Body Image Assessment
A short reflection on how much time and distress your appearance concerns take up.
Check what applies to you
What you checked doesn’t suggest a strong pattern of body image preoccupation right now.
You checked a few things that suggest appearance concerns are taking up more space than they might need to. Worth noticing before it grows.
You checked several things that point to a real, distressing preoccupation with appearance — the kind that can meaningfully affect daily life. This is treatable, and it’s worth talking to a professional about.
Why these questions
This checklist is built around the features clinicians look for when evaluating body image-related distress broadly — including but not limited to Body Dysmorphic Disorder specifically. It covers time spent preoccupied with appearance, checking or avoidance behaviors (mirrors, photos), and functional impact (avoiding social situations, interference with work or relationships), because the amount of time and distress involved tends to matter more clinically than the specific concern itself.
Want to talk it through?
Reflection is a starting point, not an endpoint. A brief conversation with someone who knows this territory can help you make sense of what you’re noticing.Related reading
Frequently asked questions
Is this the same as a BDD screening?
It overlaps with some features clinicians look for in BDD, but it’s a general body image reflection tool, not a diagnostic screener for any single condition. See our Body Dysmorphia page for more on that specific diagnosis.
Is it normal to think about my appearance sometimes?
Yes — some degree of appearance awareness is typical. This tool is meant to help you notice when it’s taking up a disproportionate amount of time or causing real distress, not to flag ordinary self-consciousness.