How do you know BDD is a real disorder and not just an excuse for vanity?

How do you know BDD is a real disorder and not just an excuse for vanity?

Jamie Feusner (Psychiatrist, Professor, UCLA) gives expert video advice on: What is 'Body Dysmorphic Disorder' or 'BDD'?; What is 'body image'?; How do you know BDD is a real disorder and not just an excuse for vanity? and more...

Actually, body dysmorphic disorder is probably the opposite of vanity because vanity is when somebody, they do think about their appearance a lot. And they look at themselves in the mirror. But usually they like their appearance, in some way. So they are kind of taking pride in their appearance. They are feeling really good about it. Maybe they are overemphasizing it but basically they like their appearance. Body dysmorphic disorder is the opposite because people do not like their appearance. They think that they are ugly. They think that something is defective about their appearance. So and most of the time they wish that they did not have to think so much about their appearance. It is really almost the opposite of vanity.