To your dismay, your daughter has started to complain more and more about the appearance of her eyelids. She grudgingly compares them to those of her classmates. You frequently catch her standing before a mirror, scrutinizing their appearance. When you try to discuss your concerns, she becomes defensive. To make matters worse, you've observed her reading materials about cosmetic surgery.

How do you know if your daughter is simply experiencing a typical stage in adolescence or if she has a more complex problem? Teens seem to worry incessantly about their weight and appearance, but some may become obsessed with a specific flaw or perceived defect. Along with eating disorders, body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) has become a growing concern for young adults.

The severity of this disorder varies. Some are able to function and cope with daily life, whereas others experience paralyzing symptoms of depression, anxiety, and avoidance of social situations.

"These adolescents have a very distorted view of how they look, and it does not match how other youth see them," says Katharine Phillips, MD, director of the Body Image Program at Butler Hospital in Providence, Rhode Island.

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Jump to another section of this article Body Dysmorphic Disorder What Is BDD? What Causes BDD? Signs and Symptoms of BDD Diagnosing and Treating BDD Helping Your Child Develop a Positive Self-image Reviewer name and date on last page