The teenage years are hard on kids’ sense of identity and self-esteem, especially as their bodies and minds are changing and growing at a rapid rate. As a parent, it may feel like you are jumping through mental and emotional hoops, doing your best to build up your child while still maintaining discipline. However, adolescents who struggle with body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) may need more help than most parents may realize.
Body Dysmorphic Disorder Strikes at a Vulnerable Age
Body dysmorphic disorder is a mental disorder that leads individuals to constantly think about their perceived appearance flaws. These flaws may be small and therefore unobservable by others, but for someone with BDD, those perceived defects in their appearance can be all-consuming.
According to research, this disorder often strikes sometime during either childhood or the later adolescent years, with 16 being the average age of those diagnosed. Since teens are often going through many difficult changes during this time period, their BDD may go unnoticed by parents or simply seen as an extension of teenage angst. However, a child’s body dysmorphia and overall obsessive unhappiness with their appearance may not be their only mental health issue.
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