Muscle Dysmorphia

 

Muscle dysmorphia usually arises as a result of feeling vulnerable, having low self-esteem or from an intense dissatisfaction with body image, and more specifically with muscle size. You may view yourself as small and weak despite being told otherwise by those around you. In order to increase strength and muscle size you will be driven to a rigorous exercise regime and strict diet.

 

How you might behave

  • Exercise regardless of injury and illness.

  • Focus on a high protein diet, sometimes at the expense of variety and nutrition.

  • Increased spending on exercise and food supplements.

  • Prioritise exercise over your social life, work or study commitments.

  • Use supplement and steroids to improve performance and increase muscle mass.

  • Wear bulky clothes or multiple layers, even on warm days.

  • Obsessively monitoring your progress.

  • Reluctance expends energy that could be used to benefit your exercise regime.

  • Withdrawn and uncommunicative.

 

What you might feel

  • Feelings of anger, anxiety or depression if you are unable to complete your exercise regime.

  • Pre-occupied with thoughts of body image and exercise.

  • Feelings of depression and envy when comparing your body to others.

  • Panic and anxiety at the thought of taking a rest day.

  • Exercise is the only way you can relax and cope with daily life.

  • Distracted by thoughts of exercise and fitness.

  • Irritable and restless.

  • Poor levels of concentration.

  • Vulnerable and lonely.

 

How you might be affected physically

  • Increased muscle mass.

  • Development of disproportionately large neck and shoulders.

  • High blood pressure.

  • Frequent injury and periods of illness.

  • Disruption of sleep pattern.

  • Exhaustion.

  • Changes in hormone levels (specifically in men).

  • Stiffness and aching limbs.

  • Low body temperature.

 

Affects on your mood

You may have turned to exercise and, more specifically body building, as a way to combat feelings of vulnerability and low self-esteem. These feelings can make you feel weak and uncertain of your ability to cope with life’s challenges. Increasing physical strength may help to reduce these feeling in the short-term but is unlikely to eliminate low self-esteem and vulnerability all together. Continuation of these feeling despite your vigorous work out is likely to make you feel inadequate and even more vulnerable. Not only are you likely to feel emotionally weak and uncertain but you may now also feel physically weak and inadequate. In response you may increase your exercise regime further putting your body under more and more strain.

Entering this cycle, emotions that have arisen from specific events and those related with low self-esteem can become confused with feelings related to body image and exercise. The only way to untangle these feelings is to discuss them, find the real cause of your feelings and work to develop your inner confidence and self-esteem.

 

Long- term physical affects

Exercising continuously regardless of injury, illness and exhaustion and without rest days can cause long-term injury. You will be at increased risk of stress fractures and osteoporosis. Other physical symptoms, such as high blood pressure and hormonal changes can be reversed by reducing exercise levels.

 

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT DURING RECOVERY

 

How you might feel

The thought of taking rest days and reducing the length of workouts is likely to be a great source of anxiety. Try to make these changes gradually with the help of a friend or trusted gym instructor. Remind yourself that rest days are part and parcel of a productive exercise regime (see physical changes).

Discussing your worries with a loved one or professional will help you to overcome your anxieties. Together you will be able to find alternative ways of coping with the emotions and stresses that have caused you to rely so heavily on a strenuous exercise regime.

 

Physical changes

Reducing the amount of exercising you do and taking regular rest days will give your body the chance to recover and your muscles chance to repair damage caused by exercise. Muscles do not develop while you are exercising, they develop when you are resting, with the help of a balanced and nutritious diet. Taking rest days will therefore allow you to work harder and perform better during exercise and will reduce your risk of developing illness or injury. Exercising less and taking rest days will not cause a rapid reduction in muscle mass or fitness as you might fear.