Mirror gazing in body dysmorphic disorder and healthy controls: Effects of duration of gazing

► Participants with and without BDD were exposed to a mirror in a controlled setting. ► Both groups experienced an increase in distress and self-focussed attention. ► Participants without BDD were more distressed after looking in the mirror for a long rather than a short period of time. ► In BDD gazing into mirror can trigger abnormal processing mode developed from past excessive mirror gazing.