Muscular Dysmorphia Anonymous

Muscle dysmorphia is a disorder in which a person becomes obsessed with the idea that he or she is not muscular enough. Those who suffer from muscle dysmorphia tend to hold delusions that they are "skinny" or "too small" but are often above average in musculature. Sometimes referred to as bigorexia or reverse anorexia nervosa, it is a very specific type of body dysmorphic disorder.

In this disorder a person is preoccupied with thoughts concerning appearance, especially musculature. Muscle dysmorphia is strictly connected with selective attention: individuals selectively focus their attention on perceived defect (too skiny body, underweight etc.). They are hypervigilant to even small deviations from perceived ideal and they ignore information that their body image is not consistent with reality. There is also a hypothesis that individuals repeat negative and distorted self-statements concerning their appearance to such extent that they become automatic. Muscle dysmorphia influences person's mood often causing depression or feelings of disgust. This is often connected with constant comparing person's body to unattainable ideal.

Muscle dysmorphia can cause people to:

Constantly examine themselves in a mirror
Hate their reflections
Become distressed if they miss a workout session or one of six meals a day
Become distressed if they do not receive enough protein per day in their diet
Take potentially dangerous anabolic steroids
Neglect jobs, relationships, or family because of excessive exercising
Have delusions of being underweight or below average in musculature.
In extreme cases, inject appendages with fluid (e.g. synthol)

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  NateW
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  EasyEJL
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  Hank Vangut
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  Dr. Packenwood
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  egodog48
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  Nabisco
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  kplayon