BOTTOM STORY OF THE DAY.

"'Bigorexia' Is On The Rise. Here's What Parents Should Know."  Caroline Bologna in the Puffington Host.  I know I should not mock, but seriously??

Parents today are generally aware of mental health conditions that relate to body image, including common disorders like anorexia. But experts warn a lesser-known issue is on the rise, particularly among boys: muscle dysmorphia, aka “bigorexia.”

“Bigorexia is a psychological condition and type of body dysmorphic disorder which involves a distorted self-image that focuses specifically on muscle size and physical appearance,” Kara Becker, a certified eating disorder therapist and national director of eating disorder programs at Newport Healthcare, told HuffPost.

With bigorexia, the afflicted person is obsessed with becoming more muscular and preoccupied with the idea that their body isn’t brawny enough ― even if they actually have the physique of a bodybuilder.

“Individuals may have an inaccurate view of their bodies, often believing they are smaller or less muscular,” said Amy Gooding, a clinical psychologist at Eating Recovery Center, Baltimore. “This belief and subsequent preoccupation can lead to unhealthy behaviors, including obsessive exercise, and may lead to changing one’s eating to be as lean as possible.”

Let's make the concept of "toxic masculinity" more complicated, shall we?

“While there’s more awareness around eating disorders, muscle dysmorphia can be overlooked for several reasons ― one reason being that it can lead to behaviors often encouraged in the weight room,” Gooding said. “Lack of awareness of the disorder may lead to the disorder being missed in someone who is struggling, as this is one of the less well-known disorders. Those who struggle may hesitate to reach out for help due to shame, secrecy or the normalization of the behaviors in the community.”

Years ago, it was the "beauty myth" driving young women to obsess over their weight.  Gentlemen all know that "does this dress make me look fat?" is a trap, whether the lady asking the question is reasonable or high-maintenance; and now the therapeutic culture is proposing a parallel "fitness myth" in which the guys engage in competitions, perhaps on social media, perhaps with the assistance of image-enhancing software, to look more ripped than everyone else in the weight room.  Predictably, Miss Bologna ends by invoking "body positivity."  That's so last decade.