Strong and Vital No 3

Bigorexia When Muscle Mass is Never Enough

In the age of social media, the perfect body is omni present. Comparisons between oneself and those depicted, even in retouched photos, are spontane ous. The feeling that one’s own body is inadequate and does not have the right proportions can be opp ressive and create a certain amount of pressure to conform to the ideal image. If you are convinced that your body is too thin and not muscular enough compared to the ideal parameters, you simply go online to find tips on how to achieve a certain physique, what diet to follow and how to exercise. Bigorexia (muscle dysmorphia) is the obsessive mental disorder involving the desire to achieve an increasingly muscular body. The fixation can become a haunting thought that dominates the daily structure and leads to behaviours that are difficult to control. The pursuit of the coveted physique breaks habits, forcing itself into the centre of daily tasks. Skipping a workout means dealing with your conscience, because feelings of guilt are overwhelming. Affected individuals are trapped in a downward spiral from which they are unable to escape. This disorder is becoming increasingly common and mainly affects men. This uncontrollable behaviour is also known as the Adonis complex after the god from Greek mythology who was regarded as the ideal of male beauty. Excessive Training The main problem with bigorexia is the compulsive urge to exercise excessively, pushing the body far beyond its natural limits and displaying great will power in the process. In men, this obsession leads to extreme and exhausting strength training with increasing weights in order to pursue an unrealistic increment in muscle mass. The desire to look bigger and stronger causes men to disregard safe weightlif ting rules in order to achieve the coveted look. Those affected acquire a deep knowledge of nutrition and follow strict diets, often involving calorie counting,

exclusive consumption of low-fat foods and high pro tein intake. These individuals constantly check their own appearance in the mirror to realise that their body is not massive and strong enough. The Dangers In order to increase muscle mass as quickly as pos sible, people with bigorexia may also take over-the counter or illegal drugs, such as anabolic steroids, which cause side effects (reduction in testicular size and infertility), drugs that reduce body fat (appetite suppressants or fat burners), dietary supplements (proteins) in excessive doses or performance-enhan cing drugs (e.g. creatine). This form of body dysmorphic disorder, also called reverse anorexia, does indeed present certain simi larities with anorexia, whereby a person fixates on a supposed flaw in his own appearance - which, inci dentally, others do not even notice, as this gap only exists in the imagination of those affected, who are overly concerned with their look. Researchers believe that muscle dysmorphia’s incidence is rising, partly due to the recent cultural emphasis on muscular male bodies. In some extreme cases it can even lead to suicide.

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STRONG and VITAL No. 3 - 2024