Dr Trondsen was inspired to study psychotherapy because of his own struggle with BDD. “I kept thinking I was getting uglier,” Dr Trondsen said. It’s common for those with BDD to also have conditions like OCD, major depressive disorder, social phobia and substance use disorder. Therapists try to help patients view themselves more holistically, emphasising that there’s more to them than the specific parts of their bodies they scrutinise. For Ms Rosenberg, cognitive behavioural therapy with her former therapist, Dr Trondsen, gradually helped her condition.