Have an embarrassing sex question? Chances are someone else has already asked it on Reddit (or hey, maybe that was you!). Known as "the front page of the internet," Reddit is where web-savvy people crowdsource answers to pretty much any question…like this one. Feel free to check out what other commenters had to say, but we went straight to an expert to get the facts. Check it out, below:

The question: I'm just curious if having a large amount of sex actually alters the size/shape of the vagina, dating muscle girl reddit. Also, if a woman sleeps with a man with a very large penis many times, will her vagina change shape permanently? Or will it snap back to its original form eventually?

The expert: Lauren Streicher, M.D., associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine and author of Love Sex Again.

The answer: Relax! The female body is designed to adjust to be elastic and expand to accommodate everything from a large penis to childbirth, says Streicher. "Even the largest penis in the world won't compare to the size of the baby, so it won't affect the size of the vagina."

See, the vagina actually goes through physical changes when you're aroused. Increased blood flow to the area helps to lubricate the bumpy walls of the vagina, called rugae. Once the rugae relaxes, it unfolds, essentially giving your body more space to accommodate a penis, no matter the size. Sometimes the body's natural lubrication isn't enough, especially with a larger penis. In those cases, Streicher recommends adding a lubricant that's non-water-based. "It helps makes the vagina extra slippery, making sex more comfortable—and more fun."

If you're feeling not-quite-as-tight-as-usual right after sex, that's normal; your vagina just expanded to accommodate your guy…for a good amount of time. But again, dating muscle girl reddit, this will bounce back to normal pretty quickly—anywhere from a few minutes to a couple hours, says Streicher. 

Usually if there's an issue with things not feeling tight, dating muscle girl reddit, it's not the vagina—it's actually the muscles around it known as the pelvic floor, says Streicher. Kegels may help, but most women don't do them correctly or consistently, dating muscle girl reddit. So Streicher recommends talking to your gyno or a pelvic floor specialist who can recommend specialized exercises or devices to help stimulate and strengthen the muscles down there.

Bottom line? A large member won't change the shape of your vagina permanently. Just make sure you're using plenty of lube—and foreplay—to ensure a comfortable and pleasurable fit.

More from Women's Health:
The Best Sex Positions for Every Penis Size
What Sex REALLY Feels Like After You Have a Baby
So Your Guy Has a Curved Penis…

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Congratulations, you're pregnant! There's no doubt this is one of the most monumental and memorable times of a woman's life, but it also comes with lots of physical, mental and emotional changes.

If you've found yourself Googling early pregnancy symptoms or "is morning sickness after 12 weeks normal?" (spoiler alert: totally!) or you're just wondering what to expect as pregnancy stages tick by week by week, check out this TODAY Parents pregnancy guide, which we put together with help from Dr. Myra J. Wick, an obstetrician/gynecologist at the Mayo Clinic, and her comprehensive, go-to guide for expecting moms, "Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy."

If you're experiencing the first symptoms of pregnancy or wondering when pregnancy symptoms start, you can look forward to week 13, or the start of the second trimester, when early pregnancy symptoms subside. "We call this the honeymoon period, because most women feel well, they are over the nausea, but not so big they feel uncomfortable," Wick says. She adds, however, that "not everyone follows the books," and you should always report any concerns to your provider, paying special attention to things like spotting, heavy cramping and lack of fetal movement.

"Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy" by Dr. Myra J. Wick

Here's a guide to the pregnancy stages and symptoms of pregnancy week by week.

First trimester pregnancy symptoms

Pregnancy Symptoms Week 1

It's a bit of a mind-bender, but you aren't actually pregnant during what doctors call "week one" of pregnancy. Instead, week one starts on the first day of your last menstrual period before you conceived. When doctors speak about pregnancy, they're referring to the 40 weeks after the start of your last period, so your menstrual cycle is actually considered part of the process.

If you're trying to conceive, it makes sense to avoid smoking, alcohol and other drugs, and start taking a prenatal vitamin with at least 400 micrograms of folic acid, which can help reduce the risk of birth defects.

Related

Pregnancy Symptoms Week 2

Since conception doesn't usually occur until two weeks from the start date of your last period, you still aren't pregnant during week two, but your body is getting prepped by producing hormones that help you release eggs, a process called ovulation. If you have unprotected sexual intercourse during this time, or attempt to get pregnant using a fertility procedure such as intrauterine insemination (IUI) or in vitro fertilization (IVF), your egg can be fertilized, forming a zygote.

If you're charting your basal body temperature, you will notice it rise slightly during ovulation, and if you become pregnant during this time, it will stay high for the duration of the pregnancy.

Related

Pregnancy Symptoms Week 3

Let's say the first day of your last period was April 10 and you became pregnant thereafter; that would mean your baby was conceived around April 24, or during week 3. Certain pregnancy tests can detect the pregnancy hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) as early as 6 days after fertilization occurs, but false negatives may occur (meaning the test shows you aren't pregnant, but you actually are). To mitigate disappointment, some doctors advise waiting until you miss your next period to take a test.

When the fertilized egg travels through the fallopian tube and buries into the uterine lining, you may notice a small amount of light bleeding, spotting or vaginal discharge caused by implantation.

Pregnancy Symptoms Week 4

By this point you may not have noticed any pregnancy symptoms, but things like nausea (also called morning sickness), fatigue, frequent urination and breast tenderness may start up around week four. You may also start to notice the skin around your nipples, called the areola, get darker and develop small bumps called tubercles (because nature is smart that way, their function is to secrete substances that help with breastfeeding later on). Some women also find that mood swings start around this time, and continue throughout pregnancy: They're caused by factors like fatigue, hormonal shifts and simply adjusting to the big news that parenthood is around the corner.

