[.ca] The Adonis Complex: How to Identify, Treat and Prevent ... (ISBN 0684869101)

From Amazon.com:
You see them everywhere. With their bulging arms and deltoids and pecs, not to mention their rippling abdominal muscles, they appear on magazine covers, in underwear ads, in action movies. And American men have noticed them; after a generation of being bombarded by images of idealized male physiques, men are growing increasingly insecure about their own appearance. The authors have studied everything from bodybuilders to Playgirl centerfolds and concluded that the images presented to men and women have gotten steadily more muscular. As a result of this bombardment of pumped-up male imagery, American men have been developing eating disorders, working out to the point of obsession, and taking steroids. None of this is for health or sports performance but rather to develop a physique that matches those seen on the cover of Muscle & Fitness or in the next squat rack over. Another consequence is a condition the authors call "muscle dysmorphia," also known as "reverse anorexia" or just "bigorexia." In this, men who are large and muscular look in the mirror and see someone who is puny and frail. So they pump iron and eat and take steroids and swell to ever-larger proportions, while being too ashamed of their bodies to take off their sweatshirts at the beach. The authors postulate that all this has to do with the rising power of women in society. To back this up, they produce timelines showing how women's-rights milestones correlate with increasing images of men as sex objects. What's the solution? The authors list some Web sites to help men suffering from the Adonis Complex to find therapists familiar with the problem. Sometimes antidepressants can work. But for most people, the answer is to understand that the images of perfect male physiques they see are unattainable, and that no one really expects them to look like that anyway. --Lou Schuler

Very Informative - Really Great:
This book really opened my eyes to the "crisis" among men everywhere who now have to deal with the same unbelieveable body goals as women have had to for decades. The majority focuses on the effects that these goals have on adolescents and adults, ranging from mild idiosyncracies to full blown psychosis. Even rarely documented steroid use is revealed to be all around us, no longer isolated to the bodybuilding world. A must for any male uncomfortable with his looks!!!

Science mixed with sensationalism:
A lot of research has been put into this book. Unfortunately, the research is mixed up with anecdotes and conjectures. In extrapolating research data, the authors often make wild guesses as to what proportion of the population is affected by the Adonis Complex. There are also lots of case studies that focus on extreme cases. These amount to little more than sensationalistic journalism. The book does have a lot to offer. The fat free mass index is a great way to calculate your genetic limits with regards to lean body mass. Sample surveys are provided to help diagnose those who may be suffering from the Adonis Complex. The book seems to condemn an obsession with a lean, muscular body. However what people are willing to sacrifice to obtain their goals is just a matter of personal choice and the authors have no right to make judgements upon those who strive to better themselves. A lot of the information is eye opening but I wish they'd just stick to the facts.

Obsession with body image: it's not just for women anymore!:
"The Adonis Complex" is an interesting book about an important, but often ignored (and rarely spoken of - hence the subtitle "The SECRET Crisis of Male Body Obsession") problem affecting a lot of men -- obsession with their body image. It seems that only a few years ago, this was a problem that only affected women, but not anymore. Pick up a newspaper or magazine, or turn on the TV these days, and it is hard to avoid images of half-naked guys with washboard abs, bulging muscles, a full head of hair, and a generally youthful appearance selling products ranging from underwear to cars, suntan lotion to soft drinks. In the view of the authors of "The Adonis Complex," this constant bombardment via media images of "buff"men is an important factor pushing many men to spend hours of their lives (and large quantities of their money) obsessing over (and attempting to enhance) their looks. Interestingly, the authors of "The Adonis Complex" point out, male concern over body image has increased as women have made substantial gains in many traditional male arenas - work, the military, sports, etc. The authors hypothesize - plausibly, in my opinion - that men's desire to look more "masculine" has increased in response to these gains, as they ask themselves "what is there left...to distinguish myself as a man." Thus, the one area where men can still distinguish themselves vis-à-vis women is physical strength/muscles. As the authors put it, "no matter what...achievements women accomplish, they will never, ever be able to bench-press 350 pounds." Sadly, though, this is not much of a basis for a well-balanced, happy life. And, ironically, many men cited in "The Adonis Complex" lose the very things they want most - jobs, relationships - through their obsessive/compulsive behavior in attempting to make themselves more attractive. (Also ironically, most women actually seem to prefer far LESS muscular men - Leonardo DiCaprio, for instance - than the hyper-masculine ideal pursued by many. In fact, according to "The Adonis Complex," most women seem to find super-muscular men to be unattractive, even disgusting!) The bottom line here is that working out or spending time working on one's appearance is fine if you are doing it to be healthy, stay fit, and even to look good, as long as it is done within moderations and doesn't get taken to extremes. Personally, I try to get to the gym 4-5 times a week and to eat a healthy diet, and it makes me feel good to do so. But after reading this book, I can definitely see how thin a line it is between a healthy activity and an unhealthy obsession!

Finally The Truth ....Revealed:
First of all, "The Adonis Complex" isn't a official medical term but since body image is such a vast concern among ALL male age groups, 3 brave people have decieded to write and explore about male body obsession. I immediately decieded to read up on this book because I too have found myself facing the Adonis Complex. The book starts off at the Olympic Gym in Boston, Mass and examines male weightlifters. They cover everyone from the "built personal trainer" to the lean "skinny" guy exercising for a common cause. All these men have one thing in common; they all are insecure and they are obsessed with having and maintaining a great physique! This book covers steriod use and why people choose to use them, muscle confessions from REAL people with The Adonis Complex, and phychological disorders among males such as muscle dysmorphia. There is a section for parents to read on how to know, treat, and prevent body obsession in young boys and teenagers. You want to know what women REALLY think, the answer lies here. In conclusion, I felt releaved and a bit depressed when I realized how many of us men suffer with The Adonis Complex. Men especially read up on this book because you will NEVER see yourself and other exercise buffs in the same way again.

A Groundbreaking Book:
The Adonis Complex is a groundbreaking book that sheds light on a mostly unrecognized problem. In response to a previous comment, Harrison Pope is not just a "bookworm academic"--he is writing from personal experience, having lifted weights for the last 30 years. These authors are all experts and leaders in their field. They have developed some groundbreaking studies and came up with the term "muscle dysmorphia". This is not a dry, academic book. Their research is very thorough and detailed, but very easy to understand, and there are many interesting anecdotes about men who have suffer from this problem. This is an excellent and well-researched book on a seldomly discussed topic.