Muscle dysmorphia is a body image disorder. People who suffer from this condition tend to have a negative view of their muscular build. These individuals tend to believe they are too small and they strive to increase the size of their muscles. In most cases, however, their concerns are not warranted and their self-image is distorted.
Many people mistakenly believe that muscle dysmorphia is an obsession with working out. This is not the case. Muscle dysmorphia is a condition where a distorted view of one image generally drives a person to work out excessively. Both males and females can suffer from the condition. It is believed, however, to be more common among males.
There are numerous indications that may reveal that a person has muscle dysmorphia. One of the most common is compulsive workout habits. A person suffering from this condition is likely to be very strict about maintaining a workout routine that most people would consider vigorous and excessive.
Compulsive workouts may continue even if the individual is injured. Many people with the condition believe that they will become weak if they do not continue to exercise. As a result, missing a workout or being required to engage in activities that prevent working out may cause the individual to become distressed.
Many people with this disorder constantly analyze themselves in the mirror and generally reach negative conclusions. Their desire to increase their muscle size may cause them to become very particular about the amounts of proteins they eat. They may begin to eat an abnormal number of meals per day. Many of these individuals have also been driven by their obsession to take potentially dangerous muscle-building drugs.
Many people with muscle dysmorphia are self-conscious. They may falsely believe that people are gossiping about the state of their muscular build. This image disorder can overshadow other aspects of a person’s life. He may have difficulty maintaining romantic relationships. The condition may also have negative effects on his performance at work or school. Furthermore, many people who suffer with muscle dysmorphia also suffer from depression.
Muscle dysmorphia can also have negative physical consequences. Excessive exercise can result in a person damaging body parts, such as the muscles, joints or tendons. He may also suffer from the physical consequences of his eating habits and drug use.
It can be very difficult to convince a person with this condition that he has a problem. It can be even more difficult to get him to seek treatment. Those who do seek treatment are believed to experience the best results when there is a joint effort between a physician and a counselor.