Bigorexia: The Adonis Complex

I simply can't feign the consuming fear wondering if any of my male friends are suffering from bigorexia. I am one who still stand and breathe up to this day constantly reminding myself to religiously cling on to that safe sound principle of striking some form of balance in the quest for achievements that we rat racers are seemingly gunning for in life. I have to admit, it was never easy in accomplishing this righteous yet far fetch sense of ambition considering all that alpha male ego outburst and not to mention the vanity syndrome that some of us might have inherently self developed over the years. Like it or not, the world of health and fitness has definitely entered a whole new realm that might just prove itself to be a cause of concern to some, if not many.

While the fashion industry and media often come under fire for perpetuating unrealistic stereotypes of beauty, the majority of cases involve women. However, men face similar pressure to live up to physical ideals and while muscle dysmorphia or bigorexia is on the rise, its health implications are largely ignored.

According to the North American Journal of Psychology, exposure to male models with muscular physiques leads to body dissatisfaction in men. While exercising is an essential element of a healthy lifestyle, people with muscle dysmorphia are overtly obsessed with being buff, resulting in extreme exercising and string eating regimes.

Symptoms include constant self-examination, unrealistic comparisons, distress at missing workouts and in extreme cases, consumption of steroids, all of which create psychological and physical stress similar to anorexia nervosa. Hence, bigorexia is also known as reverse anorexia and often results from low self-esteem or depression arising from distorted body image.

The Journal of Athletic Training states there is no specific treatment for muscle dysmorphia, but antidepressants and cognitive behavioural therapy can help shift mindsets and create more realistic goals.

Although bigorexia is believed to affect hundreds of thousands of men, it is associated with control, meaning that people rarely seek treatment as it means admitting defeat. The biggest hurdle is encouraging people to acknowledge bigorexia before it snowballs into an all-consuming and potentially life-threatening condition.