We all know the health benefits of being active, playing a sport or going to the gym, but there is a point where it becomes too much.
Bigorexia or Muscle Dysmorphia is a term more commonly seen in today's culture. Where someone looks at their body, and never feel they are big enough. Essentially, the physical opposite of anorexia; never being thin enough, but the roots are in the same emotionally vulnerable state.
Quest for size
So let's think about why someone would want to build their muscles to the point of suspecting Bigorexia.
As a gym goer myself, and someone that has always battled with their weight, I always saw other people who were muscular as more confident, more attractive and respected for it.
Add to that movie stars getting bigger and bigger in front of us over the years, it makes sense that our point of view when it comes to normality becomes skewed to "bigger is better".
You must also remember that if you are in the gym, you are only seeing people who, like you, are getting bigger and bigger, shaping your view of what a normal body should look like
The impact
Ask yourself, how much is working out impacting your life? Being in the gym 3 - 5 times a week for a few hours is 10 hours a week (almost a full working day).
Then add to that:
- Diet
- Watching back your workouts afterwards (recording your own workouts becoming increasingly popular)
- Watching others work out on YouTube
- Workout research
- Sourcing illegal pharmaceutical drugs (Steroids or HGH)
If you don’t work out, then you would look at this list and think, 'Who is doing that?' But if you work out, this is indeed your life, and it impacts your life further than when you step in and out of the gym.
What has to suffer?
- Relationships
- Work
- Family and friends
When building muscle mass, all of these elements of an average life feel as if they get in the way of your reaching your goal, which, by the way, you will never get to.
As with any eating or physical disorder, it becomes less so about the end goal, but about the compulsive habits involved in it.
Even a professional bodybuilder will have to win Mr Olympia this year, and then start all over again for a chance to win next year.
So what can we do about it?
By coming to therapy, you can start to understand why your world view is linked to the quest for size, and really what you are looking for underneath the muscle, attention, respect, love?
Remember there is nothing wrong with staying fit and working out, but just like having any hobby, other parts of life shouldn’t suffer as a result.