In a society that values performance, aesthetics, and discipline, exercise is often seen as a royal road to well-being. But when it becomes obsessive, it can slide into a little-known form of addiction: bigorexia. This disorder, which affects more and more adolescents, transforms a beneficial practice into a psychological prison, often masked by the positive image associated with physical activity. Behind sculpted bodies and rigorous exercise routines, sometimes lies silent suffering.
An addiction to deceptive appearances
Bigorexia, or exercise addiction, manifests itself as an irrepressible need to engage in intense and regular physical activity. Officially recognized by the World Health Organization since 2011 as an addictive behavioral disorder, it is similar to other forms of addiction such as substance or gambling addiction.
According to Dr. Michaël Bisch, head of the addiction department at the Nancy psychotherapy center, bigorexia is characterized by a loss of control: “the person increases the duration, frequency, or intensity of their activity to obtain satisfaction,” even if it means ignoring pain, injuries, or mental suffering. It is no longer pleasure that guides the practice, but rather lack, he explains to the newspaper
Le Monde
.
This disorder, long marginalized, is now affecting an increasingly younger population. Adolescents and young adults, especially boys, are particularly at risk. According to a Swedish study reported by
RTL
, between 2.8% and 3.6% of adolescents who participate in sports show signs of addiction. This is a worrying figure, especially since the phenomenon remains largely underdiagnosed.
Teenagers in search of control and identity
At 15 and 17 years old, Maxime and Jules, two high school students passionate about bodybuilding, go to the gym several times a week to ”
build their physique
” and ”
have girls at their feet
,”
reports RTL
. While their motivations seem harmless, their testimony reveals a constant pressure to improve their appearance, without ever being satisfied. ”
It’s dangerous because we always want more,”
they admit.
This constant dissatisfaction is at the heart of the disorder. In adolescents, it is often reinforced by a distorted body image and low self-esteem. According to Kara Becker, a therapist quoted by
TF1 Info
, bigorexia is an extension of “muscle dysmorphia,” a type of psychological disorder in which the perception of one’s body is profoundly altered, centered on an ideal of thinness and muscularity that is difficult to achieve.
@steticbrah bigorexia (a body dysmorphic disorder that triggers a preoccupation with the idea that your body is too small or not muscular enough.) #gym #fitness #bulking #bodybuilding #gymtok
The amplifying role of social networks
The rise of social media platforms has only exacerbated the phenomenon. Teenagers, often influenced by online fitness figures, are confronted with unrealistic standards. On Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, “perfect” bodies abound, often maintained by personal trainers, nutritionists, and even invisible digital filters. This hyper-exposure generates a harmful mirror effect: the more they compare themselves, the more they devalue themselves.
Jason Nagata, a pediatrician specializing in eating disorders in boys, points out that these biased representations contribute to increasing body dissatisfaction. Some young people, seeking quick results, even turn to dubious supplements, or even steroids. This worrying trend is highlighted by Dr. Hervé Martini, who warns of the health risks and recommends strictly supervised consumption, guided by reliable labels like SPORT Protect.
Between isolation, mental suffering and medical silence
The consequences of bigorexia extend beyond the physical sphere. Loss of social connection, isolation, anxiety, sleep disturbances, and even suicidal thoughts: the suffering is often profound and invisible. Carole, 49, exercises seven hours a day without being able to stop. The result: a divorce, estrangement from her loved ones, and a feeling of being trapped. “It’s a drug,” she confided to
France Info
.
The taboo persists. As Sébastien, a bigorexia PE teacher in Nantes who is being treated for the newspaper Le Monde, summarizes: “Sports is necessarily good. No one thinks it can do harm.” This protective myth delays the detection of the disorder, especially since bigorexia does not yet have a dedicated box in hospital diagnostic tools. Consultations often come too late, when the breakdown is close.
Prevention is better than cure
Initiatives are emerging to break this silence. Dr. Stéphane Prétagut, head of the addiction department at Nantes University Hospital, is collaborating with the Federal Institute of Behavioral Addictions to offer self-assessment questionnaires in sports medicine. The French Federation of Addictions is also working on awareness-raising initiatives in schools and sports settings. The objective: to train coaches, inform young people, and defuse toxic messages spread on social media.
Treatment, meanwhile, is based on multidisciplinary care: psychotherapeutic work, adapted physical support, nutritional approach, but above all reclaiming the pleasure of movement, far from obsessive performance. As Dr. Bisch reminds us, it’s not about stopping sport, but about breaking out of a compulsive logic.
Bigorexia is a serious, still poorly understood disorder that affects a vulnerable population in search of identity and recognition. Behind the repeated workouts, it’s not about discipline but about anxiety. Talking about it, detecting it, and providing support are all keys to preventing passion from becoming a prison. Because during adolescence, the line between self-construction and self-destruction can be tenuous.