Pregnancy Symptoms Week 5

Your body: If you haven't been noticing changes like nausea (which may or may not also include vomiting), frequent urination and exhaustion, most moms-to-be do experience this memorable triad of symptoms during the second month, which starts at week five. "In the first trimester it's normal to just find yourself being really tired and not feeling very well," says Wick.

Your little one: Although still teeny-tiny (about the size of an earring back), he or she is officially called an embryo by your medical team, and is working on developing what will become the brain, spinal cord and blood vessels.

Related

Pregnancy Symptoms Week 6

Your body: As hormones cause food to move more slowly through your body, you may continue to notice the digestive distress mentioned above, and possibly even constipation and heartburn. And despite the continuing fatigue, some moms find themselves also plagued by insomnia at various points during pregnancy, starting during the first trimester.

Your little one: It's a busy week for baby, who will triple in size and develop a regular heartbeat that you may be able to spot on an ultrasound.

Pregnancy Symptoms Week 7

Your body: Along with nausea, exhaustion and moodiness, some women also experience dizziness and headaches throughout the first trimester, which may be caused by the expansion of veins and arteries as they work to produce more blood.

Your little one: Your kiddo, now one-third of an inch long, is starting to have more definition in the face as well as a visible umbilical cord.

Pregnancy Symptoms Week 8

Your body: Your uterus, which started about the size of a closed fist, is now about as big as a grapefruit. Breast tenderness, nausea, and fatigue may be continuing. Although you should contact your provider as soon as you get a positive pregnancy test, many women have their first prenatal visit during week 8.

Your little one: Fingers and toes are starting to form as the hand and foot areas take shape.

Pregnancy Symptoms Week 9

Your body: Looking ahead to week 10, for a smaller group of women with certain risk factors, doctors might suggest scheduling chorionic villus sampling (CVS), an optional test typically performed between 10 and 14 weeks that can detect chromosomal abnormalities like Down syndrome and inherited disorders like cystic fibrosis. This test is typically performed by inserting a catheter through the cervix to collect cells, and does pose a slight risk of miscarriage.

Your little one: Up until now, your developing embryo had a tail that gave him or her a tadpole-like look, but it's starting to shrink.

Pregnancy Symptoms Week 10

Your body: Starting at week 10 you might opt to have non-invasive prenatal screening (NIPS), instead of a CVS. This is a simple blood test which can tell you the chances of developing certain chromosomal disorders. Both this test and a CVS can reveal your baby's sex if you wish to know it; otherwise, the 20-week ultrasound may be another opportunity to find out. At this point, some women may also notice slightly blurred vision and trouble tolerating contact lenses, which can be caused by the cornea beginning to thicken.

Your little one: Each of the vital organs has started to form, and tooth buds are starting to develop.

Related

Pregnancy Symptoms Week 11

Your body: You might notice that your hair and nails are growing a bit more quickly and that you've put on a few pounds (women may gain up to four pounds by the end of the first trimester).

Your little one: At week 11, healthcare providers officially promote your little bean from embryo to fetus. This is also when buds develop that will eventually become his or her external genitalia.

Pregnancy Symptoms Week 12

Your body: Up until this point your uterus has fit inside your pelvis, but after this week it will start growing out of your pelvic cavity. You'll start to appear more pregnant, but there's a nice bonus: There will be less pressure on bladder.

Your little one: Fingernails and toenails are now present and the face is becoming more defined.

Second trimester pregnancy symptoms

Pregnancy Symptoms Week 13

Your body: Raise a mocktail! For many women, symptoms of nausea and vomiting start to subside around week 13, or at least sometime during the next few weeks, although Wick says, "Some women may deal with nausea throughout their entire pregnancy." (Hopefully that's not you.) This week you may also notice a new symptom: Shortness of breath, which happens as a result of respiratory changes needed to support your growing baby.

Your little one: There are defined eyes and ears, but eyelids are now closed (as a protective measure) and will stay this way until about week 28.

Pregnancy Symptoms Week 14

Your body: During both the first and second trimester, your blood pressure may decrease slightly from its pre-pregnancy number. This may cause dizzy spells, especially if you become overheated.

Your little one: Fun fact: This is the time when your little fetus begins producing hormones. Also, the prostate gland (in boys) and ovaries (in girls) are developing.

Pregnancy Symptoms Week 15

Your body: Maybe you've been spared the oh-so-fun digestive symptoms of heartburn and constipation, but women often tend to notice them around now. Know that the slowdown of your digestion at least has a greater purpose, which is to help deliver important nutrients to your growing babe. Amniocentesis, a procedure where fluid is withdrawn with a needle to check for things like genetic disorders, is usually performed sometime between weeks 15 and 20.

Your little one: Thanks to the continued growth of muscles, this week is when baby will start being able to make a fist.

Pregnancy Symptoms Week 16

Your body: Your uterus is movin' on up, but this can cause an unwelcome side effect: You may start to feel off-balance, and continue to experience this as your shape changes.

Your little one: Your wee one's eyes are sensitive to light. Baby hiccups could be starting, although you likely won't feel them yet.

Pregnancy Symptoms Week 17

Your body: Around week 17, you may start to feel baby's fluttery little movements; some women mistake them for gas or hunger at first. (Women who've been pregnant before tend to feel them earlier.) But definitely within the next few weeks you'll become aware of them. You'll continue to experience symptoms that are the hallmarks of pregnancy: Slow digestion, frequent urination and increasing breast size.

Your little one: Whether or not he or she will end up loving gymnastics, your baby is doing flips and rolls by this point, and still has space to move around quite a bit.

