Introduction

A tweet I came across recently drew a striking comparison: the modern male obsession with extreme longevity and biohacking was likened to anorexia in women—both being physical manifestations of anxiety and a desperate attempt to assert control over chaos. The thought stayed with me.

As a psychiatrist, I’ve started noticing a silent epidemic—especially among high-functioning men in tech, finance, and health spheres. What looks like discipline on the outside often masks inner unrest. Their tools? Not food scales and purging—but fasting apps, supplements, biomarkers, cold plunges, and relentless “optimization.”

And no figure better embodied this movement than Bryan Johnson—until he didn’t.

The Psychology Behind the Obsession

While society tends to celebrate wellness, longevity, and peak performance, when taken to extremes, these pursuits can evolve into maladaptive coping mechanisms. Just as anorexia nervosa is not about food but about control and perfectionism, biohacking can become a way to channel deep-seated anxiety into the illusion of mastery over the body.

What happens when you never feel safe inside your own skin unless every calorie, hormone, and heartbeat is regulated?

It becomes an addiction—only this time, the drug is data.

Bryan Johnson: A Mirror of Our Times

Bryan Johnson, the entrepreneur who once sold his company to PayPal and then spent over $2 million a year trying to reverse his age, became the poster child of the quantified self. He experimented with plasma infusions, rigid sleep hygiene, vegan micronutrient protocols, and enlisted dozens of physicians to optimize every biomarker imaginable.

But what began as innovation slowly turned into a public performance of obsession.

• His self-imposed regimens became inhumanly rigid.

• His updates, once awe-inspiring, began to feel detached and robotic.

• Critics and clinicians alike began asking: At what psychological cost?

And slowly, the image of a man in control started to crack.

The Flip Side: The ‘Dad Bod’ and Emotional Safety

That same tweet thread also touched on a cultural preference that many overlook: the growing appeal of the so-called “dad bod” over the obsessively lean gym aesthetic. Why? Because mental safety feels more attractive than physical perfection.

A man with a slightly imperfect body often signals emotional availability, balance, and less self-absorption. Women—and increasingly, men—are drawn not just to how someone looks, but how that body reflects their values and inner world.

As Carl Jung once said:

“Mentally unhealthy people are usually fanatics of healthy lifestyles.”

In that light, some abs are sculpted not out of health, but out of fear.

What I See in Practice

In my psychiatry practice, I’ve met several individuals—brilliant, driven, and self-aware—who are burning out in the name of health. Some are:

• Overtraining and losing sleep.

• Chronically anxious about “toxins” or “aging.”

• Isolating socially because their routines don’t allow flexibility.

• Switching medications or supplements weekly based on the latest podcast or lab result.

They aren’t lacking information. They’re lacking peace.

A More Humane Approach

There’s nothing wrong with wanting to live longer or feel better. But the why and how matter.

• Does your pursuit of health bring joy—or stress?

• Are you more in tune with your body—or more suspicious of it?

• Can you skip your routine for a vacation—or does that provoke panic?

True wellness is spacious, forgiving, and integrated. It respects your mental, emotional, and social needs—not just your lab values.

Final Thoughts

The fall of Bryan Johnson isn’t just a personal story—it’s a cautionary tale for all of us. Obsessive longevity culture promises safety in a world that often feels unsafe. But in the end, control is not the cure for fear—it’s often a symptom of it.

Let’s stop worshipping the hyper-optimized and start asking: what does a mentally healthy, meaningful, and connected life look like?

Dr. Srinivas Rajkumar T
MD (AIIMS), Consultant Psychiatrist
📍 Apollo Clinic, Opposite Phoenix Mall, Velachery
📞 85951 55808 | 🌐 srinivasaiims.com