muscle dysmorphia

[still2skinny]

TweetMuscle dysmorphia is an eating disorder that affects many people (men). I believe that i suffer from this, since my wife is continually telling me that I am too big....

Anyway, check this out and bump for all those who are still too skinny!


Never Buff Enough
By Gay Frankenfield, RN
WebMD Features Reviewed By Annie Finnegan
Aug. 3, 2000 -- When pumping iron becomes an obsession, some young men develop a little known and often-secret syndrome called muscle dysmorphia. Focusing totally on getting big and buff, they exercise compulsively, shutting out much of the rest of their lives. The problem, though, is no matter how big they may get, they still feel they look small.
The disorder, according to a study in the August issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry, not only causes emotional problems but can also lead to the use of anabolic steroids, putting the men at risk for serious physical and mental side effects.
"Our study showed that men with muscle dysmorphia are very different from normal weightlifters," says author Roberto Olivardia, PhD, a clinical psychologist and research fellow at Harvard Medical School's McLean Hospital in Belmont, Mass. "So weightlifting is only a problem when it interferes with relationships or school and work performance." Still, the incidence is on the rise and media images of an ideal V-shape may be the culprit, the authors suggest.
To study the little-known disorder, Olivardia interviewed over 50 male weightlifters, aged 18 to 30. All the men could bench press their body weight 10 times or more, but about half were still preoccupied with their perception of looking small. Along with comparing their exercise behavior, steroid use, and childhood environment, the researchers probed for eating disorders, depression, and anxiety.
Even though the men were actually big, those with muscle dysmorphia were less satisfied with their bodies, used more anabolic steroids, and had more eating disorders than the comparison group. Often describing shame or embarrassment, they also had a significantly higher incidence of depression and anxiety. But the study didn't find a clear pattern of how the disorder emerged, highlighting the need for further research, the authors suggest.
"Boys and men are now bombarded with the same unrealistic body images that girls and women are," says Katharine Phillips, MD, an expert in body image issues and an associate professor of psychiatry at Brown University School of Medicine in Providence, R.I. Phillips, Olivardia, and a co-author of this study all co-authored a book on the growing trend of muscle dysmorphia and similar conditions called The Adonis Complex.

 Exercising more than two hours a day, at the expense of friends, hobbies, or homework
 Using large quantities of dietary supplements such as creatine and protein powder
 Preoccupation with muscularity
 Avoiding social situations

© 2000 WebMD Inc. All rights reserved.

[newbie]

TweetI think its called wanting to get big and its not a disorder. just m/o.

[alwayzgrowing]

Tweeti mentioned this in the thread "how big do you want to be?"

that being said, i dont suffer from muscle dysmorphia, i enjoy it. i can never be big enough, nor lean enough

[jack hust]

Tweetok

[still2skinny]

TweetWhen I first started roaming the fitnessboard in January of 2000, I picked out a username for myself that I thought best described me. Well..... three years later, and it still fits me well, and I think that it always will!

[Manic Behavior]

Tweetfuk, here is another mental disorder that I suffer from, when will it all end? Lol, there is a mental disorder for everything nowadays.

[alwayzgrowing]

Tweetthere is now a mental disorder for being depressed when the stock market crashes

[still2skinny]

Tweetsince we suffer from a disorder, maybe we can park in those nice handicapped parking spots!!!!!!!!

[Muscleguy40oz]

Tweet

Originally posted by still2skinny
since we suffer from a disorder, maybe we can park in those nice handicapped parking spots!!!!!!!!

LOL Cant wait to get my handicap parking sticker...:p

Muscleguy

[biff tannen]

TweetHowdy Arky
BIFF