bigorexia?

[that_guy12]

I was reading this documentary on bigorexia, I don't know if it's a legit disease or what not, this is going to be a dumb question, but are you born with bigorexia? or can you get it from something or what? can you get it later on in life if you get too obsessed or what, and if its a legit illness, how can it be, how is it a disease to want to get bigger, and stronger? whats the turning point

 

[ski10804life]

I think its refered to as body dismorphia, and yes its a desease, its when your already inshape/big and you think your scrawny and need to get bigger, and vice versa. Not sure if they are the same thing but i think they are, my gf thinks i have this, but she doesnt like big dudes so thats why lol.

 

[Diced]

hmmm basically broken down it means ur a perfectionist if u suffer from BDD( all forms ) me personally i hate my body although i get raps all the time and walk around at 9%bf 84kg off season . its a horrible thing its a curse i call it the illness . haha

 

[Diced]

i think alot of people end up with a misconception of the body/face thanks to magazines tv and the very FEW individuals out thier who are just blessed with ridiculous genetics one dude that comes to mind( ullises jnr ) . Its just human nature to want to b the best and when u fall short of the BEST u beat urself up . Its learning to except who u r thats so hard for example im 5,10 i have a short torso,long legs/arms ullises on the other hand has a long torso wide back inproportion limbs which gives him in my opinion one of the best physiques of all time . nam woodbridge is another dude i would kill to look like

 

[ski10804life]

agreed, i have been told im about 12% bf in the winter, and would guess im about 10% at most in the summer. i go to the gym and i notice im in way better shape then 95% of the ppl at my gym and look better to(not bragging) but when i look at myself i think its not good enough. my friends consider me a big dude, but i think i look scrawny at 195, i dont htink i will ever be happy. being tall with long legs and arms is tough.

 

[mfpd]

I was a skinny person until about age 30 when I started gaining weight, and not good weight. I was 125 lbs and about 5'8 when I graduated high school. I graduated college at about 170 lbs and grew to 5'10. I am now 40 yrs old, weigh about 215 lbs and am in the best shape of my life. I plan to do a physique contest next year. I get comments from friends all of the time about being the big guy of the group. Also, when I run into some one that knew me 20 years ago, they say they barely recognize me because of the huge change in size. However, I still see myself as the scrawny 130 lb kid. No matter how big I get, or how many compliments I get about being "the big guy," I don't think I will ever see myself as anything other than the skinny kid. I would say that I have the BDD, but I view it as more reason to push harder in the gym.

 

[Diced]

i would say about 98% of the gym population has BDD on some level , Everyone has a distorted view of themselfs thanks to magazines and genetic freaks . Its really sad it makes me sad knowing that thier is ppl out thier who bust thier ass's day in day out hammer their nutrition get plenty of rest and in the end they get an amazing physique but are still unsatisfied by what they see . They cant even revel in what they have accomplished because they think its not good enough. This mind set leads to to ppl abvusing drugs all kinds of things thinking itll give them that edge . Life can b cruel but u just gotta learn to accept who u r and no what u r and what ur limits are and except ur never gunna look like arnold or ullises or whoever it is u idolize . They are incredibly fortunate they were givin great genetics for bb but thier would be other areas they suck at too or are average at.

 

[ski10804life]

like washing their back in the shower, i can still do that hahahaha. Agreed it is sad that people bust there hump in the gym and theys till dont see it, me being one of them. MY gf always says im an idiot for saying i want to be this or i want to look like that, when she says out of all of my friends im in the top 3 of best physique and im the only one who hasent done gear....yet it has been on my mind, which is another sad point i agree on, most people in my gym are not good lookign physique wise, and they do cycle after cycle and they just look fat or still skinny, or like a puffer fish, diet is key which most people dont know or choose to beleive, its tough to be comfortable with yourself when the world has set these standards from magazines and tv. i have been ok with myself for quite some time, but it was only a few years ago that i realized i work hard and look great, but i want to set goals for myself, im only 195 at 6'2" at 12% bf, i want to be at 210 and 10% bf at the most.

