Bigorexia: bodybuilding and muscle dysmorphia.

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Sports Medicine
• Body Image Research

Background:

• Muscle dysmorphia is an emerging condition primarily affecting male bodybuilders.
• Individuals with muscle dysmorphia obsess over perceived inadequacy in muscularity.
• Compulsive behaviors include excessive gym time, supplement spending, disordered eating, and substance abuse.

Purpose of the Study:

• To illustrate the features of muscle dysmorphia through a first-person account.
• To examine the history of bodybuilding and its link to male body image concerns.
• To explore muscle dysmorphia as a potential expression of eating disorder pathology.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative analysis of a first-person narrative from an affected male bodybuilder.
• Historical review of bodybuilding.
• Examination of the relationship between bodybuilding's growth and male body image concerns.

Main Results:

• The first-person account vividly details the compulsive behaviors and psychological distress associated with muscle dysmorphia.
• Historical context suggests a potential link between the rise of bodybuilding and increasing male body image preoccupation.
• The condition shares significant features with recognized eating disorders.

Conclusions:

• Muscle dysmorphia is characterized by obsessive muscularity concerns and related compulsive behaviors in male bodybuilders.
• The growth of bodybuilding may correlate with heightened male body image concerns.
• Muscle dysmorphia could represent a novel presentation of a shared pathology with eating disorders.