Improving your outlook on life: Bigorexia

[Lucente93]

What is Bigorexia?
"Muscle dysmorphia (or more informally bigorexia) is a mental disorder in which a person becomes obsessed with the idea that they are not muscular enough. Those who suffer from muscle dysmorphia tend to hold delusions that they are "skinny" or "too small" but are often above average in musculature."

Why we have Bigorexia
Bigorexia is something that seems to plague all of bb.com, myself included. On this site, we constantly see IFBB pros, physique competitors, and non-competitive lifters who have achieved mind-blowing physiques and have "made it". This type of environment coupled with the fact that a lot of miscers and users on this site become hostile to one another creates an atmosphere in which none of us are big enough nor aesthetic enough. Something that is often not thought about by the average bb.com user is that all of these people who are having their bodies featured on this site have years and years of proper dieting and training under their belts. Some of these athletes have trained for more than a decade to get where they are today. Most tmiscers don't have more than a couple years under their belts yet and many have been training for less than a year. Another thing that may not be thought about when viewing these athletes is that many of them are no longer natural athletes. While I am not trying to discredit their hard work and achievements, the fact is that many of them compete in untested leagues and make money off of the way they look. I am not saying that there is anything wrong with choosing advanced supplementation; it suites the needs of many athletes and is a valuable tool if used properly. That being said, gear is not legal everywhere and not everyone's on it. If you are still a natural lifter, do not expect to look like the athletes that are featured here or on the covers of muscle magazines. It's ok to look up to these athletes, but don't expect to look like them, especially if you haven't been training for as long as they have.

How you know you have Bigorexia
You never view yourself as big enough.
You always think you are too skinny.
You never think you have enough muscle.
You have an unhealthy obsession with getting bigger (you aren't happy unless your growing).
Getting bigger is the only thing that matters.
You never let people compliment you on being big.
You view yourself as being smaller than people you are bigger than.
You may have an imbalance of hormones in your brain (biological factors).
You could have unresolved issues from childhood (unsupportive loved ones).

Jerry Ward of BioS3Training did a nice quick video on his experience with Bigorexia and I recommend you watch it. There are other you tubers who have posted videos on the topic but his is short and to the point.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ngJ76QlfbA

Even if you don't like Jerry, this is still a good video on the topic.

The consequences of Bigorexia
You constantly look down on yourself.
You never accept yourself as good enough.
You are never happy with yourself or your accomplishments.
the gym and making gains begins to dominate other parts of your life.
You begin to become negative about other aspects of your life.
You begin to look down on others as being too small or skinny, resulting in a loss of friends, unfriendly personality, unlikeable behavior and a decrease in the likelihood that people will want to talk to you.

How to overcome Bigorexia
ADMIT YOU HAVE IT (the first step to solving any problem is acknowledging it).
Therapy is not out of the question. If your bigorexia impacts any aspects of your life outside of the gym, you may have a serious issue on your hands. You don't have to see a psychologist or therapist but talk it out with someone you can confide in and trust (especially if they are a good listener).
Take the time to tell yourself you're good enough and that you are a work in progress.
Look at your progress. See where you are now compared to where you began. You are certainly better now than before, even if it is only a subtle improvement.
Set less extreme goals. If your goal is to be 200+ pounds and 10% bf or lower, you are shooting too high for someone with less than 5 years of training done. Set weight gain goals at 5 pounds at a time. This will give more frequent senses of accomplishment and will make it easier to see how far you have really come.
Compliment others who have made progress. It will make you feel good to know that you made someone else feel good. Don't be afraid to approach a stranger at the gym that you've seen make progress. Tell them you've noticed they've improved. Not only will you feel good about brightening someone's day, you may have made yourself a new friend and gym buddy.

Cliffs
-Bigorexia is the mental disorder of never being muscular enough
-BB.com users suffer this because of seeing IFBB pros and other physique athletes
-The symptoms can be summed as a feeling of inadequacy and dissatisfaction in progress
-Bigorexia will slowly ruin several aspects of your life
-Admit you have a problem, talk about it with loved ones, tell yourself you are good enough, set less extreme goals, compliment others

WE ARE ALL GOING TO MAKE IT

[Meadey]

*bigorexia crew*

[Lucente93]

*bigorexia crew*

Right there with you mane. You're big as fack though.

[brahskimoseph]

I guess, but in reality I'm not that big. A lot of people I hang out with are bigger/ just as big as me, some don't even lift. And for my sport, I'm very undersized.

[shadowbobo8028]

I guess, but in reality I'm not that big. A lot of people I hang out with are bigger/ just as big as me, some don't even lift. And for my sport, I'm very undersized.

Hey man you're 18 and 260. I'd say you're not doing bad.

[Lucente93]

I guess, but in reality I'm not that big. A lot of people I hang out with are bigger/ just as big as me, some don't even lift. And for my sport, I'm very undersized.

