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MALES ATHLETES
What is body dysmorphia?
One of the most common body image disorders that
occurs in male athletes is Muscle Dysmorphia,
meaning that a person sees himself as too small
with little muscle, when in fact he is big and
muscular (Harvey & Robinson, 2003). In other
words, how a man with this disorder sees himself
does not match how he looks in reality, much like
how people with Anorexia see themselves.
Because of this similarity,Muscle Dysmorphia is
often called “reverse anorexia”, as
people with this disorder want to lose body fat,
get bigger and gain weight instead of lose it
(Olivardia, 2001). This disorder comes from fears
that many male athletes have about being too small,
leading them to try and gain weight and muscle
through excessive working out, and taking steroids
or nutritional supplements. Most become preoccupied
with food, dieting, weight and size. Even though
they may already be muscular, these men are also
embarrassed by their bodies and often attempt
to avoid showing themselves.
The problem with Muscle Dysmorphia is that it
involves behaviours that are very similar to the
regular routines of athletes. Most coaches are
pleased to see their athletes train hard, exercise
frequently, and watch their diet. As a result,
Muscle Dysmorphia often goes unnoticed as a problem,
because the behaviours are thought of as “normal”
for athletes. Although dedication, discipline
and hard work are important to become an accomplished
athlete, they become a problem when they are taken
to an extreme and begin to interfere with other
areas of life and cause anxiety (Beals, 2004).
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