Body image concerns refers to how an individual sees their own body and how attractive they feel themselves to be. Many people have concerns about their body image, these concerns often focus on weight, skin, hair, or the shape or size of a certain body part.

However, when these preoccupations a present most of the time and a person engages in reassurance seeking, avoidance, rumination, comparisons with others, it’s possible they’re dealing with body dysmorphic disorder (BDD).

People with BDD often spend a great amount of time checking their appearance in mirrors, store windows, spoons, and other reflective surfaces. In a study published in Behaviour Research and Therapy in 2001, people with BDD reported that they constantly checked their appearance because they hoped that when they did, they would either look better than they remembered or finally feel comfortable with the way they looked. Some of the people reported spending as long as two hours and forty-five minutes in front of a mirror checking their appearance. Unfortunately, most of these people reported that they didn’t feel better after spending any amount of time checking their appearance.

In comparison, other people with BDD behave in a very different way. They often avoid mirrors completely or keep them covered so that they don’t have to look at themselves at all.