Our findings reflect the way in which stress and anxiety impact men's relationships with their bodies, particularly in terms of masculine body ideals. Specifically, being able to project strength and competence during a crisis are still associated in the collective imagination with body size and muscularity. They attributed these results to the stereotypical ideas that society continues to hold about how men should act in stressful situations. The research team found that pandemic-related anxiety and stress was associated with greater desire for muscularity, and anxiety was also associated with body dissatisfaction. Furthermore, 58 percent said the pandemic had negatively affected how they feel about their body, and only a quarter said that they were happy with how they look.Ī 2020 study led by social psychology professor Viren Swami dug deeper into the link between males affected by negative body image and mental health challenges during COVID. In a recent survey of 2,000 males in Britain, almost half of the respondents said that their body image issues had impacted their mental health. Moreover, during the pandemic, isolation and lack of social and physical activity has led to a spike in disordered eating and negative body image issues in men. Male body image issues can be a result of trauma connected with bullying, sexual trauma, or other childhood trauma. In addition, teen boys who experience bullying due to their appearance may continue to suffer from body dissatisfaction and related issues as they mature into young adults. A meta-analysis of 23 studies, mostly involving young males at Western universities, found that male body image issues are significantly associated with anxiety and depression.īecause young people are particularly focused on their appearance, body dissatisfaction can lead to suicidal thoughts and behaviors, and contribute to other underlying mental health conditions. Mental health conditions and low self-esteem in men are often at the root of these unhealthy behaviors and co-occurring disorders. Male body image issues don’t occur in a vacuum. The Link Between Male Body Image Issues and Mental Health Therefore, the stigma around male body image issues often prevents young men from speaking honestly about their experiences and seeking treatment for related mental health challenges. While the body positivity movement among women has grown substantially over the last decade, male body positivity isn’t focused on nearly as much. Moreover, men are less likely than women to talk about or get help for these issues.
In recent years, eating disorders and problems with excessive exercise have increased among men, along with what’s known as “muscle dysmorphia.” Exacerbated by the unrealistic expectations set by media and social media, male body image issues are especially prevalent among young adults.
It’s not just young women who struggle with body image issues. The Truth About Male Body Image Issues Reading Time: 6 minutes
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