MIA HILL, 22, FROM NEWBURY, BERKSHIRE
‘It was prom night. I wore a beautiful black dress with glittering beads, curled my hair, and did my make-up like an old Hollywood star – but I couldn’t go. Panic and anxiety overwhelmed me. That night marked the beginning of a dark road with BDD. I became consumed by perceived flaws – my nose, side profile, facial structure, height, stomach, thighs, scars.
‘I obsessed over them 24/7. I stared at mirrors, avoided cameras, compared myself endlessly on social media and researched cosmetic surgery like it was the only way out. I hid away in baggy clothes and hoodies, trying to control what people saw. I pulled away from everything and everyone I loved.
‘At its worst, I couldn’t see a future. Suicidal thoughts…