Actress Megan Fox, who has long been considered a sex symbol, recently revealed in an interview after appearing on the cover of Sports Illustrated that she suffers from body dysmorphic disorder.
"I don't ever see myself the way other people see me. There's never a point in my life where I loved my body, never ever. When I was little, that was an obsession I had of like, 'But I should look this way.' And why I had an awareness of my body that young, I'm not sure," she told Sports Illustrated.
The American Psychological Association defines body dysmorphia as having an excessive focus on an imagined problem with one's appearance or a very slight problem.
In other words, it is a distinct discrepancy between how someone is perceived by others and how they perceive themselves.
What is body dysmorphic disorder?
Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) isn't as well-known as other disorders related to body image, such as anorexia or bulimia. However, it is quite common, covering 1%-2% of the population.
It has gained increased attention in recent years thanks to some high-profile celebrities that suffer it, such as Robert Pattinson, Uma Thurman, and Michael Jackson.