I'm curious

[jiritt0]

Take me poll! Be serious. responses should be anonymous...

[Sethva]

Not really, I had a decent size frame to start out with, now its just molding it.

Most of the time I feel bigger, though I'm not "huge", but being 260lbs @ 20% and being 6', I dont feel small.

[icetrauma]

In all honesty. Yes, I do feel small and weak for my size. 6'4 and 260 approx 20-23% BF. However, even back in my early twenty's when I was at my strongest I still felt that way.

[JOakman]

I voted no, only because I use to be at 212 lbs, at the end of my bulk phase not too long ago, and now I am at 160 lbs stronger than I have ever been.

[malky]

I say yes too. When people look at me.. I always get comments like Woah! your arms are huge! or.. you are a beast!


..but when I look at myself I don't think that way. I actually think I look kinda small. But thats what keeps me training hard I guess

[cervasa1977]

yep I think I will always feel too small

[pu12en12g]

...I think I will always feel too small

x2

muscle dysmorphia

[jiritt0]

you kno me to well.. haha

[cboesger]

Probably, but I'm bulking

[RenegadeRows]

Nope I don't.

I used to, when I weighed 130lbs. But since putting on nearly 40lbs over the course of 3 years (hopefully mostly muscle) I feel alot more comfortable with myself.

However I'll never be satisfied, hence the fact I still lift weights to "gain" not "maintain"

[jiritt0]

x2

muscle dysmorphia

MD is an extreme disorder...

It's a spectrum disorder (if you will) of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) - more specifically body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) - mixed with other psycho-social issues

.. do you really think you have MD? (if you have any education on the issue)?


I'm doing a presentation on it for my psychology of kinesiology class, I could post up the powerpoint and biblio when completed.. nothing extensive though, just a 15min thing

I find it interesting though, and may consider developing the area somehow for possible thesis ideas

[pu12en12g]

MD is an extreme disorder...

Not really... MUCH more common than you might think

[strester]

yep I think I will always feel too small

yep

[jiritt0]

I disagree...to an extent..I think there is a psycho-social factor your not accounting for... you're main rationale (if i may) for believing it is common is due to environment -- if you were not in the bodybuilding scene you would have a different perception, yet you're wrapped up in it (as a career and hobby) therefore you see it allot more, and thus find it more common that it problaly really is -- though it is an ever steady growing issue, much like annorexia nervosa [sadly]

in the bodybuilding community, or anyone whos life revolves around fitness/sport etc. it would not necessarily be classified as MD as that is their career of choice -- similiar to how an ultramarathon runner is not addicted to running, their just forced to run extreme distances/durations by their career choice -- a bodybuilder is forced to train/diet excessively by their choice -- it is what it is, the psychological aspect of MD is not caused by the bodybuilding lifestyle, though there is a strong correlation between the two (as one may lead to the other)..

- just because you want to get bigger, leaner as a bodybuilder or weight lifter doesn't mean you have a dysmorphic thought process -- but when you're obsessed with getting bigger to the point your actual life goes on the back burner and getting bigger is the #1 priority (trumps your job, social life/relationships, important events, etc.) and it is not your career it becomes a maladaptive behavior


MD is the extreme psychological preoccupation with muscle apperance -- it's okay to think of your muscle apperance a dozen times a day.. but constantly thinking about your muscle apperance (100+ times a day etc.) is the main part behind MD - like with OCD , washing your hands a dozen times a day is ok, washing your hands 500x a day is a maladaptive behavior pattern



attached is my biblio for the presentation, lots of interesting sources (some i have yet to cover), I haven't formatted the actual slideshow and everything yet, it's in the works, ill post that when I get it done.

It's an interesting topic IMO -- and i'm sure I will be labeled as a dysmorphic for being interested in it, when in all reality I am not; i'm more obsessed with feeling fat than small, lol


muscle dysmorphia = "cognitive-physiological dissonance" ?


note: i'm not intending to devalue others opinions, simply debating the topic

[jiritt0]

The DSM-IV list the following diagnostic criteria for the recognition of Muscle Dysmorphia:

1. The individual is obsessed with the belief that his/her body should be more lean and muscular. Significant amounts of time are devoted to weight-lifting, and fixation on one’s diet is common.

2. At least two of the following four criteria should be met:

(a.) The uncontrollable focus on pursing the usual training regime causes the person to miss out on career, social and other activities.
(b). Circumstances involving body exposure are preferably avoided: if avoidance is not possible, significant unease and worry occur.
(c.) Performance on work and social arenas is affected by presumed body deficiencies.
(d.) The potentially detrimental effects of the training regime fail to discourage the individual from pursuing dangerous activities.

3. Unlike anorexia nervosa, in which the person is concerned about being overweight, or other types of body dysmorphic disorder, in which the concern is with other physical aspects, the individual with muscle dysmorphia believes that his or her body is insufficiently small or muscular.1




- and attached is a little MDI index for assessment