Manorexia: 7 Warning Signs |Eating Disorder Counseling
7 Warning Signs of Manorexia!
The “PERFECT” male body is all the rage, and millions of men are paying the price! Abercrombie & Fitch, Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, and advertisers worldwide have used male “hard bodies” to sell product by the millions. Over the years, advertisers in our pop culture have spent billions, marketing to young women using exceptionally perfect images of drop-dead gorgeous female models. However, today, we can equally view the images of chiseled, perfect “male” bodies marketing everything from women fragrances to Calvin Klein briefs. Believe it or not, men are currently being affected by body image disturbances and poor self-concept just as women have for years.
The perfect bodies of David Beckham, Tyson Beckford, and superstars worldwide have graced the glossy pages of magazines, product packages, and the silver screen. These images of perfection have created a new “fitness” culture that encourages men to attain the ideal body. The problem is that men, like women, are also susceptible to the woes of anorexia, poor self-esteem, and body image disturbances.
What is Manorexia?
Manorexia is the male counterpart to Anorexia, which is typically labeled as a female disease. However, this issue affects a large population of men just as it does women. The term Manorexia is not a clinical term, but rather a creative spin on the word anorexia.
Why Manorexia?
Just as women feel pressured to have the “perfect body image,” men are under the same pressure to produce the ideal body to fit into our visually driven society of perfection. Our beauty-obsessed culture insists that if you are not visually palatable, you are not “worthy” of acknowledgment: socially and professionally.
The National Eating Disorder Association suggests that there are over a million boys and men that struggle with “Manorexia,” everyday. Although anorexia is typically noted as a “female” issue, there are many men that struggle with this social, psychological, and biological problem. For most males, this obsession begins in teenage development stages (age: 12-13 and 17-18). Many of these males continue to seek the “perfect” body well into adulthood and find themselves struggling with psychological and emotions challenges in life, relationships, and career development. Manorexia is not necessarily about food, working out, and health; it is more about the psychological stability of the person and the deeper issues he may be struggling with: depression, anxiety, loneliness, insecurity, and the pressure of performance and perfection.
Is your boyfriend, husband, son, or friend obsessed with working out, counting calories, or refusing to eat? Are you worried about his obsession with his body?
7 warning signs of Manorexia
- Losing weight, and continues to lose weigh at a rapid rate
- Has a distorted perception of his body image: feels fat even though he is not
- Obsessed with counting calories
- Preoccupied with food, nutrition, and exercising
- Losing or thinning hair
- Feels cold consistently
- An intense fear of gaining weight
If you or someone you know are struggling with an eating disorder, depression, anxiety, self-esteem challenges, or unresolved emotional needs, please contact a self-esteem coach or counselor!
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Filed in: Anorexia, Anxiety, Depression, Eating Disorders, Jada Jackson, Orlando, Updates
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Losing not loosing (used twice). Otherwise I enjoyed your article.