Body Dysmorphia

[slesh]

How many of y’all think you have legit “clinical” body dysmorphia? Being a former chubby kid I am incredibly hard on myself as I know we all are. We all are never satisfied which I believe is a good thing. But my issue is I never believe people when they give me a compliment. Over the last week I’ve had 3 situations. I walked into RedCon twice and one dude who I don’t know yells out “broooo, you are fucking lean!”. Today a random trainer chick says “damnnn you’re looking good.” Then my girl the other night says I have a 6 pack (which I don’t really have) and she starts counting the lines on my abdomen. In my head I’m always thinking well what are they comparing me to? The dude didn’t look great. My girl’s last boyfriend was fat. So I’m just thinking they don’t know what they’re talking about and have no perspective. Lol does any of this make sense? Maybe I’m just an insecure fuck. If the lighting isn’t right I feel like I look like shit.

 

[275bills]

I know this isn’t as easy at it may sound butttttt.

Just be happy with who YOU are bro

Stop comparing yourself to others. It is as easy as that

And you do look awesome

 

[Alzadosghost]

Oh I know Iv got it. Insecure is a word boys are afraid to associate themselves with. But it’s a reality. It’s one of Many reasons why we would go through all the crazy shit we go through trying to turn ourselves into beasts of legend. Your good bro. The older Iv gotten the less I’m comparing myself to others. Took me a lot of years to figure out I could only transform myself into the best version of myself.

 

[heavyhitter]

I think most of us probably do to some degree. I’ve never thought of myself as big. Even at my largest. But I’d have some random guy at the gym say something like “man you’re as big as a house!”. It’s just not really something I see when I look in the mirror. Every once in awhile though I’ll see myself in a picture or on camera next to someone else and I’ll be like damn….I guess I am kind of big. But I totally understand the difficulty in accepting a compliment

 

[Blacktail]

I was skinny all my life up until I was 30. Started working out and to this day I still look small to me. People always say how big I am but I truly don’t see it.

 

[old timer]

I walked into RedCon twice and one dude who I don’t know yells out “broooo, you are fucking lean!”. Today a random trainer chick says “damnnn you’re looking good.” Then my girl the other night says I have a 6 pack (which I don’t really have) and she starts counting the lines on my abdomen.

Not sure how you reacted, but this is advice for any compliment: just smile and say "thank you." To say anything else is to communicate to the person giving the compliment that their "taste" or their opinions suck.

"Nice shirt." "Thank you"
"You're helpful." "Thank you"
"That meal you cooked was delicious." "Thank you"

 

[M@NU]

we all do.
No matter at what stage of development we are.
We all have mental issues.

 

[Blazed_Noob]

How many of y’all think you have legit “clinical” body dysmorphia? Being a former chubby kid I am incredibly hard on myself as I know we all are. We all are never satisfied which I believe is a good thing. But my issue is I never believe people when they give me a compliment. Over the last week I’ve had 3 situations. I walked into RedCon twice and one dude who I don’t know yells out “broooo, you are fucking lean!”. Today a random trainer chick says “damnnn you’re looking good.” Then my girl the other night says I have a 6 pack (which I don’t really have) and she starts counting the lines on my abdomen. In my head I’m always thinking well what are they comparing me to? The dude didn’t look great. My girl’s last boyfriend was fat. So I’m just thinking they don’t know what they’re talking about and have no perspective. Lol does any of this make sense? Maybe I’m just an insecure fuck. If the lighting isn’t right I feel like I look like shit.

Me definitely. Exact same situation. I never believe anyone and I’m never happy with how I look. This monster of a man at the gym yesterday told me that I look bigger then him and that my arms are crazy…I legitimately thought he was making fun of me

 

[maxmusle1]

On a PED forum….I’d say anyone who has cycled enough to peak!(anyone who doesn’t always bodybuild or has years off(by choice not injury). I surely have it . I’ll pose, Ill even compete, but just taking a selfie and posting it truly gets my mind spinning “about how I need this or I need to do that “ “people are gonna say horrible stuff”, and a lot more . Now, I know I look exceptionally fit and I am confident, but I truly don’t see what others see (especially if I’m off season eating all the time); I refuse to take off my shirt (even with a six pack @ 11-12% ), or go to a beach/pool and be conformable. It’s very odd how you see pics and know (comparably) you look great. Well, that part takes time. I’ve had 550 shots done(at a shoot) and I said every single one was “terrible” or “I hate that one”. Luckily the mgmt head guy stepped in and just 4 pages off the Interface(it’s instant/live shots). After that, I had to go to a program or I’d lose my agency(job). It helped a lot (just one hour a week for 30 days). Now, I still have it but realized my brain/eyes are tricking me. Similar to - when you hear your voice on a recording….you think, “that DOES NOT, sound like me!” . Well….”Yes, it is what your voice sounds like!” . They have done the test over & over . Almost all people cannot hear their own actual voice. Similar to looking at yourself. I’m getting better, but have to fight it myself w negative or even marginal self criticism.