 

[adam102082]

I'm speaking from th standpoint of a former anorexic. Anorexia, like what is documented in the book you're reading, is a type of body dysmorphic disorder. Between the ages of 16 and 17, I lost 107 lbs in 10 months. At my lowest, I was 124 lbs at 6'1....pretty scary. At that time, I faced heart failure due to starvation. I was subsequently admitted to a psych ward where I made progress towards gaining weight after being threatened with a stomach tube. Upon leaving the hospital, I was back at a healthy weight, yet was by no means cured. I then went on an eight year drug and alcohol spree, going to any lengths to get over many of my insecurities. This spree started with the small-time such as alcohol and marijuana and ended with me slamming heroin before I went to work as a teacher in the morning. Life was crazy, to say the least. I am now three years clean and sober after admitting myself to rehab. I will tell you this..the feelings of being fat have never completely left me. That said, bodybuilding has given me an perception of my body that I have never had before, and in the past three years, I have started to get to a point where I like my body. Now I'm in the middle of my first cycle, and considering my past, I really have to keep an eye on my use.

With all this said, I do not believe...and I am speaking from the standpoint of someone who has done a lot of research on all these, has a PhD (though not in any medical field), and has spent 1000s of hours with psychiatrists and psychologists...that anorexia, your so-called bigorexia, and even drug addiction are things that a person is born with. That said, I see all of these as types of compulsive behavior that certain people are definitely born with a predetermination for. Science can prove that genes do determine one's predisposition towards compulsive behavior. Now, whether or not this compulsive behavior manifests, as well as how it manifests (bigorexia, anorexia, bulimia, drug addiction, etc.) is likely a reaction to environmental stimuli. At the age of sixteen, something made it alright for me to be anorexic, but not a drug addict. Later, drug use became a welcome refuge (and honestly saved my life for a while). Now, some may say that I am addicted to working out...at least that doesn't hurt me that much.

So to answer your question, are people born with bigorexia? No.

Can people develop bigorexia? Yes

That said, are people born with a predisposition towards compulsive behavior? Definitely.

So, if you are worried that you have a problem and do indeed have bigorexia, ask yourself these questions, the answers to which might be very telling:

1.) Have you ever engaged in any other compulsive behavior, even if that behavior plays no role in your life now?

2.) Have you ever drank or used recreational drugs excessively for a period of time?

3.) Have you ever been a workaholic?

If you answer yes to any of these questions, it is my opinion that it is highly likely that you suffer from compulsive behaviors. In which case, the possibility that you have bogorexia goes up.

 

[Diced]

I'm speaking from th standpoint of a former anorexic. Anorexia, like what is documented in the book you're reading, is a type of body dysmorphic disorder. Between the ages of 16 and 17, I lost 107 lbs in 10 months. At my lowest, I was 124 lbs at 6'1....pretty scary. At that time, I faced heart failure due to starvation. I was subsequently admitted to a psych ward where I made progress towards gaining weight after being threatened with a stomach tube. Upon leaving the hospital, I was back at a healthy weight, yet was by no means cured. I then went on an eight year drug and alcohol spree, going to any lengths to get over many of my insecurities. This spree started with the small-time such as alcohol and marijuana and ended with me slamming heroin before I went to work as a teacher in the morning. Life was crazy, to say the least. I am now three years clean and sober after admitting myself to rehab. I will tell you this..the feelings of being fat have never completely left me. That said, bodybuilding has given me an perception of my body that I have never had before, and in the past three years, I have started to get to a point where I like my body. Now I'm in the middle of my first cycle, and considering my past, I really have to keep an eye on my use.

With all this said, I do not believe...and I am speaking from the standpoint of someone who has done a lot of research on all these, has a PhD (though not in any medical field), and has spent 1000s of hours with psychiatrists and psychologists...that anorexia, your so-called bigorexia, and even drug addiction are things that a person is born with. That said, I see all of these as types of compulsive behavior that certain people are definitely born with a predetermination for. Science can prove that genes do determine one's predisposition towards compulsive behavior. Now, whether or not this compulsive behavior manifests, as well as how it manifests (bigorexia, anorexia, bulimia, drug addiction, etc.) is likely a reaction to environmental stimuli. At the age of sixteen, something made it alright for me to be anorexic, but not a drug addict. Later, drug use became a welcome refuge (and honestly saved my life for a while). Now, some may say that I am addicted to working out...at least that doesn't hurt me that much.

