels of anxiety, depression, and hostility.
According to the MayoClinic.com website, signs and symptoms of BDD include frequent plastic surgery or cosmetic procedures, refusal to have a picture taken, avoidance of social situations, frequently examining oneself in the mirror, among others.
The website also reports that treatment for this disorder can be successful, and lists both antidepressant drugs and cognitive behavioral therapy (see Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) as proven interventions.