Max
And I am a sick, resilient person who can take a beating physically or verbally and it doesn’t truly affect me or even hurt. It’s very tricky, you have to BE your own enemy for it to actually hurt(or have a messed up abuser in family/relationship IME/IMO. *Btw- most Ms America’s , Olympic and Supermodels have it or have had it.*
Probably around 3-4 out of 5 (on a BB forum) have A dysmorphia of some form(works multiple ways) it can be just one thing (your nose , chin, teeth, Triceps) or it can be your whole (everything). *Think, most men aren’t in shape- in fact over 1/2 are overweight and near the obesity threshold. So that is the tool I use to keep my mind healthy- I use pics of my ideal builds of guys I respect(from forum-amateur to Pro BB, to non competitor). Then I look at general public.

 

[Gunsmith]

I think is very very common from one extreme to the other. Some guys never see themselves as lean , some never see themselves as big , are on the opposite end of the spectrum small and think they are huge , fat and think they are ripped.
For competitors "lean" is mid single digits , reasonable lean is 10-12 percent which is way leaner than probably 80% of the population.

 

[qbkilla]

I think is very very common from one extreme to the other. Some guys never see themselves as lean , some never see themselves as big , are on the opposite end of the spectrum small and think they are huge , fat and think they are ripped.
For competitors "lean" is mid single digits , reasonable lean is 10-12 percent which is way leaner than probably 80% of the population.

This is spot on we all have it. I'm at one end of the spectrum as I won't let myself grow more because I feel like past 8 percent I look like a fatass. I don't like physiques that have some chub no matter how big, hard and lean or nothing.

Then you have guys on the opposite end of the spectrum and chase a number on the scale but don't care if they go above 15 percent. But but fat because they are so worried about the scale and filling out a shirt.

Then you have guys who compete and go between offseason and pre contest diet who have both extremes. Probably not getting as fat as the permabulker but going to more extremes and getting leaner than the guy that stays at 7 percent year round.

The best thing for me is to have realistic goals. I'd look and feel like crap trying to be a 225 lb bodybuilder but being lean 190 is pretty easy, relatively healthy, and gets me more ass.

 

[maxmusle1]

I think is very very common from one extreme to the other. Some guys never see themselves as lean , some never see themselves as big , are on the opposite end of the spectrum small and think they are huge , fat and think they are ripped.
For competitors "lean" is mid single digits , reasonable lean is 10-12 percent which is way leaner than probably 80% of the population.

I call the opposite of dysmorphia(looks/ sound , etc ) The American Idol Syndrome - they usually have everyone tell them they sound or look great (all fam/friends) when they just want to “not hurt your feelings” or they’re just F’d up people. I always tell BB , post a pic on 3 forums and you’ll get the truth! (true shit)

Max

 

[johnnyboy]

I was skinny all my life up until I was 30. Started working out and to this day I still look small to me. People always say how big I am but I truly don’t see it.

I was 130 until I was around 25, I'm 48 now and go between 275-290, but I still feel small.

 

[slesh]

Not sure how you reacted, but this is advice for any compliment: just smile and say "thank you." To say anything else is to communicate to the person giving the compliment that their "taste" or their opinions suck.

"Nice shirt." "Thank you"
"You're helpful." "Thank you"
"That meal you cooked was delicious." "Thank you"

Of course. Always say thank you.

 

[slesh]

Me definitely. Exact same situation. I never believe anyone and I’m never happy with how I look. This monster of a man at the gym yesterday told me that I look bigger then him and that my arms are crazy…I legitimately thought he was making fun of me

Lol exactly. I feel like they’re patronizing me.

 

[slesh]

Lol it’s nice to know I’m part of a community of fellow psychopaths

 

[USMuscle9403]

I feel we all have it. if you're willing to possibly risk your health with AAS and whatever else, that seems like a bonified case of body dysmorphia to me, but I'm no psychologist. I'm of the belief that we care about our appearance a hell of a lot more than the average person, for better or worse. This is especially the case if we were formerly skinny or fat (raises hand), we're terrified of losing it because it seems like we just lost a hand in life. However, I think it's still not unhealthy as long as you don't let it define you

 

[Cito33189]

Things changed as I got older.
Wife, kids, dogs, home I starting to love others more than myself. My wife and kids count on me.

I still have body dismorphia but mentally I tell myself to shut up.

 

[Mute]

The left picture was me at 21 and the right is maybe a month old. I’m 11yrs in and I still feel like I’m small.
I’m only 31 and I feel like I still am a twig..I graduated high school at 105lbs and was anorexic. One of my fears is to get an injury and lose everything I’ve worked so hard for. I believe finding that motivation will be hard.

 

[bigains]

There is a good chance guys that use peds for cosmetic effects have a body image disorder. For a long time I have frequently had a feeling that my muscles are shrinking and I am gaining fat. It took me several years to realize that feelings are not reality, or even rational. Once I obtained the body I would have been happy with a few years prior I would still feel the same, and find something else I had to work on changing. That's when I realized it was all bullshit. I used the body fat caliper and the scale to see the truth back then, about 18 years ago. I couldn't see myself properly in the mirror. I still feel the same way off and on it just doesn't bother me so much anymore, and the mirror seems more reliable to see myself in. From time to time I may go from trt to a cycle only to shut it down a couple to several weeks later thinking wtf am I doing to myself. For me being lean at 225 and 5'9" would take a lot of effort and more peds than I am comfortable with long term. Being comfortably lean 200 to 205 abs visible but not strongly defined, around 4-6 mm skin fold over the abs doesn't take a lot of anything, is comfortable, and really is good enough for me at this point in my life.