Maybe your friends are your size or bigger, but have you considered that they are above average size and big? I'm going to guess that at 5'11'' and 260 lbs that you're significantly bigger than the average person and the average 18 year old. Try to think about things that way for a while and maybe you will realize you are bigger than you think.

Also, what sport do you play?

Hey man you're 18 and 260. I'd say you're not doing bad.

Strong this

[Shmurr]

*bigorexia crew*

Checking in

[JNicko]

*Bigorexia crew*

Tfw i literally can't take a compliment because i know i'm tiny

[Lucente93]

Checking in

We're all gonna make it.

*Bigorexia crew*

Tfw i literally can't take a compliment because i know i'm tiny

You look good in your avi. Chances are you aren't tiny, but definitely bigger than the average person

[Bugler666]

I'm the other guy from the video. I'm the 135lb kid walking around like he's swole.





Not srs.

[yushhh]

Considering that bodybuilding is a sport FOR getting as big as humanly possible, of course most bodybuilders have muscle dysmorphia. That's like a sprinter being obsessed with being fast and wanting to be faster and working every day and thinking they're slow even though they're faster than average (but not as fast as pros) and calling it slowophobia.

If you're in pursuit of something, you want to be the best at it, or at least the best you can. If Ronnie Coleman didnt have an obsession with being big, he wouldn't have gotten where he did.


This is not to say it is healthy to be overly obsessed about it, it's just like anorexia, only opposite, and we all need to be in control of how we view ourselves.


All that said, I think that most people don't actually "suffer" from anything. They just know they have room to improve and haven't reached near where they want to be.

[Spiekman19]

*bigorexia crew*

[Lucente93]

Considering that bodybuilding is a sport FOR getting as big as humanly possible, of course most bodybuilders have muscle dysmorphia. That's like a sprinter being obsessed with being fast and wanting to be faster and working every day and thinking they're slow even though they're faster than average (but not as fast as pros) and calling it slowophobia.

If you're in pursuit of something, you want to be the best at it, or at least the best you can. If Ronnie Coleman didnt have an obsession with being big, he wouldn't have gotten where he did.


This is not to say it is healthy to be overly obsessed about it, it's just like anorexia, only opposite, and we all need to be in control of how we view ourselves.


All that said, I think that most people don't actually "suffer" from anything. They just know they have room to improve and haven't reached near where they want to be.

I do understand that bodybuilding is a sport centered around being big, and if its your sport then you should give it your all. I am trying to explain this in a way that many people on here have dysmorphia in a way that goes beyond the competitive drive of bodybuilding.

Ronnie Coleman had an obsession, no doubt. It brought him to the top. But along the way he knew he was bigger than most people in the world and knew he had freakish size and strength. The issue I think that many tmiscers are facing is that they do have the drive to succeed, but they let that consume them and see anything short of Mr. Olympia size as being inadequate or small, when that is absolutely not the case.

My goal of this thread was to point out to tmisc that many of them are bigger than the average person and need to realize and take pride in that (without being cocky) rather than put themselves down and call themselves tiny just because they don't look like IFBB pros

[Cdt_Richards]

*bigorexia crew*

Me in the offseason, for sure

[Meadey]

Me in the offseason, for sure

Probably not a 'bad' thing if you're a competitive bodybuilder though

[Dodo4876]

*bigorexia crew*

Checkin in with serious problems

[Lucente93]

Me in the offseason, for sure

You do compete so it makes sense. I'm sure you realize you're much bigger than most people.

Checkin in with serious problems

Talk to someone about it brah. 147 lbs @ 5'6'' isn't too shabby at all and it looks like you are decently lean.

Nice back btw.

[Lucente93]

Bump

[Iliander]

didnt read but bigorexia is a good thing

[Lucente93]

didnt read but bigorexia is a good thing

To an extent but it becomes a problem after certain limits are passed. If you read then you would see how it can be a bad thing

[Dodo4876]

Talk to someone about it brah. 147 lbs @ 5'6'' isn't too shabby at all and it looks like you are decently lean.

Nice back btw.

Thanks brah, problem is that I'm totally obsessed with it, and it has affected my life in a very negative way..

[Lucente93]

Thanks brah, problem is that I'm totally obsessed with it, and it has affected my life in a very negative way..

Talk it out with someone. Parents, siblings, friends, gf, fellow tmiscer

[arlo235]

I like your serious articles brah.

[Cap2014]

don't work out for 2 days and feel like Gollum crew

[Savanovic]

Wut about weakorexia?
Nah I am just weak.

[Lucente93]

I like your serious articles brah.

Thanks brah. Teach me how to be 999 lbs pls.

don't work out for 2 days and feel like Gollum crew

I can't stand days off either.

Wut about weakorexia?
Nah I am just weak.

