The dark pursuit of the perfect male body
Early on in my weight-lifting days, I was an avid reader of bodybuilding magazines. In an issue of Muscle and Fitness, an article discussed an emerging body dysmorphic disorder, almost exclusively affecting men, called “bigorexia.”
Someone suffering from bigorexia looks in the mirror and sees a body that’s small and lacking muscle, though in reality, they are quite muscular. Excessive workouts, disordered eating, and emotional distress over perceived and imaginary physical flaws are hallmarks of this condition.
25 years later, bigorexia is back in the news as young men are falling under the spell of male fitness influencers on social media. The majority of these influencers claim to be “all natural,” though many are, in fact, steroid-enhanced. With chiseled physiques and single-digit body fat percentages, they claim that by investing in their training and nutrition systems, you, too, can look amazing and, by extension, finally feel "good enough." However, if it seems too good to be true…
According to the American Psychological Association, approximately one-third of diagnosed eating disorders are in men and boys. Unfortunately, social media fitness culture encourages extreme eating behaviors with appealing labels like “bulking” and “shredding,” actions deemed necessary for achieving the perfect body.
Sadly, these men who bank all their self-worth into their physical appearance are often reluctant to seek help for the obsessive lifestyles they’ve adopted and feel prisoners to. Vulnerability is acceptable in some arenas, but for the masculinity blueprint, it’s a different story.
You can learn more about the price that’s paid in pursuit of the perfect male body in this article from Life Hacker. It also discusses how cosmetic procedures, such as Botox injections, jawline contouring, and skin rejuvenation, have surged in popularity among men hoping to remain forever youthful and relevant.
https://lifehacker.com/health/the-dark-side-of-modern-male-body-ideal
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Slipstream
It's very sad. The quest for the perfect body is almost unachievable because the body they seek rarely appears in the mirror. It's never good enough. I've read it's one of those mental illnesses that's very hard to effectively treat.
Evangel
A perfect body is in the eye of the beholder. Bigorexia has always been around but not to this extreme. Freud might say it begins with a man's preoccupation with the size and adequacy of his sex organ.
I don't blame men for wanting to feel the joys of being worthy and accepted. However, going to the ends of the earth to look more youthful or manly (including adding more tattoos) won't change what's deep inside. At best, it might one-up another man and look sexy to those who view it as eye candy.
To any man ensnared in such an expensive disorder, I would tell him to work on bulking and shredding his spirit instead. In doing so, he is sure to find acceptance and peace by recognizing the genuine, unlimited powers he possesses within.