Comments on: Boys and Body Image: The Adonis Complex and Steroid Use in Teens http://www.drrobynsilverman.com/body-image/boys-and-body-image-the-adonis-complex-and-steroid-use-in-teens/ The Official Blog of Dr. Robyn Silverman Thu, 18 Mar 2010 20:38:10 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.2 hourly 1 By: hjdhufelkhj http://www.drrobynsilverman.com/body-image/boys-and-body-image-the-adonis-complex-and-steroid-use-in-teens/comment-page-1/#comment-1310 hjdhufelkhj Mon, 10 Nov 2008 03:10:42 +0000 http://kissmyassets.wordpress.com/?p=129#comment-1310 hi i like sexy guys not fat 1s hi
i like sexy guys not fat 1s

]]> By: Peter Van de Weyen http://www.drrobynsilverman.com/body-image/boys-and-body-image-the-adonis-complex-and-steroid-use-in-teens/comment-page-1/#comment-1309 Peter Van de Weyen Mon, 01 Sep 2008 18:29:23 +0000 http://kissmyassets.wordpress.com/?p=129#comment-1309 Dear dr. Robyn, As you have already read, I am a guy... I know there aren't a lot of men reading this website's articles, etc, but I felt I really had to tell you. I am a teacher in KDH sr. High School, in Belgium and, well, last week I me and my all-boys class were talking about the ″perfect body″ subject. My students, who are all 16-18 years old, told me that they too are under pressure of constantly watching their weight and building muscles, but they find it rather sad that only tan, lean, muscular boys are noticed by the girls... Then I asked them why they're still continuing the ″Buff Guy″ stereotype and one of my pupils said: "Sir, it's quite complicated. Take me, for instance. I just love it when I go playing basket and I get sweaty and hot. Then I take out my shirt and girls come standing around me and-″ ″Okay, that's enough!″, I said. So, you see, it's not about being healthy, it's about looking healthy, for them. Those kids just want atention from girls and if there's one thing tv told us, it's that girls like their men ″healthy-looking...″ Peter Van de Weyen, teacher Dear dr. Robyn,
As you have already read, I am a guy…
I know there aren’t a lot of men reading
this website’s articles, etc, but I felt
I really had to tell you. I am a teacher
in KDH sr. High School, in Belgium
and, well, last week I me and my
all-boys class were talking about
the ″perfect body″ subject.
My students, who are all 16-18 years old,
told me that they too are under pressure
of constantly watching their weight and
building muscles, but they find it rather
sad that only tan, lean, muscular boys are
noticed by the girls…
Then I asked them why they’re still
continuing the ″Buff Guy″ stereotype
and one of my pupils said: “Sir, it’s quite
complicated. Take me, for instance.
I just love it when I go playing basket
and I get sweaty and hot. Then I take out my shirt and girls come standing around me
and-″ ″Okay, that’s enough!″, I said.
So, you see, it’s not about being healthy,
it’s about looking healthy, for them.
Those kids just want atention from
girls and if there’s one thing tv told us,
it’s that girls like their men ″healthy-looking…″
Peter Van de Weyen, teacher

]]> By: Dannielle Miller http://www.drrobynsilverman.com/body-image/boys-and-body-image-the-adonis-complex-and-steroid-use-in-teens/comment-page-1/#comment-1308 Dannielle Miller Fri, 04 Jul 2008 22:46:13 +0000 http://kissmyassets.wordpress.com/?p=129#comment-1308 Hi Dr Robyn, Fascinating post. Timely too - in Australia, we have just had some very intersting research emerge on body image that shows young Australians are seven times more likely to suffer extreme and obsessive body image problems than young people in Asian countries. And gym junkies are the worst affected. We are now dealing here with a disorder known as reverse anorexia - where the sufferer belives they are puny and becomes obsessed with bulking up. It is belived that as many as 1-2% of the population may have this diseaese. The researchers believe our cultural values could explain the stark difference. Professor Castle from Melbourne University summed it up thus: "In China, as in many other Asian cultures, it seems less value is put on physical attributes like sporting prowess and more on other attributes like intellectual ability and the person as a whole.They also revere their older people, whereas our culture is youth-focused and very tied up with judging by appearance first and foremost. I think that's where we are going wrong." An interesting aside - when I was asked to go on to a very popular morning televison show to discuss this, the guest who followed me was a super-buffed Gladiator from the show of the same name ( do you have this program there?). She was talking about how she used to be overweight but through 6 months of extreme dieting and 12 months of intense gym work, she was "transformed" - she got the "perfect body and the perfect life." Ahhhh.... We've still got work to do Robyn! Danni Miller CEO, Enlighten Education Hi Dr Robyn,