Pregnancy Symptoms Week 18

Your body: Make sure you've got a good moisturizer handy: As your belly grows and stretches, it may begin to itch. Some women experience darkening of the skin and changes in moles (if any look significantly larger or different, check in with a dermatologist).

Your little one: Baby's bones are getting harder and he or she can now hear noises like your heartbeat and even loud sounds that take place outside the womb.

Pregnancy Symptoms Week 19

Your body: Right around now is when you may notice a stabbing sensation in your groin or on one side—this is coming from the round ligament, which grows and stretches to support your uterus during pregnancy. Sudden movements may bring it on, so try to change positions slowly (like when you're getting out of bed).

Your little one: This week the vernix appears: It's a slippery, cheese-like coating on baby's body that helps protect skin. Your baby can now produce urine, which is sterile and gets excreted into the surrounding amniotic waters.

Pregnancy Symptoms Week 20

Your body: You're at the halfway point! Pat yourself on the back, or, even better, treat yourself to a prenatal massage. At this point women may start to notice low back pain, especially if they were prone to it before they were pregnant. By now you may have gained around 10 pounds total, although it can vary from woman to woman.

Your little one: The skin is developing its distinct layers and although it's the middle mark, baby still likely weighs less than a pound—probably about 10 to 14 ounces. If he or she is in the right position, you can usually learn the sex at your 20-week ultrasound, since the external genitalia have developed enough to be visible.

Related

Pregnancy Symptoms Week 21

Your body: You may notice that your breasts are beginning to leak colostrum, which is a watery, yellowish fluid that appears before your regular milk supply is established; if you choose to breastfeed, it will be baby's first food.

Something your doctor will monitor you for after 20 weeks is preeclampsia, a condition that causes high blood pressure during pregnancy. "Although many women experience swelling throughout pregnancy, if you have swelling that's accompanied by headache, visual changes, nausea or pain in the right upper quadrant of your abdomen, definitely let your doctor know right away, as these can indicate preeclampsia," says Wick.

Your little one: Helped by the liver and spleen, your baby's bone marrow is now able to make blood cells.

Pregnancy Symptoms Week 22

Your body: This week you might start feeling irregular Braxton-Hicks contractions in your abdominal area, which help your body prepare for labor. (They're sometimes called "false labor.") To distinguish them from true contractions, which radiate around both sides of your body, try lying down, changing positions or drinking water. These things will cause Braxton-Hicks to subside, unlike true, regular contractions that grow stronger and indicate labor is approaching.

Your little one: The senses of taste and touch, as well as the reproductive system, are all becoming more developed around this time.

Related

Pregnancy Symptoms Week 23

Your body: Pregnant women sometimes find that their sex drive is improved during the second trimester—if this is you, take advantage!

Your little one: Around this time is when the development of the lungs really kicks into high gear.

Pregnancy Symptoms Week 24

Your body: During the second trimester, your joints may start to feel softer due to hormone changes that are slowly preparing your body for childbirth. Your lower spine also starts to curve backwards to accommodate your changing shape. These transformations may lead to back and hip pain; both massage and prenatal yoga may help alleviate some discomfort.

Your little one: Babies born on or after week 24 have a greater than 50-50 chance of survival, thanks to today's innovative neonatal care, but are still very likely to have complications if delivered this early.

Pregnancy Symptoms Week 25

Your body: If your blood pressure dropped during your first and second trimesters, you may see it start to return to pre-pregnancy levels.

Your little one: Baby's hands are now fully formed, can be used to explore the womb environment or their own body, although the movements aren't purposeful yet.

Pregnancy Symptoms Week 26

Your body: Thanks to the hormone relaxin, which is produced during pregnancy, the muscles that hold up your pelvic bones will continue to soften to prepare for giving birth. It won't necessarily feel "relaxing" though: Many women experience pain in the front of the pelvic area. If it's truly bothersome, consider making an appointment with a physical therapist who specializes in prenatal and postnatal conditions.

Your little one: Footprints, which make a fun hospital souvenir, as well as fingerprints, are now present on your baby, who weighs about 1 ½ pounds.

Pregnancy Symptoms Week 27

Your body: You've likely had vaginal discharge throughout your pregnancy, and you may see it pick up around now. As long as it's clear or white and odorless, it's not a cause for alarm, but see your provider if you suspect a yeast infection, which, along with urinary tract infections, you're more prone to during pregnancy.

Your little one: The lungs are getting close to being fully developed, and although it's tough to hear through all the amniotic fluid, your little one could possibly recognize the sound of Mom's voice this week.

Third trimester pregnancy symptoms

Pregnancy Symptoms Week 28

Your body: Welcome to the third and final trimester of pregnancy. After 28 weeks, doctors recommend women start tracking kick counts. "You want to ideally feel 10 movements in two hours, but most babies move enough so their mothers have a sense for the pattern, and if it changes or you aren't feel baby move at all, definitely contact your provider," says Wick.

Your little one: Around this time is when baby's eyes, which were previously sealed shut, start opening and closing.

Pregnancy Symptoms Week 29

Your body: Another change that may happen during either this trimester or the second: If you have an innie belly button, it could pop out and turn into an outie. If clothing irritates it, consider covering it with a bandage and don't worry about the change being permanent, it will likely flip back after delivery.

Your little one: This week is right in the middle of baby's most active period, which is usually between 27 and 32 weeks, because they still have room to move around.

Pregnancy Symptoms Week 30

Your body: Another unappealing symptom of late pregnancy: Urine leakage, especially when you cough, sneeze or laugh. Performing exercises to strengthen your core and pelvic floor (such as kegels) may help, but you're still experiencing this after delivery, make an appointment with a physical therapist who specializes in pelvic floor therapy.

