Bigorexia: Fact or Fiction

Alot of big dudes dont see themselves as big and always try to improve their physiques and get bigger and leaner or bigger and beefy. Mainstream people, most likely fat or too skinny with no motivation see this as abnormal and did studies to say you got head problems if you keep trying to get big. They call it Bigorexia.

They say when weight training gets in the way of a job, family or relationship then its a mental problem. Well the last time I checked ALL high level athletes or achievers in anything sacrifice something to get to their goal ie relationships, jobs and not hangin out with family as much as they should.

So you think you got it? Or is it just a bunch of crap that people use to explain something they dont understand.

[inflated]

Originally Posted by ricphoenix

So you think you got it? Or is it just a bunch of crap that people use to explain something they dont understand.

Its a bunch of crap that people use to explain something they do not understand. Every skill, endeavor, hobby, is an obsession of sorts--most golfers are more obsessed than bodybuilders.

[falseyedee]

i think it's real. in fact, i know from personal experience that it is. there is a difference between the drive to get bigger and improve, what i think you have both pointed out, and the real condition of simply not seeing your own size. there are some people who, though they are huge by standards even we on this board would admire, simply still think of themselves as scrawny and weak. that's quite different from the drive to improve. it really is like anorexia, only the reverse, and drives people to do the dumbest things.

Originally Posted by falseyedee

i think it's real. in fact, i know from personal experience that it is. there is a difference between the drive to get bigger and improve, what i think you have both pointed out, and the real condition of simply not seeing your own size. there are some people who, though they are huge by standards even we on this board would admire, simply still think of themselves as scrawny and weak. that's quite different from the drive to improve. it really is like anorexia, only the reverse, and drives people to do the dumbest things.

Im still a bit suspicious of this claim of "bigorexia" :

I think of bodybuilding as a work of art that is never completed and we always seek to get bigger, because for the bodybuilder the work is never done or good enough. Weu are never strong enough and may even consider ourself weak compared to some other strongman who we think has a better lift or physique. The things that the average person considers dumb....are the things sometimes required to achieve "greatness".

Can you give examples of bigorexia? I am interested in hearing your experiences.

So far the things that people describe as dumb or extreme are things that almost every serious bodybuilder or athlete does so maybe we all have a mental condition that we can be proud of because it separates us from the "average" soft, weak, high fat, low testosterone males.

[CelticMuscle]

I believe it is a FACT. And part of the reason is the "familarity breeds contempt" theory, which in bodybuilding terms basically means that as bodybuilder sees their physique every day and therefore does not notice the small changes that happen, however someone who sees that bodybuilder less frequently will notice those changes

[Gene]

I think an example of "bigorexia" would be the addiction to Synthol or other oils injected into the muscles. Part of it is that in order to work you have to continually "refine" the swelling and if you don't have a lot of money or someone to do all the injections for you you'll end up concentrating on an easy spot like the biceps and become a cartoon character.

The other part of this is the fascination with the sheer size that one can get on some muscles (biceps) and big is never big enough. "More is better." "I'm not addicted." "I look hot." All lies.

I do believe that there is a mental state that one can get into that could be called "bigorexia". Where one simply doesn't see how big one really is and is driven to get big enough to see one's self as finally "big". I know there were periods of time where I looked at myself and had those thoughts. Then there were other periods of time a few days later when I looked at myself in a full length mirror and thought "Damn I AM big, whoa, am I hot or what?". It all has to do with brain chemistry and attitudes but if you get continually stuck in the "down" position I can see where it would be a problem.

[MusclePotential]

I know its real because I never see myself as big. I am 260lbs and always getting bigger but i see myself as a very small person. Even though I here measurements and see them as welll. When I look in mirror it does not match at all. I wish I coud see the hard work i put into my body, but honestly I don't.

[Harlee]

The condition does exist. When i was 6'2" 285 lbs at 8 bf, I would look in the gym mirror and get discussed with myself for being so small. Then, the guy at the front counter said to me "shit you ain't small. you got 21 inch arms. You see many guys in here with that." Then, put it in perspective.

After a forced layoff, I'm 250 at 11 bf. Not happy at all again. So, back on the path to be a 300-pound freak.

