Katharine Phillips, MD

Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a mental health disorder in which you cannot stop thinking about perceived defects or flaws in your appearance, flaws that are often minor or even invisible to others. This condition currently affects around 2-3% of the general population.

, we speak to Katharine Phillips, MD, about how her pioneering research on BDD, she books on the topic, and options for treatment.

is currently professor of psychiatry, DeWitt Wallace Senior Scholar, and Residency Research Director for the Department of Psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medicine. She is also an attending psychiatrist at New York-Presbyterian Hospital and adjunct professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at the Alpert Medical School of Brown University.

Podcasts

Millions of Americans have a skewed view of their own bodies, leading to serious depression and suicidality.  

Body Dysmorphic Disorder: Widespread and Potentially Deadly

Katharine Phillips, MD, Professor of Psychiatry, DeWitt Wallace Senior Scholar, at 

; and Attending Psychiatrist at New York-Presbyterian Hospital, shares some thoughts about coping during this pandemic. "It is an unprecedented and very stressful time for our patients and perhaps also for us," she says. 

In this video, she discusses some unique coping and stress management skills that may alleviate some of the distress. In addition to optimizing their medications, psychiatrists can help patients call upon what they've learned in the therapy, such as cognitive restructuring, or cognitive behavioral therapy. Dr Phillips is a member of the 

Videos

Katharine Phillips, MD, shares key insights on coping.

Coping Skills for Patients

Olfactory reference syndrome (ORS) may be more common than generally recognized, according to Dr Katharine Phillips-a leading expert on this disorder. Those with ORS believe they emit an offensive body odor that is not perceived by others-and they spend many hours a day preoccupied with negative thoughts about their perceived odor. They are at are at high risk for social isolation suicide.

Here, Dr Phillips briefly discusses this intriguing disorder.

Dr Phillips is Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University. She is also Director of Research for Adult Psychiatry and the Director of the Body Dysmorphic Disorder Program at Rhode Island Hospital. Dr Phillips is an internationally recognized researcher and expert on body dysmorphic disorder. She is the author of several books, including "Understanding Body Dysmorphic Disorder: An Essential Guide" and "The Broken Mirror: Understanding and Treating Body Dysmorphic Disorder." She is a distinguished fellow of the AMA and chair of the DSM-5 Work Group on Anxiety, Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum, Posttraumatic, and Dissociative disorders.

Olfactory reference syndrome (ORS) may be more common than generally recognized, according to Dr. Katharine Phillips-a leading expert on this disorder.

Katharine Phillips, MD

Articles

Body Dysmorphic Disorder: Widespread and Potentially Deadly

Coping Skills for Patients

Insights on Olfactory Reference Syndrome