MUSCLE DYSMORPHIA - AN UNDERRECOGNIZED FORM OF BODY DYSMORPHIC DISORDER

In the course of several ongoing studies, the authors have encountered men and women who display a form of body dysmorphic disorder in which they become pathologically preoccupied with their degree of musculari ty. This condition, which the authors have tentatively termed ''muscle dysmorphia, '' may cause severe subjective distress, impaired social and occupational functioning, and abuse of anabolic steroids and other substances. Epidemiologic data suggest that muscle dysmorphia, though rarely recognized, may affect substantial numbers of Americans. The a uthors summarize the features of muscle dysmorphia, present several ca se examples, and offer proposed diagnostic criteria that may be useful for subsequent research.