What is Body Dysmorphia and how does it affect students?

(All information in this article is from personal experience and should not be taken as professional advice. Student Life have a range of resources available to you on this topic. These are evidence-based resources that include tips from practitioners with students in mind. Find more information here)

What is Body Dysmorphia?

Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) is an anxiety disorder that causes a person to have a distorted view of how they look and to spend a lot of time worrying about their appearance.

Signs you might be struggling with BDD:

• Checking mirrors/photos frequently OR avoiding them altogether
• Spending too much time worrying about one specific feature and comparing it others
• Comparing yourself to others constantly
• Feeling anxious about being seen in social settings
• Obsessing over gym, diets, or cosmetic changes

These can impact daily life, making socializing, studying, and self-care harder.

How student life can make BDD harder

University life can make body image struggles worse because of:

• Social media pressures: Seeing unrealistic, edited images daily via Pinterest, Instagram, TikTok etc.
• Toxic gym culture: Feeling pressured to look/present a certain way mentally or physically and lead a certain life.
• Social events: Feeling self-conscious in new environments.
• Stress & mental health: Exams, deadlines, and anxiety can increase negative self-talk to remove focus from one negative thing to put it on the next.

It’s important to remember: Your body is not the problem. Unrealistic standards are.

Social Media & Body Image

Social media isn’t reality.

• Most pictures are edited, filtered, and posed and only show a figment of one's life not the whole picture!
• Comparison will always steal your confidence.

• Unfollow accounts that make you feel bad about yourself, your mental health is worth more than that account and whatever opinion they may hold.
• Follow body-positive creators & mental health pages.
• Limit scrolling time when you’re feeling down.

Remember: You are not defined by your appearance.

Ways to cope

Small steps to improve your body image:

• Limit mirror-checking – Constantly checking can make anxiety worse as it can lead to overthinking.
• Wear clothes that make YOU feel comfortable—not what’s “trendy” and only based on one body type.
• Focus on what your body CAN do – move, dance, laugh, hug etc. :)
• Practice self-care – Sleep well, eat well, move your body, in a way that feels good and nourishes you mentally and physically.
• Talk to someone you trust/who can help you – You don’t have to go through this alone, sometimes stepping outside your own lens can be helpful to see a new perspective.

You deserve kindness—from others, but especially from yourself. 💙

Ways to Be a Supportive Friend:

• Listen without judgement – Let them express their feelings.

• Don’t focus on appearance – Compliment them on qualities unrelated to looks.

• Encourage professional help – If they’re struggling, suggest seeking help to help them.

• Be mindful of your own words – Avoid body-shaming talk, sometimes we do it unintentionally but education is important even about yourself.

• Invite them to do things that make them feel good – A walk, a hobby, a fun event, someone with body dismorphia is more than just that, trying not to make everything about that intentionally or not can be extremely useful.

Small acts of support can make a BIG difference!

How to support a friend who has BDD

What not to say

Avoid saying things like:

• "You look fine!" - They may not believe you and will not change their thoughts.
• "Everyone has insecurities!" – This can feel dismissive and that they are not being listened to at that moment .
• "You’re overreacting." – Their feelings are very real.
• "Just stop thinking about it." – If it were that easy, they would.

Instead, focus on validating their feelings and being there for them.

What to say instead

Helpful things you CAN say:

• "I’m here for you, and I care about you."
• "I know this is hard. You’re not alone."
• "Your worth isn’t based on how you look."
• "How can I support you right now?"

Listening is powerful. Sometimes, just being there is enough.

Support & Encouragement

If body dysmorphia is affecting your mental health, talk to someone; don't let these unwanted thoughts get to you. If you would like find out more information on looking after your own wellbeing then make sure to visit the Student Intranet to find a wealth of resources to help you manage your emotional, mental and physical health. If you’re not sure where to start, email studentconnect@cardiff.ac.uk and they can refer you to the service that is right for you