Muscle-Building Obsession – Symptoms And Treatments

Muscle-building obsession is a mental condition called muscle dysmorphic disorder in which a person believes that their muscles are not developed enough. Nowadays, muscle building has become a trend, especially among boys, as soon as they turn adults. Most of the men are avaricious for larger muscle. The stronger they are, the better. One of the reasons for strong predilections for large muscles among boys and men is the streaming of bulked-up male bodies on TV and social media platforms.

Nowadays, workouts are not meant to burn calories and keep you in shape. It rather means lifting weights to build more and more muscles. If they admire any celebrity, they will more likely feel inclined to conduct high-intensive workout sessions. Muscle building is not a bad idea, and no health expert will ever discourage you from doing such workouts, but when it is interfered with by negative thoughts and concerns, it is turned into muscle dysmorphia disorder.

Though it begins in adolescence or early adulthood, the number of boys and men with this condition is very small. Since we are easily influenced by perceptions of others, other boys and men are vulnerable, too.

Obsession with muscle building is considered harmless because it does not cause any other medical conditions, but the symptoms could affect your personal life. You will more often than not experience a feeling of guilt, shame and low self-esteem. This would also affect your relationship and career.

Symptoms of muscle-building obsession

A majority of people are not obsessed with muscle building, but those who have dysmorphia could experience a persistent feeling of dissatisfaction about their muscle growth, which leads to eventuate them in more rigorous workouts to build muscle. Such methods include:

• Compulsive exercising or spending a lot of time exercising
• Going on a very strict diet
• Exercising despite an injury risk or beyond your limits
• Using dietary supplements in an extreme way
• Irrational feelings of shame when coming across a perceived strong-built man
• Wearing baggy clothes to hide imperfections
• Wearing clothes that accentuate certain parts of the body
• Inferiority about your small frame and appearance
• Exercising despiteaches and pains
• Using steroids
• Prioritising workouts at the expense of other important things
• Sacrificing relationships, finances and other interests
• The irrational belief that one’s muscles should be stronger
• Constantly counting calories
• Excessive intake of protein supplements without realising their side effects and sacrificing other nutrients
• Feeling embarrassed at their reflection in the mirror

People suffering from bigorexia emphasise muscle expansion even if they have well-developed physiques. There is no doubt that you will have to exercise regularly to ensure your muscles do not die out. Regular exercising cannot be interpreted as a symptom of dysmorphia. Those who prioritise diet and workout at the expense of other important tasks might have bigorexia.

Does bigorexia affect girls differently?

Dysmorphia can take the form of an eating disorder called anorexia. It is a condition when people go on a very strict diet, fearing that they will become overweight. Girls are normally afflicted with anorexia because of food curtailment they think will keep them lean. But when it comes to muscle-building obsession, it affects mostly males.

Females are not obsessed about making their bodies muscular, but they are obsessed about keeping themselves in shape. Boys are more vulnerable to unhealthy behaviours when it comes to bigorexia.

Health dangers of muscle dysmorphia

Bigorexia is linked to several health conditions. Extreme behaviours could pose a threat to your physical and mental health condition. For instance, you might turn to unregulated protein supplements and some other quick hacks to build muscle soon. You may not realise the impact of such irrational efforts, but over time, your body will become extremely weak.

Prolonged use of steroids would make your bones fragile. There is a high risk of osteoporosis over time with the regular consumption of steroids. Unregulated protein shakes and steroids could also cause other health problems, such as stroke, hypertension and liver problems.

Some men also follow strict diet regimens such as bulk and cut. This involves periods of rapid weight gain followed by periods of extremely low-calorie diet. With these regimens, you will find your muscles and bones become weaker over time. Apart from that, you will likely suffer from irregular palpitation and reduced levels of testosterone hormone.

Treatments for dysmorphia

There are various ways you can treat your symptoms. You can start with self-care measures such as:

• Limiting your exercising. Make sure that your workout session does not last more than 30 minutes.
• You should resist your feeling of working out beyond your capacity.
• Do not use any shortcuts to build your muscles in a short period of time. These methods include taking unregulated protein supplements and steroids.
• Consult a doctor before using any over-the-counter protein supplement.
• Detailed fitness apps from your mobile phone that count calories.

Identifying the behaviours that could lead you to this condition. Accept the fact that everyone’s body is different. You cannot be overly optimistic about perfection.

• Medical treatments

Talk to your mental professionals if your symptoms are serious and you are unable to control them. Dysmorphia should raise concerns if it is affecting your relationships. You are unable to think about anything else. These medical treatments include:

• Cognitive behavioural therapy. This is crucial because it will help you identify your thought patterns and resist your irrational urges about your physical appearance.
• Medical experts would also be able to suggest some alternatives to cope with a negative obsession with muscle building.
• Experts will also help you change your views about your deformities and your physical appearance. They will encourage you to have a positive outlook about your physique.

Do not wait too long to seek help if you are unable to manage symptoms with self-care.

• Look for other ways to cope

While medical help is always there, you will have to work on your own to deal with bigorexia symptoms. Here are some strategies to help you abate the symptoms of dysmorphia:

• Participate in recovery and support groups
• Medication and deep breathing techniques are good.
• Use a combination of exercises to feel better. For instance, sometimes, taking a stroll outdoors could be relaxing.
• Eat a balanced and nutritious diet.
• Writing symptoms could also help you track what you feel at a particular period of time. Then, you can address them in a more effective way.

Parents can also build a healthy body image among their adolescent boys. It is crucial that family members do not comment on each other’s body shapes. You can do nothing about your physical appearance. Just accept it wholeheartedly. Parents should encourage their boys to rely on nutritious food.

Communicate openly if there is any problem. Teenage boys should be prevented from consuming protein supplements. Dietary sources such as eggs and fish for protein should be emphasised. Many boys, after reaching adulthood otherwise, start relying on protein supplements and do not even hesitate to take out weekly loans on benefits.

The bottom line

Dysmorphia is not very common, but there are a few boys who are obsessed with muscle building. Instead of muscle building, the focus should be on muscle health. As long as your bones and muscles are strong, you are physically fit.