Case Report

Body dysmorphic disorder: A diagnostic challenge in adolescence

Yanga Thungana, Karis Moxley, Anusha Lachman
South African Journal of Psychiatry | Vol 24 | a1114 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/sajpsychiatry.v24i0.1114 | © 2018 Yanga Thungana, Anusha Lachman | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 23 March 2017 | Published: 28 June 2018

About the author(s)

Yanga Thungana, Department of Psychiatry, Stellenbosch University, South Africa; Department of Psychiatry, Walter Sisulu University, South Africa
Karis Moxley, Department of Psychiatry, Stellenbosch University, South Africa
Anusha Lachman, Department of Psychiatry, Stellenbosch University, South Africa

Abstract

Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a chronic and disabling condition that is characterised by distressing preoccupations with perceived defects in one’s own appearance, which might be slight or not observable to others. It is considered to be an obsessive–compulsive spectrum disorder and is associated with depression, feelings of shame and poor quality of life. It is primarily a disorder of childhood or adolescent onset, and sub-clinical BDD symptoms begin, on average, several years before an individual’s symptoms meet full criteria for the disorder. Here we report the case of an adolescent admitted to an inpatient psychiatric unit for treatment of psychotic symptoms that were poorly responsive to standard treatments. This challenging case of BDD in an adolescent highlights the various comorbidities of the disorder, as well as the difficulties associated with BDD diagnosis.

Keywords

Body Dysmorphic Disorder; Adolescence

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Crossref Citations

1. Young people’s experiences of body dysmorphic disorder in education settings: a grounded theory
Nicole Schnackenberg
Educational Psychology in Practice  vol: 37  issue: 2  first page: 202  year: 2021  
doi: 10.1080/02667363.2021.1895079