[Slevin]

Seeing yourself as "small" is only one criterion of Muscle dysmoprhia a specific type of body dysmorphia.

If you are unable to have a meaningful life outside your training and become angry/upset/anxious because you cannot meet your daily protein intake, can't get to the gym today etc., then those are the more concerning symptoms.

"Obsession" is a broad term that gets misused a lot. Most people don't develop a true diagnostic obsession to bodybuilding. Again, sacrificing parts of your life to put time toward your "obsession" is a criterion of obsession but it is not the only part of having an obsession that is negative.

Originally Posted by Slevin

Seeing yourself as "small" is only one criterion of Muscle dysmoprhia a specific type of body dysmorphia.

If you are unable to have a meaningful life outside your training and become angry/upset/anxious because you cannot meet your daily protein intake, can't get to the gym today etc., then those are the more concerning symptoms.

"Obsession" is a broad term that gets misused a lot. Most people don't develop a true diagnostic obsession to bodybuilding. Again, sacrificing parts of your life to put time toward your "obsession" is a criterion of obsession but it is not the only part of having an obsession that is negative.

All of these criterion that are being used to diagnose "muscle dysmorphia" are the same kinds of behaviours ALL top athletes and artists display....so are they ALL suffering from a negative obsession or is this something we are just leaving to catagorize bodybuilders? We dont have sprintorexia to describe sprinters that think they are slow and train night and day, have no other hobbies besides running etc. ..

For example: Show me a swimmer that is leading a so called meaningful life outside the pool....after training twice a day 5am to 7:30am, weights at 12-1:30pm, then back in the pool 4-6:30pm six days a week...then racing on weekends. There only friend will be another swimmer and they wont have time for much else , including family, careers, relationships...and on top of that they will tell you they dont swim fast enough, they are slow.

Triathletes on the bike 3 hours a day, running 1 hour a day, swimming 1-2 hours daily, plus eating a specialised diet, purchasing bikes that cost $20K etc...then they race and pass out at the finish line due to extreme dehydration and exhaustion.... all for a hobby

That was just few examples of the dedication that these athletes choose to have that we are saying is "abnormal" These athletes have trouble with relationships, jobs, they get grumpy if you interfere with their training routines etc...

I dont think any one is debating if there are bodybuilders out there that see themselves as small...most do...I think the issue is how the observation is being interpreted by "mainstream" pyschology as ABNORMAL. When the reality is that in this era this is what it takes to be your personal best or to be the best in competition.

[WhoDunIt]

What I really wonder about with the ney-sayers in these cases. What caused them to have a problem with that lifestyle in the first place, especially those who seem to dislike or badmouth bodybuilders in particular.

[Lifter73]

Seems like all the bases have been covered in the replies, but what the heck, my opinion....

It seems as if we live in a society that is ready to "label", that is, put something or someone in a catergory. And the Psychological Professionals are no different. I heard the term "Bigorexia" a long time ago in my studies in college, and I knew that sooner or later they would get around to designating it a full blown mental malady.

And now in comes the huge "Grey Area"..what denotes "Bigorexia", and who actually has it? Yes, I read the above description of the "symptoms" and here's a thought....if you are a competitive bodybuilder or, dare I say, a Mr. Olympia, would you be considered to be actively honing your craft as any professional athlete would, or would you be suffering from "Bigorexia" as you are constantly fixated on your diet, workouts and the constant need to be BIGGER or BETTER?

Or would you say that I, or any of the other members of this group that bodybuild that look in a mirror and think "man, I still need to put on a little more size.." as suffering from "Bigorexia"?

I know for myself I am always in the gym on my scheduled workout, and have no problem in my pursuit of more muscle size. And although I do not see myself as skinny (270 pounds), and I am aware that there will always be someone bigger than I, I focus on being the best that I can be, and to see just how far I can go....and that means more muscle size. And I do manage to have a very good life outside of the gym.

Now I am sure that there are going to be guys out there that are EXTREME cases, but we all really need to determine what really denotes "Bigorexia", lest we start yet another witch hunt on big guys/bodybuilders that would not be unlike the "steroid" witch hunt that was perpetuated through the media.

D

[Lucas88]

Originally Posted by ricphoenix

...I think the issue is how the observation is being interpreted by "mainstream" pyschology as ABNORMAL...

