Body dysmorphia in gay male spaces: the double binds of knowing what you want and simultaneously rejecting it

Abstract

Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) is a distressing mental health disorder with a prevalence of 2.4% among adults in the United States. While research has previously evaluated the impacts of age and gender differences, there has been a limited focus on the intersection of BDD symptomology and the experiences of sexual minority men. This dearth of research contributes to a lack of understanding, both socio-culturally and clinically, of the lived experiences of gay men with BDD. This qualitative study explored the lived experiences 10 self-identified gay men diagnosed with BDD to gain insight into possible intrapsychic and interpersonal factors that are at play for this population. Analysis, informed by a phenomenological approach, yielded three key themes of double binds experienced by the participants: My Armor is my Spotlight, Wanting Intimacy but Rejecting it, and Caught Between Cultural Expectations and Desires for Self.