48: Body Dysmorphia Part One: Kitty's Story

In the first of a two part special focusing on the debilitating body image disorder, Body Dysmorphia, Dr Linda chats to Kitty Wallace who has battled with the BDD since her teens. 

BDD is an all consuming disorder, where the sufferer finds themselves fixating on a perceived flaw or defect in their appearance that is invisible to others and it can have a hugely debilitating effect on their ability to engage in every day activities. 

In Kitty's darkest times she found herself unable to leave the house for months on end, avoiding social situations because of her anxiety over her skin. When she did try and leave the house there were times when she found herself locked in an 8 hour cycle of trying to cover up the skin on her face, applying and removing make up until she eventually gave up, exhausted. 

Huge thanks to Kitty for sharing her story with us. If any of what has been discussed in this episode resonates with you or perhaps your concerns for a loved one then please contact the BDD Foundation as a first point of call for more help and information: bddfoundation.org