But IS "mainstream" pyschology really doing this? With the crazy politics of the last couple of years, I've become a lot more conscious of what is being said by "mainstream media" and "authorities" on a lot of different topics, including: talking heads on cable TV, bloggers, on-line newspapers who can't sell hardcopy anymore, my neighbors, and even a few relatives...ok, more than a few relatives. The "normal" folk in any group of people get lumped in with the nutcases on either extreme and tagged with the extreme labels by "authorities" simply because the "normal" folk in that group also happen to disagree with the "authority" on a particular topic...OR..."they" happen to be different in a way that's threatening to themselves. Demonizing the oppenent with extreme rhetoric and labels isn't uncommon in just about any walk of life anymore.

When it comes to bigorexia, the question comes down to: are you really delusional and do you REALLY SEE a skinny person when you're built like a tank, OR...do you see lagging areas that need improvement or where you haven't met your goals and you're trying to kick yourself in the ass to motivate yourself? It's one thing to use the negative tone in your head to motivate yourself...to an extent. When the conversation going on in your head is ONLY negative and you're constantly tearing yourself down instead of building yourself up, then you're starting to cross that line where you're doing more harm than good.

The argument that all bodybuilders are bigorexic is made by people ignorant or judgemental of the lifestyle to begin with just like saying all skinny people are anorexic (and I know people who think that). BUT...that does not mean the conditions don't exist...it just means the terms are being applied incorrectly. Stereotyping and making generalizations is a pretty common tool for people to use when addressing people who are different from themselves and adressing things they just don't understand or appreciate.

I believe there are degrees to everything in life including our obsessions....some call it drive...some call it passion...it all depends on how the topic fits into the heads of the ones having the conversation. Whatever you call it...whatever you label it...when the effects stop being motivational and progressive and take on dangerously negative overtones, there's a problem that needs to be dealt with.

Just my 6 cents.

Lucas

[b.spencer]

A personal experience with someone who has muscle dysmorphia -- me.

So many of these posts here totally screw up what it really is. It is a form of body dysmorphic disorder. Yes, it is obsession, but only in so far as an anorexic is obsessed. No one argues that anorexia exists (another disease with a form of extreme BDD). Why is the reverse not true?? So it is with me.

My doc explained it as something like this; Each one of us sees ourselves in the mirror all the time. That makes a VERY hard imprint on our brain, what it "expects" to see when it sees its reflection in the mirror. People with muscle dysmorphia, BDD, anorexia this system goes wrong. That hard imprint is SO hard, that even though your senses "see" the change in the mirror -- the anorexic losing weight, the muscle dysmorphic gaining muscle, the person with BDD seeing a body part they obsess on -- the brain LITERALLY overwrites what the eyes see. The brain ignores it, interprets what the eyes see as wrong or in error, and replaces the real image with what it expects to see, the hard imprint. No matter what the chance is, the brain ignores it and we "see" literally what our brains have conditioned us to see.

If you have not seen my pics here or read some of my posts, i have gone from supermorbidly obese to what most people think of as a potential bodybuilder in 3 years. The 'drive' the obsession to get bigger and better is one thing. Most dedicated bbers share that, and that is not what the disease is at all.

When I look in the mirror I do not see the guy that everyone else sees. I quite literally see a fat dude, even tho I have a 31" waist. I see a sack of fat and skin. It disgusts me. It will literally make me panic seeing it in the gym. I can count on one hand the few times I have seen what I "really" look like and it is startling to me every time. It is always when I am distracted in the gym or somewhere else.

Give you an example. I was at an outlet mall a couple of years ago looking for a new leather jacket. I was in the food court walking to the rest rooms to take a piss. As I was walking up, I saw this really big, muscled guy coming back from the restrooms toward me. He was at a distance, but I could see he looked great (I thought). I remember thinking that I would love to be able to get the kind of muscle that guy had someday.

I started to focus as we grew closer and then I was startled. The man I saw was myself. There was a floor to ceiling mirror at the end of the hallway, that I did not realize was there. I was admiring my own reflection, except I did not know it was me.

