Fix How You See Your Body

Body dysmorphia

Also called Muscle dysmorphia, Bigorexia, BDD

3 min plan39 min with every studyUpdated Sep 28, 2026

Who it's forA man who is never big enough, checks the mirror all day, compares his body with every other man, or hides it.

When to see a doctor

Using steroids, or planning to, to fix how you feel: tell your doctor. Coming off them can bring depression.
Your looks on your mind more than an hour a day, or you avoid going out or being seen: see your doctor about body dysmorphia.
Eating red flags: see your doctor as soon as you can. Eating very little, or rigid rituals around food. Binges where you cannot stop when full. Making yourself sick or taking laxatives. Exercising too much. Feeling cold, tired or dizzy, fainting, or a racing heart.
Low mood, no interest or no enjoyment most days for more than 2 weeks: see your doctor, and run Low mood.
Wanting a cosmetic or skin procedure for a small flaw is a warning sign for body dysmorphia. See a mental health professional who knows it before any procedure.
Drinking or using drugs to cope with how you look, or to get through being seen: tell your doctor. It raises the risk and can stop treatment working.
On an SSRI and feeling restless, more anxious, or having new dark thoughts, especially in the first weeks: call the prescriber.
Hours a day checking, hiding or fixing how you look, or avoiding people and places because of it: see your doctor soon. Body dysmorphia, the muscle version included, is common and treatable, and your doctor can refer you to specialist care.

I am not a doctor. This is not medical advice. This is self-education. Every number on this page is the one a trial or a guideline used, quoted from the source. Talk to a physician who has your history before anything in the With a doctor group.