Your little one: Time to pack on the pounds, kid: Starting now until delivery, fetal weight gain will be about a half-pound each week.

Pregnancy Symptoms Week 31

Your body: Thanks to the hormonal changes, you are likely rocking a lush, awesome mane right now, since hair tends to grow more quickly and fall out less frequently when you're pregnant. You will lose the extra hair after delivery, though, so don't get too attached.

Your little one: The reproductive system is continuing to take shape, as are the lungs, though they still aren't fully ready for life outside the womb (a baby born this early would need to spend time in the neonatal intensive care unit, or NICU).

Pregnancy Symptoms Week 32

Your body: During these last few weeks you've probably been continuing to experience pregnancy symptoms such as heartburn, constipation (and possibly hemorrhoids as a result) and swollen breasts (that may or may not leak colostrum). Keep your eye on the prize: That adorable baby who's on the way.

Your little one: Your baby is still moving around, but the jabs and punches may seem to have lost their oomph, since he or she is getting increasingly crowded. At this point, baby weighs around 4 pounds and the risk of serious post-delivery complications drops quite a bit, so parents tend to breathe a sigh of relief.

Pregnancy Symptoms Week 33

Your body: During the third trimester, your ever-softening joints will likely continue to bug you. "Around this time we tend to see joint discomfort in hips, back and nerve pain and just a lot of pelvic discomfort," says Wick. Your muscles also may simply be sore and tired from carrying increased weight, so try to rest frequently if possible.

Your little one: Lots of growth and change takes place after week 33. One cool thing that's now happening: The pupils can dilate and constrict in response to light.

Pregnancy Symptoms Week 34

Your body: Late in pregnancy, women may feel occasional sharp pain in the vaginal area as well as general pelvic pressure, but if at any point you're having symptoms such as unrelenting abdominal pain or bleeding, contact your doctor as you may be experiencing a problem with your placenta. "Pelvic pressure is usually normal, but if it's persistent, you're having discharge with it, sometimes it can be a sign of preterm labor, so check in with your doctor," says Wick.

Your little one: This kid now weighs anywhere from 4 ½ to 6 pounds—things are getting real!

Pregnancy Symptoms Week 35

Your body: If you haven't experienced them already, you will likely have Braxton-Hicks contractions this month.

Your little one: Conditions are cramped but your small one is still wiggling around, so keep tracking those movements.

Pregnancy Symptoms Week 36

Your body: Leg, ankle and foot swelling are common around this time, as are varicose veins, which may disappear after childbirth. Invest in comfy shoes and hit your partner up for a nightly foot massage.

Your little one: The facial muscles needed for sucking are ready to go and your child might weigh as much as 7 pounds. By this point, most babies have settled into the head-down orientation that's ideal for delivering vaginally.

Pregnancy Symptoms Week 37

Your body: Maybe it's nature's way of getting you ready to deliver your baby, but women find themselves pretty uncomfortable during the third trimester, especially towards the end. "By this point there is a lot of pressure on the bladder, you can feel very full, it can be hard to sleep at night, and even the kicking can be uncomfortable if baby is up against the ribs," says Wick.

Your little one: Your bambino's rate of weight gain slows a bit this week, and at the end of this week, your baby will be considered "early term" in medical lingo.

Pregnancy Symptoms Week 38

Your body: Your uterus now extends nearly all the way up to the base of your rib cage. Need proof that pregnant women are true superheroes? Consider the fact that during pregnancy, the uterus grows about 500 times in size.

Your little one: Although we think of it as automatic, by now your child has an important set of skills: Breathing, eating and digesting, as well as keeping a normal cardiac rate.

Pregnancy Symptoms Week 39

Your body: During these last few weeks, your head-down baby may descend further into your pelvis, thus making breathing feel easier (this is more common for first-time moms). "Lightening," as it's called, doesn't necessarily mean labor is imminent.

Your little one: Many babies the proper amount of fat under his or her skin to help maintain a stable body temperature, although even when an infant is healthy and full-term, you still need to be cautious that they don't become too warm or cold.

Pregnancy Symptoms Week 40

Your body: Your due date is this week! Get ready for a flurry of texts and emails from friends checking in, even though only a tiny percentage of women (4%) deliver on the due date. If you haven't gone into labor yet, you'll continue with your prenatal visits and your provider will monitor the health of you and your baby. If you started your pregnancy at a healthy weight, you may have gained anywhere from 25 to 35 pounds by this point.

Your little one: Baby is now considered full-term and although the average weight is 7 ½ to 8 pounds, there is a wide size range for a healthy infant.

New parent? Join the TODAY Parenting Team to share your experiences and learn from the pros.

Lexi Dwyer has been contributing to TODAY since 2015, writing about parenting, food, travel, health and more. She began her career at Epicurious and later worked as both a travel editor and contributing editor at BRIDES magazine, where she took regular honeymoons and reported on food trends, party planning and bridal fashion. Since then she's been an editor and writer for Google, What to Expect, The Bump and People.com, as well as many other print and online publications. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and two daughters.

By Ben Hunte
LGBT correspondent

A Halifax woman recently shared the scary realities of being unwillingly drugged at a bar.

Josée Saulnier, a college student, said she found herself laying on her bed unable to move and in full-body tremors after a night out to celebrate her 20th birthday.

The young woman said that after a few drinks and a shot, she started to feel strange, so her friends took her home. When tremors started, her friends called 911.

“I had no control of my motor skills nor could I stand up on my own, walk, or see properly,” Saulnier wrote on Facebook.

Unfortunately, drink-tampering incidents like Saulnier’s are not that uncommon.

A recent study of more than 6,000 students at U.S. universities found that more than one in 13 students reported being drugged.

