Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

I alongside some of my wonderful colleagues, are completing the National 3 Peaks challenge in aid of the Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) Foundation.

https://bddfoundation.org/

This will involve climbing 3 Mountains – (Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon) in the space of 24 hours, which will certainly be a challenge!

Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) is a serious but often misunderstood mental health condition, and it affects about 2% of the population.

Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) is characterised by a preoccupation with one or more perceived defects or flaws in appearance, which are unnoticeable to others. Whilst many of us can relate to some level of appearance dissatisfaction, for a person with BDD this preoccupation can cause high levels of distress.

BDD can have a huge impact on areas of life such as employment and education, with 50% of people with BDD being unemployed, as well as an estimate of 60% of young people with BDD not attending school or only attending sporadically.

Sadly people with BDD have a high suicide rate with it being estimated 25% of people with the BDD attempting suicide and 0.3% of people committing suicide each year.

The good news however, is that with the right support and treatment, recovery rates can be pretty high which is why I am especially passionate about this cause.

The BDD foundation is in fact it is the only charity in the world dedicated soley to supporting those with BDD and it truly is a fantastic charity. Some of the resources the foundation offers includes: support groups, email helplines, advice pages, webinars, podcasts and signposting, as well as building awareness of and advancing treatment of this condition.

The reason I wanted to take on this challenge, is because the BDD foundation is a charity especially close to my heart. At Overcoming OCD and related disorders therapy clinic, where I work, we often work with and treat people with BDD. We see first had the level of impact it has on peoples life. Overcoming BDD is challenging and takes courage so I wanted to do something myself that would be challenging and take some courage. It is also a demonstration of how are bodies are so much more than an aesthetic object!

I would really appreciate any support, however small