Men and Eating Disorders: A Hidden Epidemic

Eating disorders are serious mental health conditions that affect millions of people worldwide. They are characterized by a persistent disturbance of eating or eating-related behaviour that results in the altered consumption or absorption of food, that significantly impairs physical health and psychosocial functioning.

While eating disorders are often associated with women, they can also affect boys and men. In fact, according to some estimates, men represent about 10% of individuals who are treated for eating disorders, and the prevalence of eating disorders in men is on the rise. However, eating disorders in men are frequently underdiagnosed and undertreated, due to a number of factors, such as:

- The common misconception that eating disorders are a female problem, which leads to stigma and shame for men who struggle with them.

- The lack of awareness and recognition of the signs and symptoms of eating disorders in men, which may differ from those in women.

- The influence of gender norms and expectations, which may pressure men to conform to a certain body type or appearance, or to avoid expressing their emotions or seeking help.

- The limited availability and accessibility of specialized treatment programs and services that cater to the specific needs and challenges of men with eating disorders.

Some of the risk factors that may contribute to the development of eating disorders in men include:

- Dieting, especially for weight loss or performance enhancement.

- A previous history of obesity or being overweight, which may affect self-esteem and body image.

- Homosexuality or bisexuality, which may expose men to more appearance-related pressures and discrimination.

- Psychological factors, such as having low self-esteem, perfectionism, anxiety, depression, trauma, or stress.

- Participation in a sport or occupation that emphasizes thinness, weight control, or muscularity, such as wrestling, gymnastics, ballet, modelling, or bodybuilding.

One of the most common and overlooked eating disorders among men is musclerexia, also known as muscle dysmorphia or bigorexia. This is a condition where men become obsessed with building muscle and achieving a lean and muscular physique, often at the expense of their health and well-being.

Musclerexia is not just a harmless desire to improve one's appearance or fitness. It is a serious mental disorder that can have devastating consequences for one's physical and psychological health. Some of the signs and symptoms of musclerexia include:

- Spending excessive amounts of time and money on working out, dieting, supplements, and steroids

- Having a distorted body image and feeling dissatisfied with one's muscularity or body fat

- Avoiding social situations or activities that may expose one's body or interfere with one's exercise routine

- Experiencing anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, or suicidal thoughts related to one's body image

- Neglecting other aspects of life such as work, school, family, or friends

- Developing medical complications such as injuries, infections, hormonal imbalances, kidney damage, or heart problems

Musclerexia is often fuelled by unrealistic and unhealthy standards of male beauty that are promoted by the media, the fitness industry, and the culture at large. Many men feel pressured to conform to these ideals of bodily strength and sculpted muscular beauty that are supposed to equate to having value as a man. However, these ideals are often unattainable and unsustainable for most men and can lead to a vicious cycle of dissatisfaction and compulsive behaviours.

Musclerexia can also be influenced by other factors such as genetics, personality traits, childhood experiences, trauma, or stress. Some men may use musclerexia as a way of coping with emotional issues or insecurities that they find difficult to express or resolve. Others may develop musclerexia as a result of being bullied, abused, or rejected because of their appearance or sexuality.

Unfortunately, many men who suffer from musclerexia do not seek help or even recognize that they have a problem. This is partly because eating disorders are still stigmatized and misunderstood in our society, especially among men. Many men may feel ashamed or embarrassed to admit that they have an eating disorder, or fear being judged or ridiculed by others. Some men may also deny that they have an issue because they believe that their behaviours are normal or beneficial for their health, performance or to make them desirable in relationships.

However, musclerexia is not something that can be ignored or overcome by willpower alone. It is a serious condition that requires professional treatment and support. If you or someone you know is struggling with musclerexia, please know that you are not alone, and that help is available. You do not have to suffer in silence or let your eating disorder define you.

The good news is that eating disorders in men are treatable and recovery is possible. The first step is to seek professional help from a qualified health care provider who can assess the severity and type of the disorder and provide appropriate referrals and recommendations. Treatment options may include:

- Psychotherapy: A talking therapy that helps individuals explore and understand the underlying causes and triggers of their eating disorder and develop healthy coping skills and strategies to overcome it. Psychotherapy may involve different approaches and techniques depending on the individual's needs and preferences.