That is what it does, and how with an obsessive personality you can become consumed, to the point of being paralyzed to do normal things in life. I fight it, and I have help to fight it with friends and workout buds. I know that I cannot trust what I see in the mirror, no matter what. I get others to look at me and tell me where to focus my workouts. Even to judging what clothes to buy for myself, because what I see in the mirror is wrong. If I did not have that knowledge, and even then it sometimes fails me, I could not function in a real life situation. I have just had to accept that I may never see the results I get in the gym the way other people do. It took a long time, and it still bothers me, but it is.

Is "bigorexia" over applied to dedicated bodybuilders? Yes, I think so. But, just because we may label a lot of chic's obsessed with weight as "anorexic" or looking anorexic when they are not, does not mean that real anorexics exist. The same is true with "bigorexia" or better termed muscle dysmorphia.

[digger]

Big props to b spencer for opening up. Thanks, bro.

[gogr2]

Brad thanks for sharing your experiences, helps to know one is not alone in the whole mirror thing. I knew I was crazy (I joined the army ), but at least identifying the crazy helps to deal with it.

[DaBigGuy1]

Originally Posted by b.spencer

A personal experience with someone who has muscle dysmorphia -- me.

So many of these posts here totally screw up what it really is. It is a form of body dysmorphic disorder. Yes, it is obsession, but only in so far as an anorexic is obsessed. No one argues that anorexia exists (another disease with a form of extreme BDD). Why is the reverse not true?? So it is with me.

My doc explained it as something like this; Each one of us sees ourselves in the mirror all the time. That makes a VERY hard imprint on our brain, what it "expects" to see when it sees its reflection in the mirror. People with muscle dysmorphia, BDD, anorexia this system goes wrong. That hard imprint is SO hard, that even though your senses "see" the change in the mirror -- the anorexic losing weight, the muscle dysmorphic gaining muscle, the person with BDD seeing a body part they obsess on -- the brain LITERALLY overwrites what the eyes see. The brain ignores it, interprets what the eyes see as wrong or in error, and replaces the real image with what it expects to see, the hard imprint. No matter what the chance is, the brain ignores it and we "see" literally what our brains have conditioned us to see.

If you have not seen my pics here or read some of my posts, i have gone from supermorbidly obese to what most people think of as a potential bodybuilder in 3 years. The 'drive' the obsession to get bigger and better is one thing. Most dedicated bbers share that, and that is not what the disease is at all.

When I look in the mirror I do not see the guy that everyone else sees. I quite literally see a fat dude, even tho I have a 31" waist. I see a sack of fat and skin. It disgusts me. It will literally make me panic seeing it in the gym. I can count on one hand the few times I have seen what I "really" look like and it is startling to me every time. It is always when I am distracted in the gym or somewhere else.

Give you an example. I was at an outlet mall a couple of years ago looking for a new leather jacket. I was in the food court walking to the rest rooms to take a piss. As I was walking up, I saw this really big, muscled guy coming back from the restrooms toward me. He was at a distance, but I could see he looked great (I thought). I remember thinking that I would love to be able to get the kind of muscle that guy had someday.

I started to focus as we grew closer and then I was startled. The man I saw was myself. There was a floor to ceiling mirror at the end of the hallway, that I did not realize was there. I was admiring my own reflection, except I did not know it was me.

That is what it does, and how with an obsessive personality you can become consumed, to the point of being paralyzed to do normal things in life. I fight it, and I have help to fight it with friends and workout buds. I know that I cannot trust what I see in the mirror, no matter what. I get others to look at me and tell me where to focus my workouts. Even to judging what clothes to buy for myself, because what I see in the mirror is wrong. If I did not have that knowledge, and even then it sometimes fails me, I could not function in a real life situation. I have just had to accept that I may never see the results I get in the gym the way other people do. It took a long time, and it still bothers me, but it is.

Is "bigorexia" over applied to dedicated bodybuilders? Yes, I think so. But, just because we may label a lot of chic's obsessed with weight as "anorexic" or looking anorexic when they are not, does not mean that real anorexics exist. The same is true with "bigorexia" or better termed muscle dysmorphia.

Great post, Brad. Thank you for sharing!

There is so much that rings true in your post...especially when it comes to self-perception.

