MHM Magazine

While mental health awareness has made significant strides globally, there remains critical areas still under-recognised within clinical practice—particularly among male populations. One such area is Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD), a mental health condition that affects individuals across gender and age lines, yet remains widely misunderstood and often undiagnosed in men. In a recent conversation hosted by the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG), psychiatrist and long-standing SADAG board member Dr. Frans Korb addressed the pressing need for awareness, diagnosis, and treatment of BDD in men, particularly within the broader context of men's mental health. The Underpinning of Men’s Mental Health South Africa currently ranks among the top ten countries globally in suicide rates, according to World Health Organization statistics. Alarmingly, men in South Africa are five times more likely to die by suicide than women. This striking disparity underscores the urgent need to address mental health among men, not only through crisis intervention but through upstream preventative approaches—early diagnosis, stigma reduction, and culturally competent care. “Men are still largely conditioned by societal norms to avoid vulnerability and to view emotional distress as a sign of weakness,” Dr. Korb explains. “This often leads to delays in seeking help, or complete avoidance of mental health services altogether.” These By Dr. Frans Korb Psychiatrist and Board Member of the South African Depression and Anxiety Group UNDERSTANDING BODY DYSMORPHIC DISORDER IN MEN: A GROWING CONCERN IN MENTAL HEALTH MHM | 2025 | Volume 12 | Issue 2 | Understanding Body Dysmorphic Disorder in Men: MHM 6 | MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS | 025 | Is ue 2 H