BIGOREXIA: It's a problem, children! How can we help!!!

This is serious! It's just so sad... He's only 29!

Bigorexia Documentary (about 8 minutes)

I must weep...

Straight men are obsessed with being big, gays are anorexic.

You have never seen Tom Katt or Tom Chase or Zak Spears.

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Muscle dysmorphia: One in 10 men in gyms believed to have 'bigorexia'

It's feared one in 10 men training in UK gyms could have a condition which can lead to depression, steroid abuse and even suicide. Muscle dysmorphia, which is also known as bigorexia, is an anxiety disorder which causes someone to see themselves as small, despite being big and muscular. The condition can affect men and women, but one expert suggested many cases go unreported. It is sometimes described as a kind of "reverse anorexia".

Isn't this simply BDD? Why was it necessary to coin another term?

Bigorexia sounds like you're deficient in hole or pole. I'm all for gym rats getting a balanced diet.

Who is that hot Middle Eastern god in the link at R5? Exactly my type.

This isn't narcissism?

You'll just become a big ole muscle bottom, honey...

I may have suffered from this during the '80s. A number of people I still know make reference to the time when I was "such a hunk." But I never saw myself that way. Like the guy in R10, all I saw was a twink when I looked in the mirror.

GOOD GIRL!

Suddenly I am unable to FF or WW.

The lovely chocolate gentleman in OPs pic looks like his ass has exploded.

Chilli for din din?

Bigorexia sounds like the rejection of small penises on oneself and sexual partners.

I'm cultivating mass!

LOOK BETTER NAKED!!!

David Barton is so cute. I would love to work out at David Barton.

Gosh, you're right R3! I don't give any fucks about washed up porn whores from two decades ago. Wow.

I can help you...

Steroid Dealers Caught and Punished

Pray

A LOT OF STEROIDS HERE!

"Especially gay men"?

I think such phenomenon is well distributed among men of all sexual orientations and, if we think heterosexual men make up most of them then they are the ones suffering from bigorexia the most.

Not a thing. Not clever. Click bait.

straight dudes want to get bigger too

I don't think there are more muscular homosexual men than there are who are heterosexual. I think numbers on this matter are very much the same among homosexual, bisexual and heterosexual men.

Although, probably heterosexual men suffer from bigorexia a bit more because they outnumber us and because male heterosexuality praises aggression, violence and dominance as pilars for what they call "masculinity". In that sense, being the strongest (although muscles don't mean strength actually), and the alpha male are overpraised traits in heterosexual male culture and muscles are part of this. Also, competition for heterosexual women leads lots of them to bodybuild in order to stand out as the most sexually attractive males.

[quote]Also, competition for heterosexual women leads lots of them to bodybuild in order to stand out as the most sexually attractive males.

Many women claim that they dont like bodybuilders. They like a fit man, flat stomach, etc but a lot of muscles? Not so much.

We call 'em 'muscle queens', last I heard.

R28 When you hear the words "muscle men" or "bodybuilder" you're conditioned to think of an overly muscular man. Those men are mainly pro bodybuilders and they don't make up most of muscle men. In a way, they are a small "elite" among the muscle men.

I think we are speaking of muscular men of all sizes, not the extreme ones exclusively.

But even then, just ask a huge heterosexual bodybuilder about his sex life. Most will tell you that women love big muscles. Social conditioning leads people to say things but they are the opposite when there is no one around who will criticise your fantasies and desires.

Is it still bigorexia (resp. anorexia) if you're objectively thin (resp. fat), and you obsess because people around you comment on it all the time?

Bigorexic men usually don't have huge muscles because they train obsessively every day so they don't let their muscles rest to build more muscle.

Those bodybuilders in the pics are certainly obsessed with big muscles, but they are not necessarily bigorexic.

I disagree with that R32, thus the term Bigorexic. It's all about just getting bigger and not necessarily fit.

R33 Generally, bigorexic men don't look that big because you need to let your muscles rest after the workout. You have to let them rest some days and sleep well so that your body creates more muscle mass to repair the micro-tears caused on the muscle fibers from the hard workout.

Bigorexic men are extremely obsessed with working out so they work out for hours everyday. They don't let their muscles rest to build more muscle and that's why they end up having such a hard time getting bigger and bigger.

Yeah, they can get big, but their obsession with working out gets to the point where they don't let the muscles rest to build more muscle.

Poor thing. Such problems...

The technical definition of muscle dysmorphia is:

“a condition in which individuals are preoccupied with the belief they are insufficiently large and muscular, and they may be obsessed with weightlifting, dieting and other activities aimed at increasing size and definition. Case reports and research reveal that these individuals also experience anxiety about having their bodiees viewed by others, experience impaired occupational and social functioning and participate in risky health behaviors such as physique enhancing drugs.”

OP, you forgot another choice:

Does this poll make me look fat?

Have you guys ever watched those before/after videos where a guy was either fat or skinny and later he becomes this beautiful muscular creature that everybody loves and congratulates with their comments?

Am I the only one who thinks those videos send the wrong message kind of vilifying tha fat/skinny look in some sort of passive-aggressive way to then glorify the muscular appearance as if that is what you should look like?

R38, we went through a before/after series on an earlier thread.

