Muscle dysmorphia

Muscle dysmorphia is a subtype of the obsessive mental disorder body dysmorphic disorder, but is often also grouped with eating disorders.^[1][2] In muscle dysmorphia, which is sometimes called "bigorexia", "megarexia", or "reverse anorexia", the delusional or exaggerated belief is that one's own body is too small, too skinny, insufficiently muscular, or insufficiently lean, although in most cases, the individual's build is normal or even exceptionally large and muscular already.^[1][3]

Muscle dysmorphia affects mostly men, particularly those involved in sports where body size or weight are competitive factors, becoming rationales to gain muscle or become leaner.^[3] The quest to seemingly fix one's body consumes inordinate time, attention, and resources, as on exercise routines, dietary regimens, and nutritional supplementation, while use of anabolic steroids is also common.^[1][3] Other body-dysmorphic preoccupations that are not muscle-dysmorphic are usually present as well.^[1]

Although likened to anorexia nervosa,^[2][4] muscle dysmorphia is especially difficult to recognize, since awareness of it is scarce and persons experiencing muscle dysmorphia typically remain healthy looking.^[3] The distress and distraction of muscle dysmorphia may provoke absences from school, work, and social settings.^[1][5] Compared to other body dysmorphic disorders, rates of suicide attempts are especially high with muscle dysmorphia.^[1] Researchers believe that muscle dysmorphia's incidence is rising, partly due to the recent cultural emphasis on muscular male bodies.^[3][6]