For women, researchers found being drugged was associated with more negative outcomes, including sexual assault, blacking out and getting sick.

‘Never under estimate anybody’: N.S. woman shares story of suspected drink tampering

People may drug someone’s drink because it lowers their ability to resist sexual assault, as well as affect their memory, said Robert Powers, a forensic toxicologist and professor of forensic science at the University of New Haven.

“Basically, any drug that can produce significant central nervous system depression… can be used as a drug in sexual assault,” he said.

What are common date rape drugs?

“Getting roofied” or having “date rape drugs” slipped into your drink can affect both your body and mind, Powers said.

There are different types of drugs people often use in drugging cases, including Rohypnol, which is part of the benzodiazepine or “benzos” family.

Gamma hydroxybutyrate acid (GHB), is another drug used, as are opiates. These drugs are often mixed with alcohol, Powers added, pointing out that alcohol on its own is also a factor in assault cases.

The U.S. Office on Women’s Health adds that “any type of drug, including marijuana, cocaine, or prescription or over-the-counter drugs like antidepressants, tranquilizers, or sleeping aids” can be used in drugging incidents.

What do date rape drugs do to the body?

Powers explained drugs used to spike drinks often decrease your level of consciousness. Because they can be odourless or tasteless in alcohol, it can be hard to know if something was slipped in a drink.

When in its liquid form, GHB looks like water and Rohypnol is often a small tablet that easily dissolves in drinks.

“They act on the body to mimic the activity of the body’s natural, calmed-down ‘go to sleep’ chemical,” Powers said.

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“The problem is if you get too much [of these drugs] in you, they can kill you.”

If someone is unknowingly drugged, they may feel dizzy, nauseous, sleepy, confused or have slurred speech, said Dr. Susan McNair, the medical director of the Regional Sexual and Domestic Violence Treatment Program at St. Joseph’s Hospital in London, Ont.

Like Saulnier experienced, muscles may also be affected and some people even pass out.

Possible drugging of UBC students at frat party

Drugs like Rohypnol and GHB can start to effect the body “within minutes” of ingestion, McNair said.

Powers said because these drugs also affect memory, it is harder for those drugged to remember what happened to them. Unlike alcohol, which affects your ability to form short-term memories, date rape drugs can cause “retrograde amnesia.”

“They can affect your memory of what happened even immediately before you took the drug,” Powers explained.

“So if I go and sit down at a bar… and I subsequently get drunk as a skunk, I may not remember who sat down next to me after that, but I’m going to remember walking into the bar. [But] these kind of drugs… can affect my ability to remember events that happened prior to taking the drug, hence the retrograde amnesia.”

This makes it hard for survivors of drugging and/or drugging-related sexual assault to piece together what happened to them, experts said.

“They won’t remember anything until they wake up, let’s say, in somebody else’s bed or with someone beside them in a compromising position many hours later,” McNair said.

What to do if you think you were drugged

If you suspect you were drugged and/or sexually assaulted, it is important to get help right away. Call 911 or get friends to take you to the hospital, if possible.

Medical examiners can collect evidence and get you the help you need.

Both men found guilty of gang sex assault in Toronto College Street Bar trial

You can also ask to be tested at the hospital for drugs, Powers said. If you believe you were assaulted, this testing can be very important.

The effects of such drugs and how long they stay in the body depend on drug type, how much was ingested and how much alcohol was involved, Powers said.

“GHB is a very quickly acting drug,” he said.

“Quite often with GHB, we don’t really have an expectation of being able to detect the drug, whereas [with] some of the benzodiazepines or barbiturates or even opiates, one expects to be able to detect them for three days or so.”

McNair added that because being drugged can be a traumatizing experience, it’s vital to get support through a sexual assault centre or hospital. She also said confiding in a friend can offer emotional comfort.

“Getting one-on-one support immediately is [important],” she said.

Laura.Hensley@globalnews.ca

Harley Quinn's eponymous animated series focused on her break-up with the Joker and working to become her own supervillain, with a little help (and sarcasm) from her best friend Poison Ivy, who eventually becomes her girlfriend. Full of humor, heart, action, and very lovable characters, the series has proven to be popular among Batman fans and beyond.

RELATED: Batman, The Animated Series - 10 Unpopular Opinions, According To Reddit

However, there are some aspects of Harley Quinn that have not appealed to some, be it relationships, plotlines, or certain characters. Reddit users have discussed what they don't enjoy about the show, and it is fair to say that some have a unique opinion on it.

10 Dr. Psycho Should Rejoin Harley's Crew

Kicked out of the Legion of Doom for calling Wonder Woman and Giganta the c-word, the disgraced Dr. Psycho joins Harley's crew in an attempt to redeem himself. However, in season 2, Dr. Psycho betrayed Harley and the rest of her crew, and nearly succeeded in ruling Gotham.

Although perhaps not the most surprising twist, Psycho's betrayal is considerably unforgivable. However, Redditor Morganbanefort comments that they "hope he rejoins the crew one day." Considering Dr. Psycho's misogynistic personality, and Harley being the type to not easily forgive someone, the chances of Psycho rejoining the crew are slim and would be out of character for both Psycho and Harley. Regardless, Dr. Psycho is one of Harley Quinn's funniest characters so it would be great to see him return in season 3 somehow.

9 Clayface Is Annoying

Another member of Harley's crew is the shapeshifting Clayface. Unlike most versions of the character, who are usually rather tragic, Harley Quinn's Clayface is an aspiring actor. His comical attempts to be a great actor and his infectious enthusiasm have made him one of the show's most popular characters.