You shoot in reverse with a brief pump up session, photos, bloating liquid consumption, rest, and then photos.

This topic is gaining some traction...

You have to focus on the inspiration

Body dysmorphia.

That Jamie Alderton is a sweet dish, but I liked him smooth with a slightly higher level of bodyfat at the beginning of his shred.

What's it called when they add excessive tattooing to the mix?

R40 That's Con demetriou. He has done quite some homoerotic stuff for gays. He appeared being kissed by two women in the video. Please, he should have been kissed by two guys. Please!

I think bigorexia is greatly triggered and fueled by all of us human beings outside the bodybuilding world because:

1. Muscles represent power and dominance so you easily become some sort of leader. People respect you a bit more because of the intimidating appearance.

2. Muscles are secondary sex traits which make you more attractive than the average man and, who doesn't want to look more attractive sexually and receive a few compliments every now and then?

If you get too absorbed by these, let's call them, "benefits" to the point where you start validating yourself because of the way you look then bigorexia is just around the corner.

R43 He looked sooooo much better at the beginning of the video.

YIKES!

WOW!

R41 is not just gym and diet. He clearly uses drugs.

You post that in this thread, R49

Yeah, it's within the BDD/OCD umbrella. No normal person could do this...like anorexia. Very distorted body image. Ironically, it's the only mental health issue that makes someone more attractive (well, to those who like muscle queens).

I COMMAND YOU TO GROW!!!

Bigorexia makes muscularity unattractive. The same when a bodybuilder becomes a narcissist who thinks he superior for having big muscles.

Swole!

Breakfast of champions!

I guess his case can also be called bigorexia if you listen to all he says in the video...

WHAT?

It's all about the ass.

I suppose most people healthy mentally regarding their body image would not consider bodybuilding...

Bodybuilding must be practically the same situation you see in professional modelling with women desperately caring about their weight and overall appearance.

Bodybuilders look glorious on stage and the reaffirmation they get from looking that way must be addictive so it is hard to leave all that for a more normal healthy life where no one will notice your body and whole self.

Love the doggie.

Tim Terwilliger

I'd take this or would be satisfied with this

Tim Terwilliger NOW

It would be interesting if people shared their opinions and/or knowledge on the subject. There are other threads to post pics of bodybulder that we might consider attractive, sexy and etc.

I want to start a live-in Outreach Center to men suffering from this dreaded condition.

I suppose most fields that are your passion can potentially become an obsession through which you may try to validate yourself as a person.

I love languages and there were moments when I thought that the more languages I were able to speak the more I would stand out and find some kind of validation.

You can get addicted to the positive feedback and attention. I love how people treat me now that I am muscular versus how they did when I was skinny. You get so much more respect and compliments when buff.

Has anybody ever watched those Youtube videos where they show the before vs after? The guys were either skinny or fat and then they became muscular. The skinny/fat past is usually vilified in these videos, you are nothing if you are skinny or fat; then the muscular present is glorified and you are worth everything in the world.

[post redacted because linking to dailymail.co.uk clearly indicates that the poster is either a troll or an idiot (probably both, honestly.) Our advice is that you just ignore this poster but whatever you do, don't click on any link to this putrid rag.]

By the way, why is it writtern "bigorexia" and not "vigorexia"?

It comes from *vigour* meaning "physical strength and good health" and "effort, energy, and enthusiasm".

Pumped

Photoshoppedly pumped, R71

Hmmm

Vivian Vance.

Help, my Blasian husbear has bigorexia!!!

Hmmmm

OH wow

First dude is hot.

Yepp

Dataloungers don't go to the gym--get real.

For reals?

There

I remembar years ago I watched an ex bodybuilder on Youtube who talked about why he left and he said he grew tired of how shallow and so centered around physical appearance bodybuilding is and that now he feels happier and healthier staying physically active, but not obsessed with muscularity.

To each their Own

Is there a charity for this problem?

Another 2015 thread.

I fail to see the problem here!

R87 I would let Vince himself have a fuck TBH.

Gay male culture is so narcissistic and shallow.

I love swole bros

I've only just started going back to the gym.

Have been using free weights (not religiously) at home.

I love gym bros

Beauty standards

OMG!

Everything is so clear now!

I have an illness...

Stop 🛑

Well, I used to have that problem...

Maybe this is why Trump is so fat? He think it is all muscle.

What I am disliking and hating about all of this recent talk about the negative affects of Instagram is that we're hearing all about the negative affects upon girls. But, what about the boys? On Instagram you basically see nothing but "perfect" muscled men (young and old) who give the appearance of living an exciting life, etc. What I have seen in reality are many young boys who are lifting weights to the point of very serious injury, abuse of steroids, etc. I just think that there should be some acknowledgement that Instagram is a problem for our young boys and men too.

Stay off pretty much all social media. No consumers no content. That easy?

[quote]Stay off pretty much all social media. No consumers no content. That easy?

I would say that is pretty easy for many people now. Many of us know the dangers of social media but there was a learning curve (if you will) that many of us had to experience first before we realized; "Uh-Oh... this could be trouble." I know a few parents who are now pro-actively monitoring and limiting their kids time on the internet. The internet is like what television was in the 50's. Remember the term "boob tube"?

That’s overreaction

Clap back

Concerned

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