So to answer your question, are people born with bigorexia? No.

Can people develop bigorexia? Yes

That said, are people born with a predisposition towards compulsive behavior? Definitely.

So, if you are worried that you have a problem and do indeed have bigorexia, ask yourself these questions, the answers to which might be very telling:

1.) Have you ever engaged in any other compulsive behavior, even if that behavior plays no role in your life now?

2.) Have you ever drank or used recreational drugs excessively for a period of time?

3.) Have you ever been a workaholic?

If you answer yes to any of these questions, it is my opinion that it is highly likely that you suffer from compulsive behaviors. In which case, the possibility that you have bogorexia goes up.

This ^^^ u r spot on , im sorry to hear ur story im glad bb is helping u out its a buetiful thing . But ur right My mum is mentally ill i was also diagnosed with OCD as a kid and went thru a stage of sick drug/alcohol abuse then i found the gym now its my outlet qiet possible why i feel the way i do about my apperance . Its frustrating .

 

[dialtone]

I think this is an interesting concept that I honestly never really think about...but I may have it . What I have realized is that my drive to get bigger and stronger is a direct reflection of my current environment. For example, when I was younger and started lifting, all of my friends were lifting with me and always pushing me. I then went to college where I started hanging out with a bunch of hippies who could care less about muscle mass and strength and I started to slip from my training. I then started dating a fitness model and of course I got obsessively back into training...I then moved for grad school and was surrounded by nerds who thought I was weird for lifting and I fell out... and the cycle goes on and on.

If you feel you have a complex about your physical appearance, really consider where it is coming from - friends, family, girlfriends, enemies, coaches, etc. If their approval is really that valuable to you, use it to keep yourself motivated. But if you are unhappy with this pressure and you feel like you are never satisfied with who you are, cut that part of your life out and find what makes you happy. Life's too short to feel like you have to constantly impress others.

 

[Harnold]

I hear you loud and clear

I started hating being skinny in high school, and now walk around at 6ft, 240lbs most of the year. bodybuilder shape, and still see myself as small in the mirror.

if you have certain clothes that you only wear to the gym, or anywhere else because someone told you you looked big in them, and you never forgot what you were wearing when they said it, you have the same problem as me....it does suck as those clothes wear out quickly, and you don't want to seem like you wear the same ones all the time. I keep waiting to outgrow this like a stage of my life, but at 42 years old, I don't see that happening. I wish I could, as I am not a perfectionist in any other way, and not really aware of any other compulsive behaviors I may have. I even prefer my wife not see me in skinny clothes, and we've been a couple for 25 years. that is the best way I can explain my story. hope it makes someone else feel a little better.

 

[BigPal]

Oh i definatly have this....LOL
It F#@%s with me all the time....I dont know which mirrors are actual mirrors and which are skinny or fat mirrors......no joke, I look in the mirror and see myself getting bigger, then shrinking back down.....some fear and loathing type crap....

Its horrible and I try not to think about it but it just cant be ignored.....

 

[Diced]

I think this is an interesting concept that I honestly never really think about...but I may have it . What I have realized is that my drive to get bigger and stronger is a direct reflection of my current environment. For example, when I was younger and started lifting, all of my friends were lifting with me and always pushing me. I then went to college where I started hanging out with a bunch of hippies who could care less about muscle mass and strength and I started to slip from my training. I then started dating a fitness model and of course I got obsessively back into training...I then moved for grad school and was surrounded by nerds who thought I was weird for lifting and I fell out... and the cycle goes on and on.

If you feel you have a complex about your physical appearance, really consider where it is coming from - friends, family, girlfriends, enemies, coaches, etc. If their approval is really that valuable to you, use it to keep yourself motivated. But if you are unhappy with this pressure and you feel like you are never satisfied with who you are, cut that part of your life out and find what makes you happy. Life's too short to feel like you have to constantly impress others.

This is spot on also, at the end of the day us guys need to do what makes us happy no one else . Thats right what makes YOU happy not ur friends ur family ur ex gf or that dirty bish ur putting one through on the regular . as said above life is just too short to spend time beating urself up about things that are basically out of ur hands .

