Male Body Image

Frustration for Men about Body Image has Become More Prevalent

When most of us think of problems with weight and body image we think of women and struggles to feel good enough for the guy they dream

Recently, many college age men have been increasingly concerned with their body image.This seems true for both homosexual and heterosexual men.

It seems that Body Dysmorphic Disorder, the distortion of body image is becoming more prevalent. Some young men have become so anxious about their bodies that it has effected their self esteem in ways that make it difficult to approach potential dating partners.In addition this can lead to strong feelings of anxiety, and depression

Women tend to be mostly concern with how large or fat they look however, men seem to judge their looks by the amount of muscle definition,tone and shape.

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Male Eating Disorders

Eating disorders in men can involve a competition to stay more muscular defined than others.Sports and competition can contribute greatly to this.

Often times Eating and exercising behaviors can help men deal with some of the same issues as women. Some of these can include: feelings of inadequacy, unattractiveness, and failure.

The pressures to have a certain type of body for sports as well as other life stresses help men cope with inadequacies that he may feel in relationships,families,and issues of feeling an inferior sense of masculinity may contribute to onset of their disordered eating. Instead of simply starving, men tend to over-exercise and cut down on the amount they eat.

Unlike women who may look painfully thin, men may appear muscular due to compulsive exercise.However, they may still be suffering from the same eating disorder as women.

The Drive for Masculinity

Men with poor body images and a high drive for muscularity to help them feel more masculine. This drive for muscularity can be very dangerous. The risk for abusing anabolic steroids and the health consequences which have been well documented including a greater risk for coronary heart disease, kidney and liver damage, liver cancer, high blood pressure, and reduced immune system functioning. Side effects specific to men include shrinking of the testicles, reduced sperm count, infertility, baldness, development of breasts, and increased risk for prostate cancer.The need for help in this area is great.

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Low-Weight sports Contribute to Male Eating Disorders

Men who participate in low-weight oriented sports such as jockeys, wrestlers and runners are at an increased risk of developing an Eating Disorder such as Anorexia or Bulimia.There can be a great deal of pressure on a jockey for instance if he goes over a certain weight.

The Idealized Male Body in the Media

For many years woman have felt the need to look like models and actresses in the media. They have felt their bodies were unacceptable unless they were perfect.

More recently the male body has been increasingly being objectified and sexualized in the media as well.This has had a similar effect on men that it has had on women driving men into the world of dissatisfaction with their bodies and themselves. People who compare themselves to unrealistic images are likely to experience body image dissatisfaction, mental health issues, and threats to healthy physical functioning. The issues of Male Body image issues and eating disorders may need different types of treatment than the therapies that are useful to woman. More research is needed to evaluate how to help men with these issuesl

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