Treatment can be sought through your G.P or through professional eating disorder services like R Hoyte Psychotherapy Services (www.rhoyte.co.uk)

Eating Disorders and Identity

We live in a world where many people they present an image to others that they think others will find desirable, whether this be the images they post on social media that may be filtered to portray a body image of thinness that they have been indoctrinated to believe is desirable or when interacting with others, acting in a way that portrays them to be the life of the party, while masking huge underlying insecurities. For some people these insecurities may manifest in a variety of ways including body dysmorphia and eating disorders.

Eating disorders are becoming more prevalent and impacts both men and women, when someone close to us has an eating disorder, it can place lot of stress and anxiety on parents, partners and family members, usually by the time loved ones realise that there is a problem, the eating disorder has been impacting on the person’s life for some time. Loved ones usually endeavour to help and can view the solution as a simple one i.e., in the case of someone with anorexia they think it is as simple as telling them or making them eat. In the case of bulimia they think it is as simple as telling them/making them eat less. In their attempts to help they misunderstand the complexities of eating disorders, resulting in everyone getting frustrated and relationships becoming strained. As the person continues to struggles with their eating disorder, relationships with loved ones become more challenged and distant. This sometimes results in the person with the eating disorder engaging in hidden behaviours i.e., eating and then purging, to prevent further frustrations in their relationships with loved ones.

Loved ones can become focused on the eating patterns of the person with the eating disorder, resting in the person’s insecurities around their identity being neglected, potentially making recovery more difficult. No one is born with an eating disorder and all of us engage in unhelpful behaviours at various times in our life’s. These unhelpful behaviours are usually learnt behaviours and we believe that they help us navigate our challenged i.e., how many of us have a glass of wine (or a bottle of wine) after work, after having a stressful day. The more stressful days we have sometimes the more we drink. Eating disorders can be a manifestation of the insecurities people have or a way of managing difficult feelings.

When we have a positive identity of self we have a more holistic view of who we are and do not exclusive focus on body image as our identity but as a part of our overall identity. Positive identity of self means that we become less absorbed with perfection in our body image at the expense of subjugating other parts of our identity. Positive identity of self means that we have a more balanced way of paying attention to all aspects of our identity, this means

• having a healthy body image but not becoming obsessive about our body image

• developing our social skills

• developing our emotional management and emotional regulation skills

• personal growth and development

People with eating disorders usually present with difficulties in these areas and helping them to develop these areas of their identity can be very helpful in their recovery.

At “R Hoyte Psychotherapy Services” (www.rhoyte.co.uk) we have a holistic approach to recovery an have found that this approach helps people to address their insecurities and live happier lives

If you or someone know is having difficulties with body image issues or with their eating patterns, You should seek help from your local GP. Other services that you may find helpful, Beat Eating disorders” (www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk). R Hoyte Psychotherapy services can also be found on Beat eating disorders–helpfinder(https://helpfinder.beateatingdisorders.org.uk/r-hoyte-psychotherapy-services)

Anxiety and Depression

Anxiety and depression seem to have increased over the past two years. We have all had an extremely difficult time having to worry about our own health, our love ones, our relationships, our jobs, our finances, and other worries. These worries were intensified during the lockdown and has been causing difficulties in people's lives. At R Hoyte Psychotherapy Services (www.rhoyte.co.uk) we have seen an increase in young people and adults presenting with anxiety and depression.

With the highly publicised reports of racism, misogyny, homophobia and the persecution of some religious groups in our society, not just by members of the public but by some members of the police force (recent reports on comments made by some police officers on whatsapp), we have begun to fear the very people who at there to protect us. How do we live with these increasing fears and anxieties and how do we navigate them in a way that allows us to hold on to our happiness and not let our anxieties overwhelm us?

We live in a society that tells us "to keep calm and carry on", but what meaning do we make of this. Does this mean we should suppress our feelings and pretend that we are ok. this statement will have different meanings to different people and depending on how we make sense of the messages we receive, it will either help or hinder us in our daily lives.

There comes a time when we need to seek help to manage our fears and anxieties. There comes a time when we need help from a professional. Seeking help from a Psychotherapist can help us,

• to make sense of our lives and the world we live in

• to learn to navigate our various challenges in life

• to improve our relationships and have more meaningful relationships

• to reduce our fear and manage our anxieties

• to improve our low mood and depression

• to reconnect to our happiness

Visit R Hoyte Psychotherapy Service (www.rhoyte.co.uk) to learn more about psychotherapy and see how it can help you live a happier life.