'Because I'm Ugly: Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) and me.'

An animation by Salvador Maldonado and Caterina Monzani in collaboration with the BDD Foundation.
Supported by the National & Specialist OCD, BDD and Related Disorders Service for Young People at the South London and Maudsley NHS Trust.
Sponsored by the Ardonagh Community Trust.

Because I’m Ugly: Body Dysmorphic Disorder and Me explores the challenges of living with BDD, a disorder where a person becomes very preoccupied with one or more features in their physical appearance (e.g. nose, skin, hair, etc) and engages in time-consuming repetitive behaviours to fix or hide their perceived flaw/s (e.g. excessive mirror checking, grooming rituals, seeking reassurance etc). The animation is built around the real life testimony of Elias, a 17 year old boy with BDD, whose story shows us how the condition manifests. The animation follows his story from initial signs to full blown obsession and through his treatment and recovery process.

BDD causes significant distress and devastating functional impairment, including marked isolation, social and school withdrawal, and strikingly high suicide rates. It is estimated that about 1 in 50 people in the UK suffer from BDD. Despite its prevalence and seriousness, BDD remains a severely under-recognised and under-treated condition. Sadly, the lack of knowledge of BDD delays appropriate diagnosis and treatments.

The BDD Foundation is determined to raise awareness of this crippling condition and help everyone affected by BDD. Through this animation, the BDD Foundation hopes to promote early identification of BDD and intervention, and prevent unnecessary treatment delays and suffering for those affected by this condition.