Muscle Dysmorphia Research Paper

Western society often dictates what the desirable qualities in males and females should be. Movies, magazines, and even action figures/dolls are prime examples of society portraying the way a man or woman should look. As a result, severe body dysmorphic disorders, like muscle dysmorphia (MD), have begun to emerge. Situations that can increase ones risk of developing muscle dysmorphia include environments where physical appearance is of great importance and a childhood history of being bullied. This leads to negative characteristics such as low self-esteem, masculinity/femininity issues, and harmful eating behaviors ().
Muscle dysmorphia (MD), often called “bigorexia”, is a disorder in which individuals exhibit a compulsive fixation on muscle development ().Although MD can be seen in both men and women, males between the ages of 18 and 30 are primarily affected (). Victims of bigorexia are affected to such a degree that the disorder interferes with the individuals normal functioning. Their masculinity and self-worth is defined by their musculature.
The behaviors associated with MD have a devastating impacted on the individuals themselves and those around them.
The Journal of Athletic Training states that the “mortality rates are not high for MDM” but there are self-destructive behaviors associated with the disorder. A man with MD missed the birth of his child because he feared that if he missed a workout, his muscle mass would decrease (). There was another incident where a man lost his position at a law firm due to his strict dieting and eating routine. Chronic fear of decreased body size results in social avoidance, depression, anxiety and even steroidal abuse. Injuries often result from excessive exercise/weightlifting, but this does not stop someone who is suffering from muscle dysmorphia. A compulsive need to maintain a workout and diet schedule takes precedence over all
things.
Oftentimes, those suffering from MD will be so preoccupied with their physical appearance that they will spend long hours lifting weights, spend excessive attention to diet, and engage in frequent mirror checks().Muscle dysmorphic individuals cannot properly integrate detailed visual analysis with holistic visual analysis. This means that they look at body parts separate from the entire body rather than looking at the bigger picture. Environments where an individual is bombarded by negative opinions of others will increase that individual’s likelihood of developing a negative body image which can later lead to disorders like MD.