There’s a lot of confusion with regard to the way we perceive ourselves. As a result, it has led to body dysmorphia and body dysphoria being misconstrued or used interchangeably. In reality, they refer to very different experiences.

This article will explain the differences between them and shed light on what they mean. This way, you can understand yourself better or support someone close to you.

What Is Body Dysmorphia?

Also referred to as Body Dysmorphic Disorder, it is when someone becomes obsessively preoccupied with perceived defects or flaws in their appearance. Most of the time, these are small or don’t exist. However, they feel overwhelmed. So, if a person becomes excessively preoccupied with the size of his nose, for instance, they may be suffering from body dysmorphia. Also, if it’s the texture of their skin or even the shape of their body—it’s the same condition. In most instances, the thoughts can become intrusive enough to affect daily functioning. It can cause them to compulsive grooming, avoid mirrors, or even decide to do plastic surgery.

Body dysmorphia is not about wanting to look better. It’s more about deep-seated fears or anxieties that something is wrong with their appearance.

What Is Body Dysphoria?

On the other hand, body dysphoria is more closely linked with gender identity. It’s when someone feels discomfort or distress when their body does not correspond to their internal sense of self— usually relating to their gender.

So if someone is assigned female at birth but identifies as a male, they may experience dysphoria regarding the existence of breasts or some other physiological features. This incompatibility can lead to emotional suffering, anxiety, or depression.

While body dysmorphia is more about specific perceived imperfections. However, body dysphoria comes from a disconnect between one’s physical body and how they perceive their gender identity. It has to be pointed out that not everyone who undergoes experiences of gender dysphoria identifies with the transgender community. Still, it does remain a widespread experience among many transgender-identified individuals.

Getting Help

Dealing with these two conditions isn’t always straightforward. So you can’t tell someone struggling with body dysmorphia needs to just learn to love themselves. Also, you can’t tell a person with body dysphoria that they may just want some attention. It will be like you’re invalidating their experience.

The truth is that the two conditions deserve empathy, support, and professional care. The disorders are treatable with the help of mental health professionals. Therapists like Nina Yashin can help them cope and heal.

With body dysmorphia, treatments such as CBT can help to reframe intrusive thoughts about one’s appearance. Therapy can also be useful in the case of body dysphoria. Some people find that medical interventions—such as hormone therapy or surgery—help their physical appearance more. This way, they can closely align with their gender identity.

Final thoughts 

Remember that these conditions are not simply what people can just get over. It is better to seek help if you are struggling with these disorders or know someone with it. Now that you know the difference between body dysmorphia and body dysphoria, you can support the people you care about.