Men's Body Image Issues
Peter Dazeley
Oftentimes when the condition of body dysmorphia, or what will furthermore be referred to as BDD in this article is discussed, it is something that is normally regarding women’s body dysmorphia. However, BDD can present itself in anyone no matter what gender, sexual orientation, age, etc. BDD, as defined by Happiful.com, is,
“Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a mental health condition where an individual experiences intense anxiety about their appearance. More than just a concern about the way they look, BDD can cause someone to become very distressed about their image and their perceived ‘flaws’, to the point where it prevents them from living a normal life.”
Men and women are different and work differently, so when BDD is being discussed, there are different things that you have to watch for in men. Body image issues in men present themselves differently and, even though can be an uncomfortable conversation, it is nevertheless a conversation that needs to be had. Body dysmorphia in men does exists and it needs to be discussed as it is harmful and scarily common. This article will focus on shedding light regarding body dysmorphia issues in men. BDD is not talked about as much as it should be and seen as taboo oftentimes. This is something that needs to change.
Body image issues in men, such as BDD, are a lot more common in men than one would hope or think. There are much higher risks of BDD occurring in younger men who are still developing, but it once again can impact any man. It seems it impacts a fair amount of the population as found in a study by researchers at the institution of Bradley University. The researchers involved in the conducted study revealed,
“According to a study, over 90% of men struggle in some way with body dissatisfaction and negative affect (negative opinions of self), or negative emotions and thoughts towards one’s body (Castonguay et al. 2014). Research also shows that body image disorders may be more severe in both gay and heterosexual teenage-through-young-adult (post-college) males than men in other age categories (Burlew & Shurts 2013).”
The action of shaming others for any reason, though especially regarding their bodies, can be very harmful to individuals in many ways. These statistics can mean that a lot of males, whether heterosexual or homosexual, are impacted severely by BDD no matter the age. Body image issues in men is a subject that needs to be brought into light as you can tell just by how many men have this condition. Everyone can experience BDD,
including men of any age or orientation. Everyone deserves help and support when they are going through troubling times as anyone can unfortunately develop BDD. BDD is not only a condition to where there is the traditional focusing on the entire body as a whole, but it also can appear as focusing on a specific body part as well. Sometimes, BDD can manifest itself into one singular body part and not the entirety of the body in which one normally would think of when talking about the issue of BDD. The Recovery Village reported, who are specialist in helping those who suffer with the condition of BDD,
“Men who suffer from BDD often become fixated with one physical feature, such as skin, hair, genitals or body size/stature. A man may be suffering from body dysmorphic disorder if he obsesses with monitoring his appearance or goes to great lengths to avoid seeing himself (e.g. avoiding mirrors or scales) ... It is likely that men under-report dissatisfaction with their physical appearance. Data suggest that only around 6% of psychiatric patients discuss concerns about their appearance with their mental health care providers.”
If you seem to resonate with BDD and its symptoms, or if you happen to know someone who does, you should also try to recognize if the symptoms are a huge part of your/their life. There are many professionals out there to help you or your loved ones if you need the help and you need to be transparent with them. The first step of being able to help yourself and others is to recognize if you seem to be suffering from BDD before trying to find professional help. Recognition is only half the battle though. Partaking in negative obsessive activities like excessive monitoring is unhealthy and is hurtful to your health. Whether your suffering from BDD involves one feature of the body or all features of the body, BDD is something that is dangerous, and you should find help in managing it. Anyone and everyone who suffers from BDD can potentially have access to help to improve their quality of life.
Did you know that there are also many other different kinds of BDD? There is also another different type of BDD that can present itself in men, other than the fixation of the whole body or a particular body part. Another variation of BDD called bigorexia, a condition where men fixate on becoming “bigger” by working out more and eating more to build muscle. Men’s Health looked further into this issue and reported,
“However, the old adage of “too much of a good thing” also applies to exercise. Many men are suffering, most in silence, from an obsessive-compulsive condition called “muscle dysmorphia”. It's a mental health issue where men perceive themselves as smaller than they actually are, or having imperfect physiques. This encourages them to build muscle in the pursuit of the perfect body, often to the extent of everything else –
including their health.”
BDD is a very concerning issue as it was also added than 1 in 10 men who go to the gym often in the UK may have this condition. Who know how many other men in other places in the world could have this condition as well? Just because one is working on “bettering” their body by working out and putting on more muscle, this can be very taxing on an individual’s mental and physical health. No matter what the type of BDD is, it is impactful on one’s health in a negative fashion. Even though exercising is very important, you need to get the proper amount of it: this means not too little and not too much. Harboring exercise obsessions can be a toxic mental state to be in as any sort of obsessions can be harmful. Any sort of BDD should be taken seriously including this type which is often not recognized in men.
Body dysmorphia in men is an extremely serious matter that needs to be handled just as seriously. Hopefully, through this article, you were informed on BDD and the issues that come with it. The uncomfortable conversations regarding body image issues in men need to be had. If people start to have more healthy conversations regarding BDD, this can possibly create some needed positive changes. These conversations may help to destigmatize BDD and the variations of it which appear in many men. If you or someone you know is suffering with BDD, it is very important to remember that help and support is accessible. Please make sure to contact available professionals if you or someone you love needs immediate help or feel endangered as a result of mental health. There is hope for you and the ones you care about.
