In 2013, the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) was released, and it now includes Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) as part of the section on Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Related Disorders, along with Hoarding Disorder, Trichotillomania (Hair Pulling Disorder), and Skin Picking Disorder. All of these disorders are in the same group because they share common features — but there are also some important differences.

The International OCD Foundation is dedicated to providing resources for OCD and related disorders, including BDD. On our main website, iocdf.org, we provide many resources for those affected by obsessive compulsive disorder. Many of the resources on iocdf.org (such as our Conference Series and Resource Directory, etc.) will still apply to the BDD community, but we saw that there was also a great need for a dedicated site for those affected by Body Dysmorphic Disorder.

We asked many of the leading BDD clinicians and researchers in the United States — as well many individuals and families affected first hand by BDD — to help us put together information that was specific to those affected by BDD. This website includes information for individuals with BDD, from kids to teens to adults, their family members, and for the mental health professionals and researchers who work with BDD. We also have plans to expand the site to include resources for schools, members of the community, and other stakeholders affected by BDD.

We truly hope you find this new resource for the BDD community to be invaluable.

And thank you to our many contributors:

Major Contributors

  • Katharine Phillips, MD
  • Sabine Wilhelm, PhD
  • Fugen Neziroglu, PhD
  • Jamie Feusner, MD
  • Jonathan Hoffman, PhD
  • Jennifer L. Greenberg, PsyD
  • Sony Khemlani-Patel, PhD
  • Roberto Olivardia, PhD
  • Scott Granet, LCSW

Other Contributors

  • Eva E. Fisher
  • Judy Asselin
  • Denis Asselin
  • Carrie Asselin
  • Renato Salz, MD
  • Katia Moritz, PhD
  • Megan M. Kelly, PhD
  • Elizabeth R. Didie, PhD
  • Ashley S. Hart, PhD
  • Tsz Man Lai
  • Wei Li
  • Andrea Hartmann, PhD
  • Matthew Jacofsky, PsyD
  • Nicole Lippman
  • Aaron Blashill, PhD

And thank you to Kate Edwards for the use of her illustrations and images on the homepage and elsewhere on the site.

Contributor Bios

Katharine Phillips, MD, is Director of the Body Dysmorphic Disorder Program at Rhode Island Hospital and Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University in Providence, RI. She is internationally known for her pioneering research and clinical expertise in body dysmorphic disorder. She is author of The Broken Mirror: Understanding and Treating Body Dysmorphic Disorder (Revised and Expanded Edition), published by Oxford University Press in 2005 and Understanding Body Dysmorphic Disorder: An Essential Guide, published by Oxford University Press in 2009. She is also co-author of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Body Dysmorphic Disorder: A Treatment Manual, published by Guilford Press in 2013 (with Drs. Sabine Wilhelm and Gail Steketee) and The Adonis Complex: The Secret Crisis of Male Body Obsession, published by The Free Press in 2000 (with Drs. Harrison Pope and Roberto Olivardia).

Jonathan Hoffman, PhD, ABPP, is Clinical Director of the NeuroBehavioral Institute in South Florida, and is a member of the IOCDF Scientific & Clinical Advisory Board.

Roberto Olivardia, PhD, is a Clinical Instructor of Psychology at Harvard Medical School.  He maintains a private psychotherapy practice in Lexington, MA, where he specializes in the treatment of BDD, OCD, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).  He also specializes in the treatment of eating disorders in boys and men.  He is co-author of The Adonis Complex, a book which details the various manifestations of body image problems in men. 

Scott M. Granet, LCSW, has specialized in the treatment of body dysmorphic disorder for many years and in 2008 opened the OCD-BDD Clinic of Northern California, located in Redwood City. In addition to his clinical work, Mr. Granet has presented on BDD at numerous conferences worldwide and teaches continuing education classes on the disorder to mental health clinicians around the country.