Fascinating post. Timely too – in Australia, we have just had some very intersting research emerge on body image that shows young Australians are seven times more likely to suffer extreme and obsessive body image problems than young people in Asian countries. And gym junkies are the worst affected.

We are now dealing here with a disorder known as reverse anorexia – where the sufferer belives they are puny and becomes obsessed with bulking up. It is belived that as many as 1-2% of the population may have this diseaese.

The researchers believe our cultural values could explain the stark difference. Professor Castle from Melbourne University summed it up thus: “In China, as in many other Asian cultures, it seems less value is put on physical attributes like sporting prowess and more on other attributes like intellectual ability and the person as a whole.They also revere their older people, whereas our culture is youth-focused and very tied up with judging by appearance first and foremost. I think that’s where we are going wrong.”

An interesting aside – when I was asked to go on to a very popular morning televison show to discuss this, the guest who followed me was a super-buffed Gladiator from the show of the same name ( do you have this program there?). She was talking about how she used to be overweight but through 6 months of extreme dieting and 12 months of intense gym work, she was “transformed” – she got the “perfect body and the perfect life.”
Ahhhh….
We’ve still got work to do Robyn!
Danni Miller
CEO, Enlighten Education

]]> By: Angela http://www.drrobynsilverman.com/body-image/boys-and-body-image-the-adonis-complex-and-steroid-use-in-teens/comment-page-1/#comment-1307 Angela Sat, 28 Jun 2008 01:01:49 +0000 http://kissmyassets.wordpress.com/?p=129#comment-1307 Just a little side fact ..i read somewhere that 10% of all people with eating disorders are male. Just a little side fact ..i read somewhere that 10% of all people with eating disorders are male.

]]> By: Nancy Bruno http://www.drrobynsilverman.com/body-image/boys-and-body-image-the-adonis-complex-and-steroid-use-in-teens/comment-page-1/#comment-1306 Nancy Bruno Fri, 27 Jun 2008 15:43:41 +0000 http://kissmyassets.wordpress.com/?p=129#comment-1306 Thank you for taking note that boys, teens, and men do have body image issues. They have to find their way through images that show how "real" men are suppose to look as well as exposed to behaviors brought before them as to how "real" men are suppose to behave. These images, much like the images that women are exposed to, are conjured up and lead boys and men to chase a false ideal. The Genuine Men Project believes that what makes a man a good role model is not the way he looks, what material possessions owns, or the attention (positive or negative) he attracts based solely upon his public persona. A genuine male role model is a man that we should look to because of the way he has met his challenges and carries his experiences. By taking the time to get to know the men in and around our lives, we will find individuals worthy of the title "role model" and no longer feel the need to be something or someone they no nothing about. Thank you for taking note that boys, teens, and men do have body image issues. They have to find their way through images that show how “real” men are suppose to look as well as exposed to behaviors brought before them as to how “real” men are suppose to behave. These images, much like the images that women are exposed to, are conjured up and lead boys and men to chase a false ideal. The Genuine Men Project believes that what makes a man a good role model is not the way he looks, what material possessions owns, or the attention (positive or negative) he attracts based solely upon his public persona. A genuine male role model is a man that we should look to because of the way he has met his challenges and carries his experiences. By taking the time to get to know the men in and around our lives, we will find individuals worthy of the title “role model” and no longer feel the need to be something or someone they no nothing about.

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