I come from the other side of the spectrum, having been very skinny growing up and getting picked on in school and becoming very insecure during those years. It turns out that it was a mixed blessing as it allowed me to be "nerdy" and I studied and dove head-first into my school and studies. I graduated near the top of my class and ended up attending an Ivy League College. And even after all of that, I wound up being a very smart person, albeit very insecure in my still very frail physique.

It took years, but I finally managed to put some size on my physique, but I still have those moments when I still see myself as that skinny 119 pounder.

And I also had one of those moments when I saw myself out of my "minds eye". Walking through a mall I happen to walk past a store window and out of the corner of my eye I saw this huge muscle guy, and being intrigued by how big this guy was, I turned around to casually walk past again and look in at the huge muscle man. And it turns out hat i had actually walked past a mirror and I had seen my reflection for that brief second! I saw myself in the reflection but it had occurred so fat that my mind did not have time to "imprint" itself on what I was seeing. It was then that I said to myself "wow, I am big!". But, as you know, that feeling does not stay, nor does it permanently resolve what we think of ourselves.

Mind you, that "I'm small" feeling does not hinder me in my pursuit of life and things I must do daily, but yes it does sometimes rear it's ugly head, especially if I have to take a layoff from the gym due to injury or ? .

Now, would I say that I suffer from "Bigorexia"? Being it is not ultra-consuming of my lifestyle, I would say no, but am I crazy about weight training and wanting to build up?? Yes!

But aren't we all to some degree?

Ron III----III

[ilimzn]

Excellent points by many contributors in the thread.
I would say that bigorexia is indeed real - but it's a whole different ballgame when it comes down to who 'really' has this condition. IMHO, I would probably be exaggerating on the plus side if i said it was at most 1% of all bodybuilders.
Like most disorders, it comes down to the impedement of normal functioning in life, or, to put it in a nutshell, when whatever the obsession is, gets 'at any cost' appended to it, eg. get bigger at any cost.
A couple points here:
I always want to get bigger, but not at any cost. Not much use for it if it's not proportional and I'm not healthy. But, were these conditions unconditionally satisfied, I would probably not want to stop getting bigger - until I decided the conditions were not satisfied any more, which is not to say I would ot try to 'overdo it severely' just to learn how that feels
You cannot assign a limit for what is normal what is not for something where it is unknown what the actual limits are. In a sense bodybuilding is an experiment, to see exactly how far one can go in their personal persuit of a 'perfect body' - keep in mind that the latter is for the person engaged in that persuit, to define. There is o weight, or BMI or whatever over which you get to be automatically bigorexic. However, it is human nature to put things in pidgeonholes and often the uninitiated will conclude automatically that if someone is very big, he must be bigorexic. Sadly, even the ones claiming to be professionals fall into that trap.
There is a component of double standard to this as well - there are people who get big in a different manner, for instance by getting obese on purpose. Amazingly, no-one has applied the term bigorexia to this phenomenon, even though it seems obvious. But of course, with obesity becoming the norm, it also becomes 'normal'.
Most people do not understand why I would invest so much time (and actually less momney than they think, if only they would do the maths) in going to the gym, eating 8 'tasteless' meals a day etc, and will gladly call it an obsession just to excuse their own decisions and label them as 'normal' - even though thay migh include drinking and feeding binges and smoking tobacco. The word 'normal' gets misused far too many times for it to still hold credibility, IMHO.
Finally, there is a difference between seeing oneself as big but wanting to get bigger still, and seeing onself as small no matter how big you are, and wanting to get bigger. For instance, I do not percieve myself much different than i actually am, give or take a few good or bad days that we all have, when we feel our efforts are in vain because we'll never look like the other guy in the gym who only needs half the work, time, and dedication, or when we get to see ourselves under a different light and think, wow, I really look good. I also do not immagine that getting bigger muscles will somehow solve all my problems. But this does not mean I wouldn't want to get biger muscles - I want that simply because it is my 'taste' that this is something desirable. This must confuse the hell out of psychologists

[ilimzn]

Last paragraph got omitted, sorry...
To sum it up, I have no problem with the notion of bigorexia, and I am sure the condition exists. What I do have a problem with, is that everyone and their mother seem to get the label if only they put on some serious amount of muscle on their frames, while they are exempt if it's under the rules of some sport that permits it (like that automatically makes it OK - hello, sports are GAMES, not life) all by people who would be better of sorting their own inadequacy issues themselves, instead of over other people's backs.

