Muscle-Obsessed Men Victims of ‘Bigorexia’

CBS New York
August 16, 2013

 

big-muscles

It has often been perceived that women are constantly fixated on their diets. Now, a growing number of men have become obsessed with “bulking up.”

The new trend has been called “bigorexia” and it could come with some serious health consequences.

Early in his career, personal trainer Alfonso Moretti was obsessed with building his own muscles.

“It takes over your life. Every decision you make becomes the workout and how your body looks. I used to track and weigh every single ounce of food that went in my body. I used to wake up at 3 o’clock in the morning to drink protein shakes. I never missed a workout, ever, ever, ever,” he told CBS 2′s Maurice Dubois.

As many as 45-percent of men have fallen victim to bigorexia or muscle dysmorphia, according to Dr. Michele Kerulis the director of sports & health psychology at the Adler School of Professional Psychology.

“I can remember as young as 13 or 14, looking at some of these muscle magazines, and I was conditioned to think that’s what a man looked like. Big shoulders, big legs, just big muscles with veins everywhere,” Moretti said.

The emotional impact can be devastating.

“We see psychological abnormalities, including irritability, angry outbursts, which sometimes people would call ‘roid rage.’ We see depression sometimes, mania,” Dr. Kerulis said.

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