But not every watcher of the show liked Clayface. Redditor zelderonMorningstar called Clayface annoying, claiming he "drags the show down. They should have just axed him." While he could be too much for some, Clayface has proven to be a valuable asset to Harley's team beyond comic relief, as a loyal and caring friend to the crew. Furthermore, this version of Clayface is perhaps one of the most unique versions of the character.

8 Commissioner Gordon Needed Growth

One of the most prominent supporting characters in Harley Quinn was Commissioner Gordon. In a unique twist to the normally no-nonsense character, Gordon is portrayed as a rather tragi-comical figure in need of friendship.

RELATED: 10 Best Fights In Harley Quinn, Ranked

Redditor CharacterApricot commented how Gordon was a potentially great character and needed consistent growth but instead "he's continually reset so he can be the show's butt monkey." The Redditor is correct about Gordon having potential. But considering Gordon was on the decline for most of the first season, to see him get back on his feet in season 2 was great. Unfortunately, not receiving recognition for saving Gotham pushed him back in the wrong direction.

7 Nora Fries And Zeus Are A Good Couple

In one of the show's most bittersweet moments, Mr. Freeze sacrifices himself to save Nora, his beloved wife. Naturally, Nora is heartbroken by this but she drunkenly hooks up with Maxie Zeus at Ivy's bachelorette party, and later they become a couple.

As one of Harley Quinn's most wholesome characters, it is sad that viewers did not get to see Mr. Freeze finally able to live happily ever after. But Redditor zelderonMorningstar comments: "I really liked Nora x Zeus." While it is nice to see Nora happy after grieving, she could have done better than Maxie Zeus, who has shown to be a rather obnoxious and arrogant character in the first season.

6 Sy Borgman Was Also Annoying

Geriatric Sy Borgman started the show as Poison Ivy's cantankerous landlord before eventually joining Harley's crew. With a number of gadgets and surprises due to his in-built robotics, Sy Borgman is one of the best-designed characters in Harley Quinn.

While Sy Borgman was a joy to watch for many, he didn't quite win over everyone. Redditor random_reddit_bot found Sy Borgman annoying, going as far as to say "when he got killed, I was happy but then he came back and I was sad." Aside from being a great addition to the crew and providing some funny moments, Sy Borgman has shown to be a very heartfelt character. This is most evident when reconciling with his mutated sister and his sacrifice to help stop Dr. Psycho.

5 Ripper Riddler Isn't Funny

As one of Batman's most popular villains, it is only natural that the Riddler would show up in the series. But in an unexpected turn of events towards the end of season 2, the Riddler became ripped and muscular after being forced (at first) to run on a hamster wheel for a long time by Harley.

The joke of the normally skinny Riddler who uses brains over brawn becoming muscular was not well-received by some. Redditor CheruthCutestory comments how they don't like ripped Riddler and that they "want him back to normal." It might be understandable why fans were not happy with this, especially fans of the Riddler. However, this should be acknowledged that while this is a different take on Riddler, he still hasn't lost his intelligence.

4 Joker As A Surburban Dad Was Rubbish

As Harley's abusive ex and Batman's most famous nemesis, Joker played an important role in season 1 and served as the season's main villain. After seemingly dying in the season finale, it is later revealed that he is alive but with no recollection of his life. In fact, he is found living as an everyday suburban man with Bethany, a nurse he had fallen in love with.

RELATED: 10 Funniest Moments In The Harley Quinn Animated Series

Whilst a very different and unexpected turn for the Clown Prince of Crime. Redditor savage011 called "Joker being a suburban dad" a "huge waste". Whilst, on one hand, Joker's relationship with Bethany ultimately urged Harley to fight for Ivy, it equally seems out of character from him, especially as Joker was an ultimately abhorrent irredeemable character.

3 There Was Too Much Kite Man In Season 2

One of the great things about Harley Quinn is that it gave a chance for lesser-known characters to shine. One such example is D-list villain Kite Man. Initially treated as a joke, Kite Man soon ends up in a relationship with Ivy and becomes one of Harley Quinn's best-supporting characters.

However, Redditor Capricornist2436 felt there was too much of Kite Man in season 2: "In season 1 he was funny but season 2 he was annoying." This may be a little unfair as Kite Man was given a chance to grow as a character across both seasons, becoming more than comedic relief and Harley's love rival. In fact, it is fair to say that Kite Man broke walls for the himbo trope, growing in maturity as he finally realized how he shouldn't be with Ivy.

2 Harl-Ivy Came Out Of Nowhere

One of the show's biggest factors is Harley and Ivy's relationship, be it friendship or romance. Yet Redditor Freddi0 commented that they felt Harley and Ivy's romantic relationship came out of nowhere: "Before the pit episode, I didn't see a single hint at it."

This is a very surprising opinion for many. Throughout the series, there were various moments of foreshadowing, such as Harley being Ivy's biggest fear and how loyal they are to one another. But even for those who haven't seen the show, Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy are undoubtedly one of the most iconic couples not only in Batman but in LGBTQ+ culture (despite their recent split in the comics), so the two friends getting together in the series was almost inevitable. Even the Redditor admitted, "maybe it's because I'm blind."

1 Less Love Triangle, More Taking Over Gotham

Season 1 of Harley Quinn started with Harley ending things with Joker and embarking on a mission to become her own supervillain and join the Legion of Doom. Her relationship with Ivy was a key factor but this soon became the main plotline midway through season 2.

Not many fans were happy with this switch. Redditor joelasojoel commented how "the love triangle took up way too much of season 2" and that they wish that "they spent more time doing cool takeovers of Gotham ... than the will-they-won't-they stuff." On one hand, Harley and Ivy's relationship is adored by many, and the love triangle plot only took up half of season 2 at the most. On the other hand, one of the best things about the show was looking into the life of the supervillain, especially in the Legion of Doom. It would have been brilliant to have seen more of that.