[redwolf64]

Psychologists generally only see something as a problem if a behavior is damaging to one's self or to another person.

So, yeah, I think bigorexia does exist in some individuals when it affects their ability to carry on with life or if they're doing some serious damage to their health.

It's a little like sm play. There is some sm play that can be done that is a little risky, but one can weigh the options and play safer. There are other kinds of sm play that are more dangerous - it's the difference between doing something that can heal versus doing something that breaks bones or can kill you.

The public, however, looks at everything with a broad stroke. So I'm not surprised they would lump anyone into bodybuilding as being a potential bigorexia victim. A good psychologist or therapist, on the other hand, can see the difference.

Our bodies are surprisingly malleable - with hard work and the right diet or supplements, you can do some impressive things. A psychologist might look at it and say that someone that connects success in life and self esteem with being big might have a bigorexia problem if it affects them to the extent that it inhibits their ability to interact with other people, hold a job, etc.

[Slevin]

Originally Posted by ricphoenix

All of these criterion that are being used to diagnose "muscle dysmorphia" are the same kinds of behaviours ALL top athletes and artists display....so are they ALL suffering from a negative obsession or is this something we are just leaving to catagorize bodybuilders? We dont have sprintorexia to describe sprinters that think they are slow and train night and day, have no other hobbies besides running etc. ..

For example: Show me a swimmer that is leading a so called meaningful life outside the pool....after training twice a day 5am to 7:30am, weights at 12-1:30pm, then back in the pool 4-6:30pm six days a week...then racing on weekends. There only friend will be another swimmer and they wont have time for much else , including family, careers, relationships...and on top of that they will tell you they dont swim fast enough, they are slow.

Triathletes on the bike 3 hours a day, running 1 hour a day, swimming 1-2 hours daily, plus eating a specialised diet, purchasing bikes that cost $20K etc...then they race and pass out at the finish line due to extreme dehydration and exhaustion.... all for a hobby

That was just few examples of the dedication that these athletes choose to have that we are saying is "abnormal" These athletes have trouble with relationships, jobs, they get grumpy if you interfere with their training routines etc...

I dont think any one is debating if there are bodybuilders out there that see themselves as small...most do...I think the issue is how the observation is being interpreted by "mainstream" pyschology as ABNORMAL. When the reality is that in this era this is what it takes to be your personal best or to be the best in competition.

You are comparing two different types of behaviors. The issue with Body dysmorphic disorder is not the time and dedication given to an activity. That is obsession. The issue with body dysmorphia is the person has perceived flaws in his or her physical features. Bodybuilding is an easy target for this because much of the sport IS about perfecting flaws within human limits.

The obsession that can come with bodybuilding or any other sport/hobby is often a cost of success. The person chooses to put training before other activities in their life and that is a decision they must cope with.

The primary feature of BSS is the the preoccupation with the flaw(s) leading to psychological distress, major depression, anxiety disorders, and partial or complete social isolation. Those are all very serious things that do need to be treated.

Most bodybuilders do not meet criteria for BDD because the flaws they see are reasonably detectable by other trained professionals. They are real flaws, if you will.

You are right there is a bigger political and social issue here. It' easy to place this "disorder" and luckily people rarely seek professional help when they don't think anything is wrong. Psychologists and therapists are here to help when you WANT help. We don't wait in Gym locker rooms with a strike team to take you to our offices :P

Originally Posted by Slevin

You are comparing two different types of behaviors. The issue with Body dysmorphic disorder is not the time and dedication given to an activity. That is obsession. The issue with body dysmorphia is the person has perceived flaws in his or her physical features. Bodybuilding is an easy target for this because much of the sport IS about perfecting flaws within human limits.

The obsession that can come with bodybuilding or any other sport/hobby is often a cost of success. The person chooses to put training before other activities in their life and that is a decision they must cope with.

The primary feature of BSS is the the preoccupation with the flaw(s) leading to psychological distress, major depression, anxiety disorders, and partial or complete social isolation. Those are all very serious things that do need to be treated.

Most bodybuilders do not meet criteria for BDD because the flaws they see are reasonably detectable by other trained professionals. They are real flaws, if you will.

