What’s the difference between body dysmorphia and body dysphoria?

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I hear both terms used and vaguely know the difference, but I’m trying to figure out which one it is I’m experiencing at times. I don’t want to accidently use one when I mean the other. It’s all new to me and I really need both terms explained right next to each other so I can better grasp the differences and better remember each for what they mean.

(I didn’t know if this should have gone under biology flare?? I’m also new to reddit and don’t even know what the flare is for. Very sorry 😔 )

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3 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

Dysphoria is the opposite of euphoria; it’s a horrible, aversive feeling, like your entire soul screaming “no” at something. If your own body gives you this feeling, it can be a very hard thing to live with. Some people have this feeling related to the perception of their gender or sex, so you may have heard of it as a condition which some transgender people experience.

Dysmorphia is a perceptual distortion, it means you don’t accurately or reliably see the *shape* or *form* of what you’re looking at. If you have body dysmorphia then you might look at yourself in the mirror and perceive a very fat body, when you’re actually very thin. Body dysmorphia is fairly common among people with anorexia and/or bulimia.

Anonymous 0 Comments

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Anonymous 0 Comments

Body dysmorphia is the inaccurate perception of one’s body. That is, you see your body and you see an imagined or distorted perspective of your body that doesn’t match what you think it looks like

Body dysphoria is the accurate but negative perception of one’s body. That is, you see your body ‘correctly’ but you’re distressed with it.