Muscle Dysmorphia or "Bigorexia" is currently the male version of killing yourself to gain society's fickle approval of your appearance. It's when a guy looks in the mirror and sees skinny, no matter what his reality is. Below is a brief documentary on it but be warned: there are some spectacularly gross images, including icky medical stuff. On the humorous side, there's a few quotes from a young Schwarzenegger, doing nothing to improve his image as an oft-times crass bastard.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8klvOnro ... re=relatedExpanded interview from same doc:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0EdA4AC ... re=related Looking closely at this guy's face and body language when he agonizes emotionally over his shape, he mirrors perfectly the pain of the women in the "America the Beautiful" documentary. Same blank expression, same eyes without light, same downcast gaze, same shame. To me, this guy is handsome, solid, has a nice wide back, and a fantastic smile for the millisecond that he actually flashes it. He could walk into any room in this appearance obsessed country and hold his own. It's an eye-opener to hear a man talk so candidly and intimately about disappointed body image. His "No Brain, No Gain" T-shirt is spectacularly brilliant apparel for a bodybuilding gym, though. I want one!
FYI: There are several researchers out there for BBC and National Geographic who are currently soliciting interviews from men and women who have Muscle Dysmorphia and would be willing to share their story for a documentary. A brief search of "muscle dysmorphia documentary" will pull them up or go to bodybuilding.com, ironmagazine.com, etc. and find their posts in the forums.
Baby Herc