A Guide to Eating Disorders

Muscle Dysmorphia

A/N; I am currently working on a "Wattpad Books" chapter, but I recently discovered this ED, and decided to write about it.

(If you have any questions for a Q&A chapter, or book recommendations for the "Wattpad Books" chapter, please let me know.)

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Muscle Dysmorphia, also known as Bigorexia, Reverse Anorexia and Megarexia means

a psychological disorder marked by a negative body image and an obsessive desire to have a muscular physique.

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Affecting largely males, Muscle Dysmorphia is an obsessive preoccupation/delusional or exaggerated belief that one's own body is too small, too skinny, insufficiently muscular, or insufficiently lean, although in most cases, the individual's build is of normal proportions or even exceptionally large and muscular already. Although exercise is often used as the method of growth at first, resorting to Anabolic Steroids is unfortunately very common.

Typically, Muscle Dysmorphia involves disordered fixation on gaining body mass, as by devoting inordinate time and attention on exercise routines, dietary regimens, and nutritional supplements. These may include the level of organization and preparation associated with Orthorexia. A particulary common occurrence is that an individual with Muscle Dysmorphia will only eat food with added nutritional supplements (eg. Builder Bars; they're not actually very healthy, but they contain fairly large amounts of protein)

Persons experiencing Muscle Dysmorphia are typically very distracted from school or work, and may avoid romantic relationships in belief that their own bodies are severely undesirable. (Remember, their state of mind is that they are "too skinny/weak").

Muscle Dysmorphia among males might be similar to Anorexia Nervosa among females. However, this has not been proven by clinical studies- only by estimation and informal studying.

The Body Dysmorphic Disorder Foundation states that approximately 1 out of every 10 gym-visiting men suffers from or has experienced Muscle Dysmorphia.

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Due to several factors, this ED is often thought of as the "male equivalent of Anorexia Nervosa"

Some of these factors are;

•The stereotype is that females are often pressured to be "thin" whereas males are pressured to be "buff" and "athletic".

•As the numbers for Anorexia Nervosa are higher for women, and the numbers for Muscle Dysmorphia are higher for men, they're though to be opposites.

•Where someone with Anorexia will attempt to lose weight by almost any means, someone with Muscle Dysmorphia will believe themselves to be too skinny/weak. Therefore, someone with Muscle Dysmorphia will focus on increasing their mass (specifically muscle mass) instead of reducing it.

•It is implied that the statistics for Female Anorexia and Male Muscle Dysmorphia could align with average numbers.