Body dysmorphic disorder
![Cracked and peeling black paint on glass with a blurry, out-of-focus background in warm tones.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/4b3ca0bf-8ccb-4b7c-b569-789a5e0758e8/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Body dysmorphic disorder
idea
Body dysmorphic disorder is common, yet widely misunderstood
What strikes someone with BDD as a glaring physical problem actually calls for a psychological solution
by Toni Pikoos
![Five people wait to cross by Victoria’s Secret posters; some use their phones, while others look around.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/8f3c9cad-20a6-468f-91b6-f2234fff1f8b/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Body dysmorphic disorder
idea
Body neutrality gives me the freedom not to love my body
How body neutrality, not body positivity, allowed me to acknowledge the fraught relationship between myself and my body
by Payal Dhar
![A minimalist ink sketch of a person sitting, looking downwards, with soft shading and brush strokes for detailing.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/faf62eb7-a567-40c1-887f-124783a69cb5/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
The body and physical health
guide
How to love your body
Are you unhappy with what you see in the mirror? Getting comfortable in your own skin can be hard work, but it’s worth it
by Charlotte H Markey
![A person in a white T-shirt sits in a chair near a bright window, looking down at an open book while holding a pen.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/ce984160-e294-4001-b4df-3397cf548ecf/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Eating disorders
idea
Is ‘feeling fat’ really a manifestation of underlying sadness?
Patients with eating disorders who feel overweight are often told that the underlying cause is emotional. What if it’s not?
by Stephen Gadsby & Bence Nanay
![Distorted reflections of several people in a wavy, metallic surface, creating a ripple effect.](https://images.aeonmedia.co/images/16e9e39a-ed89-4799-bd3e-f1892628f2bc/original.jpg?width=3840&quality=75&format=auto)
Eating disorders
idea
Body image distortions are a normal feature of mental life
Body image distortions can be severe in anorexia nervosa and bulimia, but they’re also a normal feature of mental life
by Matthew R Longo