FEATURE: The importance of talking about body dysmorphia in men (TRIGGER WARNING)
- Leah Massingham
- Nov 21, 2022
- 4 min read
CONTENT WARNING: This article mentions body dysmorphia, anorexia, bulimia and references other mental health conditions which could be triggering for some readers. Organisations and helplines for advice and support can be found linked at the end of the article.
In recent years, movements to raise awareness for men’s mental health have been gradually on the rise. Charities such as ‘CALM’ and ‘ManUp’ have provided invaluably useful information and support surrounding male mental health, and November marks ‘Movember’, a month-long period dedicated to advocating for men’s mental health. These charities have subsequently helped those struggling to reach out for psychiatric support more confidently and have given families and friends a secure place to educate themselves.
As a society, we have rightfully accepted that men struggle mentally and emotionally just as women do, and that they also deserve support. This has led to slow but important shifts within the language used when discussing stereotypes surrounding masculinity as well as surrounding men’s mental wellness. However, an issue less spoken about from the male perspective is Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD). An estimated 1 in 50 people suffer from BDD – also called dysmorphophobia, making it more common than anorexia nervosa and schizophrenia, yet less spoken about.
In men, BDD can manifest itself in numerous different ways. Men make up 25% of anorexia and bulimia sufferers as well as 35% of binge-eating disorder sufferers. Despite this, a majority of men struggling with BDD battle with a body image struggle coined ‘bigorexia’; this is the notion that men need to have the typical muscly physique rather than a softer build.
‘Bigorexia’ has led to sufferers overexerting themselves whilst exercising, particularly bodybuilding, and yet still leaves them with a distorted view of their fitness, believing they are not muscular enough, and therefore not masculine enough. Overtraining even when injured, taking steroids and limiting food intake are some of the many warning signs that a person may be suffering from bigorexia.
If left untreated, bigorexia can be a serious risk to a person’s health, evidence has shown it can lead to depression, suicidal ideation, and even suicide attempts. Bigorexia is perpetuated by the societal expectation that men need to have a strong, stoic physique as opposed to the ‘dad bod’ that social media has depicted as unattractive.
The causes of body dysmorphia are mostly unknown, however medical professionals believe that genetics and childhood trauma can play a huge role in the onset of body image issues. According to the NHS, genetic dispositions to mental illnesses such as obsessive-compulsive disorder or depression can increase a person’s likelihood of developing body dysmorphia, as well as chemical imbalances in the brain or childhood traumas such as bullying or abuse. Also, the family of a person with body dysmorphia are more likely to develop it as well.
Despite ever-increasing research and awareness surrounding body dysmorphia, the number of adult men admitted into hospital for eating disorders has increased 70% in 6 years. This could be an alarming statistic as it could demonstrate an increase in sufferers, however it could also be a positive. The eating disorder charity ‘BEAT’ has said that this increase of men seeking help for their mental struggles could be demonstrative of an increase of awareness that these mental illnesses have no gender bias. The shift in urgency for medical intervention when it comes to men’s mental health is long overdue and an increase in patients receiving the treatment they need and deserve can only be a good thing.
Unfortunately, the lack of resources is stifling. The usual treatment methods for BDD are SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors), which are a type of prescription antidepressants and CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy). Although prescriptions tend to be easily distributed, CBT has a waitlist of 5 months on the NHS, which can be a tortuous time period for those suffering.
Within families and friendship circles, supporting a loved one with BDD can be hard. It can be difficult to understand why a person that you love is so negative towards themselves despite your constant reassurance. Some of the best ways to support a person that you love are, avoiding placing blame onto anybody, not adapting your daily life to fit around a person’s BDD, such as making allowances for lateness, and most importantly, avoid engaging in a debate about appearance.
By debating a person’s perception of themselves, there is an attempt to rationalise an irrational psychological disorder which will always be ineffective but could lead to hurt feelings and a lack of trust. The main thing is that the sufferer knows that whilst their support network does not agree with their behaviors, they are there to help them.
As our society strives to raise awareness for mental illnesses and support those who need it most, it is important that we extend these sympathies across all mental illnesses and across all people. If we continue neglecting to understand issues such as BDD, we are stationary in our progress because without understanding all mental illnesses, we can’t fully understand any. There are so many overlaps within mental illnesses that with each medical advance, so many people are helped. With understanding, empathy, and support, we can strive to continue to advocate for male mental health as a collective.
For more information, help and support for BDD, please see the links below:
Edited by Olivia Warburton
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