NEXT: 10 Characters That Deserved More Screen Time In The Harley Quinn Animated Series

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It is difficult for Miles to pinpoint the moment his muscle dysmorphia started. It was just always there, a background hum. “As far back as I can remember, I wanted a better-looking body,” says the 35-year-old US soldier, now stationed in Mons, Belgium. When he was 13, Miles spent a summer cutting grass to save up for a secondhand Soloflex exercise machine. The machine cost $1,000 (£800), but as Miles was too young to join a gym, it was worth the expense. With the help of the Soloflex, Miles started weight training and never looked back.

When he returned from a posting to Afghanistan at 24, things spiralled. He began obsessively working out and regimenting his meals. “I went all in ... it was full, hardcore dedication to the lifestyle.” Miles set his watch to beep every three hours, to remind him to eat. If it beeped when he was driving, he would pull over. Slowly, he whittled his body into shape. His muscles became striated, every fibre visible. Not big enough. At 95kg (210lbs) and 1.8 metres (6ft 2in), Miles wanted to be more muscular; leaner. He lost 22kg and started competing in amateur bodybuilding competitions. There was virtually no fat on him. “You pinch your skin and it just stays pinched.” His girlfriend left him. “She began to realise that my body dysmorphia was like dating another person.” The pursuit of muscularity took over his life. “I just thought, I am so lean, and shredded, and veiny, and masculine – I don’t ever want to go back to how I was before.”

Yet by 33, single again – the dysmorphia had claimed yet another relationship – it had all become too much and he was in a dark place. “I did not enjoy life in any way, shape or form.” All day long, he would starve himself, struggle through punishing workouts, go home and binge-eat before throwing it all up. One evening, waiting in line at the burger chain In-N-Out for more food to purge, Miles finally decided enough was enough. “I woke up so happy the next day, knowing it was over.”

A subset of body dysmorphic disorder, individuals with muscle dysmorphia feel they need to become bigger or more muscular, regardless of their size. Sometimes referred to as “bigorexia”, it typically affects men. About 30% of people with muscle dysmorphia will also have a medically diagnosable eating disorder, as those with the condition may follow extremely restrictive diets. Because men with muscle dysmorphia rarely seek treatment, estimating its prevalence in the general population is hard, but it is believed that about 10-12% of professional male weightlifters meet the criteria.

And muscle dysmorphia may be on the rise. A study published in June found that 22% of men aged 18-24 reported muscularity-oriented disordered eating. “The drive for a bigger, more muscular body is becoming very prevalent,” says the lead researcher Dr Jason Nagata of the University of California, San Francisco. Not everyone who benches 180kg has muscle dysmorphia. It is when working out takes over your life, occluding all else – work, family, friends – that you have a problem. “Their entire day is spent at the gym trying to bulk up,” says Nagata. “They may also be taking illicit supplements like steroids.”

What drives a generation of young men to slavishly pursue this physical ideal? “Over the past decades, the idealised male body image has got bigger and bulkier,” says Nagata.

This body type even pressed its way into our children’s bedrooms: studies show that action figures have become brawnier over the past 25 years.

This wasn’t always the case. “In the 70s, we saw very slim, almost androgynous men, like Mick Jagger and David Bowie ... to be muscular was to be defined as to be militaristic, at a time when, in the US, there were protests against the Vietnam war,” says Dr Roberto Olivardia of Harvard Medical School, an expert in male body image. “So that build was really frowned on and rejected by youth culture.

“But then the 80s came about, with figures like Ronald Reagan, who was pro-military, and men like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone.” This ideal male – hyper-masculine, militaristic, strong above all else – was exported globally through films such as First Blood (1982), Predator (1987) and The Terminator (1984). WWE wrestling was founded in 1980, and the likes of Hulk Hogan became celebrities. In the late 90s, a leaner but still very muscular aesthetic – popularised by Brad Pitt in the movie Fight Club – became fashionable.

Today’s muscle men stare down at us from the billboards of superhero films featuring stars such as Chris Hemsworth or Jason Momoa, the latter only last week body-shamed online after photographs emerged of him enjoying himself on holiday in fractionally less-than-superhero condition. On the small screen, the current crop of Love Island contestants mug for the cameras in tiny swimming trunks, all the better to display their perfect six-packs.

However, just as fashion magazines don’t cause anorexia, but contribute to a toxic environment in which extreme thinness is celebrated, Hulk Hogan, Dwayne ‘the Rock’ Johnson and Chris Hemsworth are not to be blamed for the disordered behaviours sweeping our gyms. According to the NHS, we do not yet know what causes body dysmorphia disorders but genetics, a chemical imbalance in the brain or a traumatic experience in your past may play a part. You are also more likely to develop it if you were bullied or abused as a child, something student Nathaniel Shaw knows well. The 28-year-old was bullied at secondary school – they called him a Borrower, on account of his slender frame.

“I was always the small kid in the corner that no one wanted to speak to.” Social acceptance came one squat press at a time. “From where I’m from in Nottingham, because it’s a very rough place, you’re training to protect yourself. The bigger guys are the serious people that no one wants to mess with. That was the main thing at the start – get big and be taken seriously.”

When Shaw went to college at age 17, he had a plan: work out all winter and reveal his buff body come summer. But when he took off his T-shirt playing football one afternoon, a girl said that Shaw “had no chest”. He instantly put his top back on. “I still wasn’t good enough.” The unkind comment laid waste to Shaw’s fragile self-esteem; he walked away from the wreckage determined to become even more shredded.