You are right there is a bigger political and social issue here. It' easy to place this "disorder" and luckily people rarely seek professional help when they don't think anything is wrong. Psychologists and therapists are here to help when you WANT help. We don't wait in Gym locker rooms with a strike team to take you to our offices :P

Thanks for providing some clarity on this.

However consider the number in this thread who have "misunderstood" bigorexia and have even gone as far as to suggest they have this psychological disorder (but by your definition they dont).

Are psychologists and therapist proactive in clarifying what Bigorexia is for the muscle & fitness community? Based on the confusion online and in the bodybuilding/fitness community it does not seem that message has been successful.

So a therapist would not need to wait around a locker room with a strik team...just tell people something is wrong with them long enough and soon some will believe it.

[Slevin]

Originally Posted by ricphoenix

Thanks for providing some clarity on this.

However consider the number in this thread who have "misunderstood" bigorexia and have even gone as far as to suggest they have this psychological disorder (but by your definition they dont).

Are psychologists and therapist proactive in clarifying what Bigorexia is for the muscle & fitness community? Based on the confusion online and in the bodybuilding/fitness community it does not seem that message has been successful.

So a therapist would not need to wait around a locker room with a strik team...just tell people something is wrong with them long enough and soon some will believe it.

Most therapy is focused on treating the depression, anxiety etc., that result from having this condition. Very little research has been done and there are no effective treatment methods. For that reason, you won't see a lot of therapists and psychologists out there on the pulpit trying to correct public opinion because we just don't know.

[b.spencer]

Originally Posted by Slevin

Most therapy is focused on treating the depression, anxiety etc., that result from having this condition. Very little research has been done and there are no effective treatment methods. For that reason, you won't see a lot of therapists and psychologists out there on the pulpit trying to correct public opinion because we just don't know.

Most of what my doc does with me is focused on just that -- trying to control the anxiety, the panic attacks, that come when I look in the mirror, learning or at least trying to trust that what I see is not real. It is DAMNED hard tho. At first, he tried to do what would treat the "obsession" -- telling me to workout less or not at all until I could workout like a normal person. When he saw that would never happen, then he turned to the other.

I have made some progress, and this board has been part of it actually. My particular fixation is chest/abs. I would go to such great pains to NEVER allow anyone to see me shirtless that you would not believe. The first shirtless picture I ever allowed anyone to see I posted here. It was HARD, but everyone with the exception of one person, was very complementary to me, without ever know WHY i posted it. It helped to build up to me going shirtless to the beach this past summer. I was still so self-conscious about it, I could not go for very long. But I did it. That was something.

[KalaNemi]

Well the bigorexia thing sounds just plain foolish. However, the issue here may be insecurities the person has with their body. Some are not comfortable with themselves and feel they need to change that in order to matter to others. Or it could be some issue with power, the more the better, but mainly it seems to be insecurities to me. Im fine with the way I am, being light and such, some are not. One would need to know the history of the individual to be certain.

P.S. I sure the dozens of posts before this have covered these things already. I however am too lazy to read them all, so here is my two cents anyway.

[sabretooth]

Originally Posted by b.spencer

Most of what my doc does with me is focused on just that -- trying to control the anxiety, the panic attacks, that come when I look in the mirror, learning or at least trying to trust that what I see is not real. It is DAMNED hard tho. At first, he tried to do what would treat the "obsession" -- telling me to workout less or not at all until I could workout like a normal person. When he saw that would never happen, then he turned to the other.

I have made some progress, and this board has been part of it actually. My particular fixation is chest/abs. I would go to such great pains to NEVER allow anyone to see me shirtless that you would not believe. The first shirtless picture I ever allowed anyone to see I posted here. It was HARD, but everyone with the exception of one person, was very complementary to me, without ever know WHY i posted it. It helped to build up to me going shirtless to the beach this past summer. I was still so self-conscious about it, I could not go for very long. But I did it. That was something.

i know what you mean, i wanted to start lifting a long time ago, but it was just until recently that i worked up the courage to start going seriously, i had some dumbells at home i would use, and i posted pics here and got a good response.

and i know what you mean about the not trusting the mirror, i still cant, i hate what i see. its one of the things that came up at my anger management session.