 

[FL3X MAGNUM]

I don't think it is fair for doctors to throw a diagnosis like this at guys/girls who like to stay in shape. It feels more like they're discrediting us than anything.
Really, being in good shape and wanting to be in better shape is a medical condition?
I was watching "Hooked" on MSNBC the other day and a doc was talking about this condition.
I wonder what would happen if a doctor came on tv preaching that doctors that diagnose others with retarded conditions are the ones with the mental disease.
I think we can all agree that everyone has some sort of obsession like this. I would rather obsess with looking good than obsess over making the perfect quilt or something lol.

 

[Diced]

no no no ur wrong, yes our obsession is healthy but it is also blinding . I no my self that i have become to obsessed with reaching a curtain physique that i have almost cut off my whole life . Now that is an issue its not healthy mentally at all . U dnt have BDD if u can look in the mirror and feel good about the way u look .

 

[laceration]

i used to be anorexic. complete opposite. ha

 

[SquadLeader]

I don't agree with the term bigorexia. The term means to me your not satisfied with your appearance as a bodybuilder. Do you think bigorexia applies to those that don't weight train? No it doesn't. What bigorexia comes down to is its the desire to grow and develop your body at what you believe your true potential is. You feel like your not there yet you understand your not going to get there unless you really buckle down and give it your all.

 

[heavylifts]

Good point

I'm speaking from th standpoint of a former anorexic. Anorexia, like what is documented in the book you're reading, is a type of body dysmorphic disorder. Between the ages of 16 and 17, I lost 107 lbs in 10 months. At my lowest, I was 124 lbs at 6'1....pretty scary. At that time, I faced heart failure due to starvation. I was subsequently admitted to a psych ward where I made progress towards gaining weight after being threatened with a stomach tube. Upon leaving the hospital, I was back at a healthy weight, yet was by no means cured. I then went on an eight year drug and alcohol spree, going to any lengths to get over many of my insecurities. This spree started with the small-time such as alcohol and marijuana and ended with me slamming heroin before I went to work as a teacher in the morning. Life was crazy, to say the least. I am now three years clean and sober after admitting myself to rehab. I will tell you this..the feelings of being fat have never completely left me. That said, bodybuilding has given me an perception of my body that I have never had before, and in the past three years, I have started to get to a point where I like my body. Now I'm in the middle of my first cycle, and considering my past, I really have to keep an eye on my use.

With all this said, I do not believe...and I am speaking from the standpoint of someone who has done a lot of research on all these, has a PhD (though not in any medical field), and has spent 1000s of hours with psychiatrists and psychologists...that anorexia, your so-called bigorexia, and even drug addiction are things that a person is born with. That said, I see all of these as types of compulsive behavior that certain people are definitely born with a predetermination for. Science can prove that genes do determine one's predisposition towards compulsive behavior. Now, whether or not this compulsive behavior manifests, as well as how it manifests (bigorexia, anorexia, bulimia, drug addiction, etc.) is likely a reaction to environmental stimuli. At the age of sixteen, something made it alright for me to be anorexic, but not a drug addict. Later, drug use became a welcome refuge (and honestly saved my life for a while). Now, some may say that I am addicted to working out...at least that doesn't hurt me that much.

So to answer your question, are people born with bigorexia? No.

Can people develop bigorexia? Yes

That said, are people born with a predisposition towards compulsive behavior? Definitely.

So, if you are worried that you have a problem and do indeed have bigorexia, ask yourself these questions, the answers to which might be very telling:

1.) Have you ever engaged in any other compulsive behavior, even if that behavior plays no role in your life now?

2.) Have you ever drank or used recreational drugs excessively for a period of time?

3.) Have you ever been a workaholic?

If you answer yes to any of these questions, it is my opinion that it is highly likely that you suffer from compulsive behaviors. In which case, the possibility that you have bogorexia goes up.

 

[size_matters]

I don't have bigorexia but I DO have bigerexia, which basically means suffering from big erections at any given time of day, I remember in high school I would always get random boners out of nowhere and had to cover it after the bell rang. haha