• April 23, 2024

Currently some toys for children show muscular bodies, with the abdomen marked and broad back; Gentlemen's magazines do not concentrate on cars or sports, but rather those that exhibit the "perfect" body.

In recent years men have been more concerned about their body image, now young people believe that having a marked body is normal. Some men have a compulsion to exercise, train up to five hours a day without being athletes, alter their diet and lose interpersonal relationships by being in the gym. This is known as muscle dysmorphia.

You may also like: Do you suffer from body image disorder?

Is everything in your head?

This mental disorder, which was first described in 1993 and is known as a complex of adonis or vigorexia, is characterized by an excessive concern for physical appearance and causes a deterioration in the perception of the figure.

Rosalía Vázquez Arévalo, researcher at the School of Higher Studies Iztacala of the UNAM, He noted that as the obsession with their body image progresses, men with muscular dysmorphism begin to present behaviors that are harmful to their health, such as excessive exercise even if they are injured and have not previously consulted the doctor.

To increase their muscle mass they can consume anabolic steroids, even at the risk of developing cardiac conditions, until they reach sudden death. "While in the United States the consumption of anabolics is prohibited, in Mexico the legislation is not clear about it and these are obtained illegally."

The 10 percent of the people dedicated to the bodybuilding, can suffer muscular dysmorphism. One of the problems related to this disorder is low self-esteem. Many of the men who have it look for muscle mass because they say they feel small or weak, the specialist stressed.

This disorder occurs between 15 and 37 years of age, although it has been reported that males of 60 years also suffer it. In addition, men who suffer from it develop isolation and it is known that there are young people who, after a breakup of love, begin to exercise compulsively.

Vázquez Arévalo explained that, according to their research, up to 15 percent of gym users come to present risk of muscle dysmorphia: "They are perfectionists, we live in a society that promotes it. There is positive perfectionism that leads you to reach your goals, to improve yourself; but the negative obstructs you and poses unattainable goals. "

For men with dysmorphia, the musculature is never enough, and although this is related to genetics, they can not understand it; therefore they use anabolic steroids to achieve the goal.

To know the complexity and functioning of the different organs and systems of the human body, you can not miss the exhibition Body Worlds Vital that comes in Universum Museum of Sciences of the UNAM.

With the motto Learn anatomy at night, university students and the general public have witnessed this new way of knowing the body. On August 1, this museum of the UNAM began this nocturnal experience that can still be lived on Thursday 10, 17 and 24 of October, from 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.

In addition to touring the exhibition, visitors can listen to health talks given by specialists and enjoy musical presentations. During the month of October, the university community has a 50 percent discount. In addition to the evening events, the exhibition opens its doors from Tuesday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Saturdays, Sundays and holidays from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
 

Video Medicine: Everything happens in your head (April 2024).