The 7 main characteristics of muscle dysmorphia

Muscle dysmorphia, also known as vigorexia, is a disorder that affects many men, obsessed with being as muscular as possible, even if that means putting your own Health.

Many men with body dysmorphic disorder with muscle dysmorphia, when looking in the mirror, see someone thin, weak-looking and squishy, ​​despite the fact that anyone who sees them will see in them very muscular.

The main characteristics of vigorexia they have to do with substance abuse, excessive sports practice, diet control and many more. Let's see what they are.

• Related article: "Body Dysmorphic Disorder: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment"

The main characteristics of muscle dysmorphia

Vigorexia, also known as Adonis complex and, more appropriately, body dysmorphic disorder with muscle dysmorphia, is a mental disorder characterized by the obsession with gaining muscle mass.

People who suffer from vigorexia experience a distortion of body image, causing them to perceive themselves as people who are not sufficiently muscular or strong. As a consequence, men with vigorexia exercise compulsively and determine their entire diet with the aim of rapidly gaining greater muscle volume.

Vigorexia is not a strictly eating disorder, although it is true that it shares certain peculiarities with them, especially with anorexy. In this last disorder, an obsessive concern for the body figure is present and there is also a distortion of the body scheme. Anorexia affects mostly adolescent girls, while vigorexia affects men between the ages of 18 and 35.. Body dysmorphia has a negative impact on the personal relationships of those who suffer from it, as well as on their mental and physical health.

There are several characteristics that we can highlight of vigorexia. Among them, the most representative of the disorder are:

1. Perfectionism, high self-demand, and other obsessive traits

Men with perfectionists and a very inflexible mentality, especially in health and body image issues, they are prone to manifest this disorder.

Also, if you are a very self-demanding person, who always wants to reach the maximum and show that you try hard, it can be a trait that increases the probability of suffering from vigorexia.

People with an obsessive personality, especially with themselves, as well as those who suffer from various emotional problems in your personal and professional relationships are more likely to develop dysmorphia muscular.

• You may be interested in: "Perfectionist Personality: The Disadvantages of Perfectionism"

2. Difficulties in interpersonal relationships and emotional problems

Many men who meet the criteria for a diagnosis of vigorexia say they do their best in the gym or pushing your body to the limit as a way to manage your emotional distress from frustrating or failed interpersonal relationships.

Although it is not the case for all men, the idea is widespread in male culture that, after having gone through a very hard breakup or having suffered an intense emotional problem, the best thing to do is join the gym and try to become the best version of ourselves themselves. This "best version" is understood, on many occasions, as that of a highly muscular person.

Although there is no doubt that the practice of regular sport implies benefits not only physically, but also mentally, motivation behind it may be to try to improve a decayed state of mind and hope that getting in shape will automatically solve all our problems.

However, when we are emotionally down or going through an emotional slump, his is to go to mental health professionals or seek emotional support from family or friends of confidence. The practice of sport helps, but it should not be seen as the only therapeutic or personal improvement tool that we have at our disposal..

• Related article: "Emotional management: 10 keys to master your emotions"

3. History of being overweight and bullying

It is not surprising that people with adult vigorexia were overweight as children, sometimes bordering on morbid. In most cases, obese children transform into obese adults, but sometimes it happens that as they grow up it is intended to absolutely break with the past and begin to acquire a healthy lifestyle, characterized by making good dietary decisions and practicing sports with regularity.

However, there are few cases of people who go from one extreme to the other. His desire to want to be muscular, his firm will to end his past self and become radically one different, it makes them obsess over sports and setting very high goals, so much so that they even run the risk of injuries. The motivation for wanting to be muscular is not due to health issues, but to image.

This obsession can be especially intense if the person suffering from vigorexia was a child victim of bullying, something that is usually the case for practically all children who have overweight. It is as if they wanted to show their bullies that they are not like that anymore, that they are now very fit. and that, although they are now adults, if there were the opportunity to meet those people who caused so much physical and emotional discomfort now that they could defend themselves by teaching their stalkers.

• You may be interested in: "Do you really know what self-esteem is?"

4. Great concern for food

Vigorexia is not considered an eating disorder per se, but it does share with disorders such as anorexia and bulimia nervosa the great concern about diet. Vigorous men seek speed in the process of achieving a sculpted body and eliminating all fat and, therefore, they tend to follow diets with a lot of proteins, while carbohydrates and fats are tried to avoid.

This causes them to deprive themselves of many foods, which they see as "forbidden". This aspect also affects their social life, as they cannot go out to eat with friends or show up at a family meal. They need to be in absolute control of what they eat, as long as you make sure your mass gain goals are achieved. Calorie counting applications cannot be missing on your mobiles.

• Related article: "Psychology of feeding: definition and applications"

5. Consumption of illicit substances

Many people with vigorexia want to accelerate the process of gaining muscle mass by taking different food supplements such as protein powder and creatinine, substances that are not dangerous as long as they are taken under medical criteria and a nutritionist.

Nevertheless, not a few people take illegal substances, such as hormones and anabolic steroids to stimulate muscle development. Despite the fact that their consumers know very well that these substances are dangerous, they consider that the The benefits outweigh the harms and they decide to take them, sometimes exceeding the doses considered as dangerous.

Steroids are substances that are associated with various adverse effects, among which we can highlight: acne, testicular atrophy, poorer sperm quality, kidney and liver failure, accidents cerebrovascular In women, steroid use affects the menstrual cycle and masculinizes them.

• You may be interested in: "The 14 most important types of addictions"

6. Associated with injuries and bodily disproportion

As we have mentioned, people with vigorexia do sports compulsively, so much so that exercise becomes a detriment to their health. Many times, by pushing themselves harder than their bodies can handle, people with muscle dysmorphia are at risk for muscle and bone injuries.

There have been cases of people who have broken their spine when lifting bars with excessive weights, motivated by the desire to want to be the most muscular in the gym.

There is also the ironic fact that this muscle dysmorphia disorder can lead to body disproportion. Sometimes it happens that people with vigorexia excessively train those parts whose perception is highly distorted, such as the chest, legs or arms. Since they see those parts as thinner than they really are, they train them relentlessly, making gain so much muscle mass that their body silhouette is really disproportionate to the head.

• Related article: "Muscular system: what is it, parts and functions"

7. Fueled by the canon of male beauty

There are many people who consider that vigorexia is the anorexia of men. This statement is wrong, since men can have anorexia and women can suffer vigorexia, however, it is true that there are more vigorous men and anorexic women than reverse.

The reason for this is that both disorders are fueled by the beauty canon of what is an ideal man and woman. In our society we understand an attractive man as one who is very muscular, who exudes an image of virility, strength and fortitude, while the attractive woman is the graceful and slim one.

In the same way that the media has fed the image of the extremely thin woman as a synonym for beauty, influencing the minds of millions of young people, the same has happened with mens. In the male case, they have been sold the idea that a man is not a man if he is too thin or fat, that he must be muscular if he wants to feel masculine and virile.

Are you looking for psychological assistance?

If you want to start a psychotherapy process to overcome emotional problems or problems related to self-esteem, whether they are psychopathological or not, contact me.

My name is Javier Ares and I attend both adults and adolescents in person and online.