Muscle Dysmorphia is defined as the delusional or exaggerated belief that one's own body is too small, too skinny, insufficiently muscular, or insufficiently lean. It is a condition that falls under the larger umbrella of Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD).
Muscle Dysmorphia can cause enormous impacts on a sufferer's work and personal life, with dietary and exercise regimens completely taking over. This in turn frequently leads to other significant mental health issues such as Obsessive-Compulsive disorder, bulimia, depression, anxiety and substance abuse.
Research shows that around 22% of men diagnosed with BDD also meet the criteria for Muscle Dysmorphia. Whilst it is not known precisely how many people, studies show that potentially 0.5% of all men suffer from MD.
In the UK amounts to approximately 165,000 people.
- Around 1 in 8 men in England suffer from a common mental health problem
- 5821 suicides were recorded in the UK in 2017. 75% of these were men.
- Suicide represents the largest cause of death for men under 50.
For the majority of men, mental health issues are associated with shame, and a loss of masculinity - so many don’t reach out for the help they so desperately need.
There is no silver bullet for this issue, but the more we talk, and the more we make people see that it’s okay not to be okay we can save lives.
Through Bulking Up, we hope to start a conversation and perpetuate the discussion that makes people see that it’s okay to ask for help.
