Do you have “bigorexia”?
It sounds like a funny, made up name, but bigorexia is a real disorder. What is it? Well I’m sure you’ve heard of anorexia, where people thing they are too fat and basically starve themselves down to skin and bones, and bigorexia is in the same class as that. It’s technical term is Muscle Dismorphic Disorder.
People with bigorexia, regardless of their actual physical stature, feel small. They feel physically inadequate, and will often resort to wearing baggy clothes to cover their perceived inadequacy. Many will resort to steroids, and some will become quite reclusive. Bodybuilding and the quest to bulk up become all-consuming, and it begins to control one’s life.
Here’s a really good article on this disorder, complete with some questions to ask yourself if you think you might be suffering from bigorexia. But, here’s a quick easy way to tell if you might have it: if you think you’re being stared at because you’re so skinny, but the scales show that you weight more than than average pro football player for your height, then you might wish to step back and consider seeking help. You very likely havedeveloped muscle dismorphic disorder.