Vigorexia: causes, symptoms and treatment

The behavior of many individuals in Western societies has raised the alarm signal of mental health experts, as image culture increasingly influences our behaviour.

Sports addiction or obsession with body image are phenomena that have emerged in recent times such as consequence of the values ​​promoted by capitalist society, fueled by consumerism and the media commodified. However, this also has an effect on mental health, and vigorexia is an example of this. Next we will see what this disorder consists of.

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Men's modern obsession with their bodies

Our culture places an overemphasis on body image, and the media constantly bombards us with advertisements about what our body should be like. Physical exercise is, without a doubt, one of the healthiest habits that human beings can practice; However, when we become obsessed with our appearance, these beneficial effects wear off.

The modern obsession with having a muscular body This is known as vigorexia, although it is also called muscle dysmorphia or adonis complex.

• Related article: "The 10 psychological benefits of practicing physical exercise”

What is vigorexia?

In other articles we have talked about how physical exercise it can become almost a dangerous addiction, many times as a result of low self-esteem or the wrong perception we have about our body. An example of this type of addiction, for example, is the runnorexia or running addiction.

But another of the phenomena that is usually talked about in these cases is that of vigorexia, a disorder suffered by those people who obsess over having a strong, muscular, and low-fat body image; Despite having well-developed musculature, these individuals show a rather thin and fragile appearance.

Vigorexia is also called inverted anorexia, since these people do not deprive themselves of food, but rather obsess over eat a lot of protein and they even use anabolics, which can cause side effects such as acne, enlargement of the mammary glands, hair loss, mood swings, heart problems...

For vigoréxics, physical exercise is not synonymous with health, but what they seek is to achieve a perfect aesthetic while sacrificing even their well-being.

What are your causes?

Experts conclude that the causes of vigorexia are varied. However, the environment plays an important role for the person to develop this disorder. Values ​​and beliefs, consequence of image culture, play a determining role in how we value ourselves and how we see ourselves.

Thus, much of the obsession with the physique is determined by unrealistic expectations about the perfect body, which appears frequently in the media. This culture rewards physically attractive individuals and despises those who are not. And although this could be counteracted with the correct education, the truth is that there are many people who they suffer because of their physical appearance.

Relationship between perfectionism and vigorexia

However, personal factors also seem to be relevant in the development of vigorexia. The perfectionist personality causes people to focus excessively on their body and are never happy with the image they have. This also makes them hard on themselves and carry out harmful behaviors such as overtraining, constant consumption of supplements, obsession with diet, etc. Behaviors that are still an attempt to get closer to the image of perfection of the body that they have in their mind.

Self-esteem also influences When it comes to evaluating themselves negatively, and the lack of confidence makes these people look to the perfect body for a way to feel better.

Finally, vigorexia can be the result of family problems or some emotional trauma from childhood, for example, after having suffered bullying.

Symptoms and signs

Vigorexia is a type of body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), in which the person who suffers from it lives obsessed with her physical appearance and thinks about her body for many hours a day. What's more, this constant comparison with the ideal of beauty it usually generates great anxiety and discomfort.

Therefore, it is necessary to treat this problem with the help of a professional, because it can reduce significantly the quality of life of the person and even cause other negative consequences What depression. But how can this disorder be identified?

What are your symptoms? People with vigorexia:

• Spending a lot of time taking care of your body image, for example, in the gym. What interferes with social life or job performance.
• They look in the mirror every two by three.
• They can prevent other people from seeing their body due to lack of confidence (despite being fine).
• They feel extreme anxiety or distress if they don't train.
• They carry out extreme diets.
• They use anabolic or health-damaging supplements.

Treatment

Vigorexia can have important consequences for the health of the person suffering from this disorder, since it can cause physical problems due to overtraining or unhealthy diet, serious problems from steroid use and even more mental health problems of the individual, such as severe depression. That is why vigorexia should be treated by a psychology professional specialized in this type of problem.

There are psychotherapy treatments that have been shown to be effective, for example, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), acceptance or commitment therapy or cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). The latter is, perhaps, the one that enjoys the greatest popularity and the one that offers the maximum guarantees.

Cognitive behavioral therapy applied to vigorexia aims to make the patient aware of how their Beliefs and behavior are affecting your well-being, then modifying your thinking and conduct. To do this, he uses different techniques such as training in social skills or cognitive restructuring, among others.

• Related article: "Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: what is it and on what principles is it based?"