title: Commentary on Muscle dysmorphia as an addiction: a response to Grant (2015) and Nieuwoudt (2015).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Following the publication of our paper ‘Muscle Dysmorphia: Could it be classified as an addiction to body image?’ in the Journal of Behavioral Addictions, two commentaries by Jon Grant and Johanna Nieuwoudt were published in response to our paper.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using the ‘addiction components model’, our main contention is that muscle dysmorphia (MD) actually comprises a number of different actions and behaviors and that the actual addictive activity is the maintaining of body image via a number of different activities such as bodybuilding, exercise, eating certain foods, taking specific drugs (e.g., anabolic steroids), shopping for certain foods, food supplements, and purchase or use of physical exercise accessories. This paper briefly responds to these two commentaries.
  
  
  RESULTS
  While our hypothesized specifics relating to each addiction component sometimes lack empirical support (as noted explicitly by both Nieuwoudt and Grant), we still believe that our main thesis (that almost all the thoughts and behaviors of those with MD revolve around the maintenance of body image) is something that could be empirically tested in future research by those who already work in the area.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We hope that the ‘Addiction to Body Image’ model we proposed provides a new framework for carrying out work in both empirical and clinical settings. The idea that MD could potentially be classed as an addiction cannot be negated on theoretical grounds as many people in the addiction field are turning their attention to research in new areas of behavioral addiction.
authors: Nottingham Trent University International Gaming Research Unit, Division of Psychology Burton Street NG1 4BU Nottingham UK.
authors: Mark D
authors: MD
authors: Griffiths
authors: Addenbrookes Hospital Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust Cambridge UK.
authors: Andrew C
authors: AC
authors: Foster
authors: University of Ulster Bamford Centre for Mental Health and Wellbeing Londonderry UK University of Ulster MRC All Ireland Trials Methodology Hub Londonderry UK.
authors: Gillian W
authors: GW
authors: Shorter
mesh_terms: D016739:Behavior, Addictive / Q000523:psychology*; D057215:Body Dysmorphic Disorders / Q000145:classification* / Q000523:psychology*; D001828:Body Image / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal
keywords: behavioral addiction; body dysmorphic disorder; body image; eating disorder; muscle dysmorphia; obsessive-compulsive disorder