Vigorexia: causes, symptoms and treatment

This type of body dysmorphic disorder is based on an obsession with having a muscular body.

The behavior of many individuals in Western societies has set off alarm bells for mental health experts, as image culture increasingly influences our behavior.

Sports addiction or obsession with body image are phenomena that have emerged in recent times as a consequence of the values promoted by capitalist society, fueled by consumerism and the commercialized media. However, this also has an effect on mental health, and vigorexia is an example of this. vigorexia is a case in point.. Next we will see what this disorder consists of.

Men's modern obsession with their body.

Our culture places excessive importance on body image, and we are constantly bombarded by the media with advertisements about what our bodies should look like. Physical exercise is undoubtedly one of the healthiest habits we humans can practice; however, when we become obsessed with our appearance, these beneficial effects disappear.

The modern obsession with having a muscular body is known as vigorexia. is what is known as vigorexia, although it also receives the name of muscular dysmorphia or adonis complex.

What is vigorexia?

In other articles we have spoken of how the physical exercise can become almost a dangerous addiction. can become almost a dangerous addictionoften as a consequence of a low self-esteem or the erroneous perception that we have about our body. One example of this type of addiction, for example, is runnorexia or running addiction.

But another phenomenon that is often discussed in these cases is vigorexia, a disorder suffered by people who are obsessed with having a strong, muscular and low-fat body image. obsessed with having a strong, muscular and low-fat body image; despite having a muscularDespite having a well-developed musculature, these individuals show a rather thin and fragile appearance.

Vigorexia is also called inverted anorexia, as these individuals do not deprive themselves of food, but are obsessed with eating a lot of protein and even use anabolic and even use anabolic agents, which can cause side effects such as acne, enlarged mammary glands, hair loss, mood swings, Heart problems...

For vigoréxicos, physical exercise is not synonymous with health, but what they seek is to achieve perfect aesthetics, even sacrificing their well-being.

What are its causes?

Experts conclude that the causes of vigorexia are varied. However, the environment plays an important role for the person to develop this disorder. Values and beliefs, which are a consequence of the image cultureplay a determining role in how we value ourselves and how we see ourselves.

Thus, much of the obsession with the physique is determined by unrealistic expectations about the perfect body, which appears frequently in the media. This culture rewards physically attractive individuals and disparages those who are not. And although this could be counteracted with the right education, the truth is that many people suffer because of their physical appearance. suffer because of their physical appearance.

Relationship between perfectionism and vigorexia

However, personal factors also seem to be relevant in the development of vigorexia. The perfectionist personality makes people overly fixated on their body and never happy with the image they have. This also causes them to be hard on themselves and to engage in harmful behaviors such as over-training, constant supplementationconstant consumption of supplements, obsession with dieting, etc. Behaviors that are nothing more than an attempt to get closer to the image of body perfection they have in their mind.

Self-esteem also influences when it comes to negative self-esteem, and the lack of confidence makes these people look for a perfect body as a way to feel better.

Finally, vigorexia can be a consequence of family problems or some emotional trauma from childhood, for example, after having suffered bullying.

Symptoms and signs

Vigorexia is a type of body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), in which the sufferer lives obsessed with their physical appearance and thinks about their body for many hours a day. In addition, this constant comparison with the ideal of beauty and discomfort is usually the cause of great anxiety and discomfort.

Therefore, it is necessary to treat this problem with the help of a professional, because it can significantly reduce the quality of life of the person and even cause other negative consequences such as depression. But how can this disorder be identified?

What are its symptoms? People with vigorexia:

• Spend a lot of time taking care of their body image, for example, in the gym. This interferes with their social life or work performance.
• They look at themselves in the mirror every now and then.
• They may prevent other people from seeing their body due to lack of confidence (even though they look good).
• They feel extreme anxiety or distress if they do not train.
• They go on extreme diets.
• They use anabolic agents or supplements that are harmful to their health.

Treatment

Vigorexia can have major health consequences for the person suffering from this disorder, as it can cause physical problems due to overtraining or unhealthy diet, serious problems from steroid use and even more problems in the individual's mental health of the individual such as, for example, severe depression. That is why vigorexia should be treated by a psychology professional specialized in this type of problems.

There are psychotherapy treatments that have been shown to be effective, for example, mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), acceptance or commitment therapy (ACT) or cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). or cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).. The latter is perhaps the most popular and offers the best guarantees.

Cognitive behavioral therapy applied to vigorexia aims to make the patient aware of how their beliefs and behavior are affecting their well-being, and then modify their way of thinking and behavior. To do so, it uses different techniques such as social skills training or cognitive restructuring, among others.