I doubt you're weaker than the average teen. You're probably stronger than the average teen

[basque]

*bigorexia crew*

[Lucente93]

*bigorexia crew*

6'1'', 285 lbs
Max squat: 620
*bigorexia crew*

One of these things is not like the others

[superpetro1]

What is Bigorexia?
"Muscle dysmorphia (or more informally bigorexia) is a mental disorder in which a person becomes obsessed with the idea that they are not muscular enough. Those who suffer from muscle dysmorphia tend to hold delusions that they are "skinny" or "too small" but are often above average in musculature."

Why we have Bigorexia
Bigorexia is something that seems to plague all of bb.com, myself included. On this site, we constantly see IFBB pros, physique competitors, and non-competitive lifters who have achieved mind-blowing physiques and have "made it". This type of environment coupled with the fact that a lot of miscers and users on this site become hostile to one another creates an atmosphere in which none of us are big enough nor aesthetic enough. Something that is often not thought about by the average bb.com user is that all of these people who are having their bodies featured on this site have years and years of proper dieting and training under their belts. Some of these athletes have trained for more than a decade to get where they are today. Most tmiscers don't have more than a couple years under their belts yet and many have been training for less than a year. Another thing that may not be thought about when viewing these athletes is that many of them are no longer natural athletes. While I am not trying to discredit their hard work and achievements, the fact is that many of them compete in untested leagues and make money off of the way they look. I am not saying that there is anything wrong with choosing advanced supplementation; it suites the needs of many athletes and is a valuable tool if used properly. That being said, gear is not legal everywhere and not everyone's on it. If you are still a natural lifter, do not expect to look like the athletes that are featured here or on the covers of muscle magazines. It's ok to look up to these athletes, but don't expect to look like them, especially if you haven't been training for as long as they have.

How you know you have Bigorexia
You never view yourself as big enough.
You always think you are too skinny.
You never think you have enough muscle.
You have an unhealthy obsession with getting bigger (you aren't happy unless your growing).
Getting bigger is the only thing that matters.
You never let people compliment you on being big.
You view yourself as being smaller than people you are bigger than.
You may have an imbalance of hormones in your brain (biological factors).
You could have unresolved issues from childhood (unsupportive loved ones).

Jerry Ward of BioS3Training did a nice quick video on his experience with Bigorexia and I recommend you watch it. There are other you tubers who have posted videos on the topic but his is short and to the point.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ngJ76QlfbA

Even if you don't like Jerry, this is still a good video on the topic.

The consequences of Bigorexia
You constantly look down on yourself.
You never accept yourself as good enough.
You are never happy with yourself or your accomplishments.
the gym and making gains begins to dominate other parts of your life.
You begin to become negative about other aspects of your life.
You begin to look down on others as being too small or skinny, resulting in a loss of friends, unfriendly personality, unlikeable behavior and a decrease in the likelihood that people will want to talk to you.

How to overcome Bigorexia
ADMIT YOU HAVE IT (the first step to solving any problem is acknowledging it).
Therapy is not out of the question. If your bigorexia impacts any aspects of your life outside of the gym, you may have a serious issue on your hands. You don't have to see a psychologist or therapist but talk it out with someone you can confide in and trust (especially if they are a good listener).
Take the time to tell yourself you're good enough and that you are a work in progress.
Look at your progress. See where you are now compared to where you began. You are certainly better now than before, even if it is only a subtle improvement.
Set less extreme goals. If your goal is to be 200+ pounds and 10% bf or lower, you are shooting too high for someone with less than 5 years of training done. Set weight gain goals at 5 pounds at a time. This will give more frequent senses of accomplishment and will make it easier to see how far you have really come.
Compliment others who have made progress. It will make you feel good to know that you made someone else feel good. Don't be afraid to approach a stranger at the gym that you've seen make progress. Tell them you've noticed they've improved. Not only will you feel good about brightening someone's day, you may have made yourself a new friend and gym buddy.

Cliffs
-Bigorexia is the mental disorder of never being muscular enough
-BB.com users suffer this because of seeing IFBB pros and other physique athletes
-The symptoms can be summed as a feeling of inadequacy and dissatisfaction in progress
-Bigorexia will slowly ruin several aspects of your life
-Admit you have a problem, talk about it with loved ones, tell yourself you are good enough, set less extreme goals, compliment others

WE ARE ALL GOING TO MAKE IT

Hey man thanks for posting this...I definitely have this and my parents are actually sending me to a psychologist to try and solve the problem...not sure that is going to help though...but thank you for posting this and the advice with it

[Lucente93]

Hey man thanks for posting this...I definitely have this and my parents are actually sending me to a psychologist to try and solve the problem...not sure that is going to help though...but thank you for posting this and the advice with it

A lot of people I know struggle with it. I do to. Mine isn't quite as bad as that of others. A psychologist is a good first step to take. Glad I could help.

Remember, we are all going to make it