Shaw’s life became: the gym, home to eat enormous portions of tuna, pasta and cheese, move as little as possible to conserve energy and repeat. Shaw detached from the contours of normal life. He stayed in bed longer, later and missed exams. He was depressed. “The pursuit of this muscular ideal takes over people’s lives,” explains Nagata. “They become obsessed with it. They can’t function in their daily life outside of pursuing this ideal and it can lead to depression, missing school or work, and losing their ability to do basic living tasks.”

To an observer, Shaw – who weighed 80kg at 1.7 metres – was tank-like. But that wasn’t how he saw himself. “I would be in the gym and say: ‘I look like shit.’ Everyone would be like: ‘No you don’t, you’re huge, I wish I could look like that.’” Muscle dysmorphia is a disease of perception. Although its sufferers live in the material world – a place of grunting exertion and weighted bags and scoopable protein powders – they spend most of their time in an imagined reality, where they are incalculably huge. Their biceps are swollen watermelons; each muscle as finely striated as the delicate contours of a seashell.

But even if they eventually achieve that physique, it is not enough. As soon as one muscular ideal is achieved, a new goal appears. “There’s a saying: ‘Once you step into a gym, you’re forever small,’” says 27-year-old Rich Selby, an amateur bodybuilder from Cardiff. Miles agrees. “Every muscle could be bigger. I could be leaner. You look at yourself and feel like everything is small and weak. I have no chest muscles; I have no arm muscles ... you’re judging yourself against an impossible standard.”

Social media reflects this standard back at you. “You’re being sold a false reality,” says Miles. “I can get into really good shape, right before I’m doing a bodybuilding competition, and use lighting and angles and filters to make my physique look even crazier than it already is, and save a bunch of pictures and upload them to make it seem that I always look like that, all year round.”

Some turn to illegal substances to attain this ideal. Tony, 23, works for a pharmaceutical distributor in Dallas. He started taking illegal performance-enhancing drugs, including testosterone, equipoise and nandrolone, two years ago. The drugs created a dangerous feedback loop: the more he injected, the more his body changed and the more he took. “People are like: ‘Wow, that guy’s a tank.’ They have more respect for you ... I thought, heck yeah, I’m going to take more so I can get even bigger.”

It is a common experience: muscle dysmorphia can be fuelled by the positive reinforcement men receive from other men in the gym. “When you’re large, you get a lot of respect,” Selby confirms. Men come up to him and ask how much he can bench. Sometimes they try to start fights. “That’s why people become addicted. They’re insecure, so they need confirmation from other people.” Selby self-identifies as having muscle dysmorphia, but believes that he has it under control, because he has good self-esteem.

Up close, you can see the havoc muscle dysmorphia wreaks. “Your interpersonal relationships fall apart – but you are so caught up in the endorphin rush of affirmation from your gym buddies, you barely notice,” says Miles. “You’re kind of an asshole. You don’t realise it ... you just become this all-around grouch. It consumes not only all of your time and focus, but also the human part of you.” It’s also a lonely existence. All your time is spent preparing protein-rich food, but because you are over-exercising, you are often “hungry, and cranky, and don’t sleep well”.

Among the young men Nagata surveyed, 2.8% had used illegal steroids, and it is estimated that up to 1 million Brits take performance-enhancing drugs. “Steroids can lead to heart disease, kidney problems and liver damage,” says Nagata. There are also mental health risks. “People may have extreme irritability, aggression, paranoia and can be violent.”

Tony was one young man who used drugs to bulk up. He knew what he was doing was dangerous: he would even donate blood to get his blood pressure down. “I just genuinely didn’t care.” As he cycled on and off drugs, he experienced dramatic mood swings. He got fired from his job at a hardware store for screaming at a coworker in the break room. Eventually, his mental health deteriorated so much that he came off all the drugs in May last year.

What makes someone play Russian roulette with a steroid-filled syringe? Selby thinks people are driven to desperate measures because they cannot disassociate who they are from how they look.

It’s an obsession that can prove fatal. Freddie Dibben, 28, died in March 2017 after his heart became enlarged by the stimulant Clenbuterol. His father Clifford, 69, found him. “The hardest part was going back through to the kitchen and telling his mum what I found. It’ll never go away.” Like Tony, Freddie experienced mood swings. “He would snap at you,” Clifford says, recalling an incident where Freddie was “stroppy” with him as they tinkered with his car. He put the moodiness down to work stress – Freddie had been pulling a lot of night shifts at Wilton carpet factory, where colleagues referred to him as a “forklift”, on account of how much he could carry.

But Clifford felt blessed to have a health-conscious son; he didn’t see anything to be alarmed about. A keen gym-goer, Freddie even gave up smoking at his parents’ request. “He used to cook all his own food! He’d cook a meal before he went to work ... he had two sets of scales, and he weighed all his vegetables, everything. He even kept notes of what he was eating and what he was doing.” Clifford laughs, bitterly. “Except for the bloody drugs.”

And that is one of the issues of muscle dysmorphia – you can hide in plain sight. A pair of weighing scales in the kitchen; tupperware boxes of chicken and broccoli in your backpack. Most people view these as harmless, if idiosyncratic, behaviours. And when you look like you are hewn out of marble, it is hard to consider anything is amiss. It is only when you step past the facade that you realise these statue-like men are slowly destroying themselves.

It is a silent epidemic – Olivardia estimates as many as 10% of men working out in gyms may be suffering, but never seek help. Lately, Tony has started taking illegal substances again, insisting “it can be done safely”. Clifford still has Freddie’s weighing scales in the kitchen. Looking at them, he would probably disagree.

Some of the names in the piece have been changed

Comments on this piece are premoderated to ensure discussion remains on topics raised by the writer. Please be aware there may be a short delay in comments appearing on the site.

This article was amended on 19 July 2019. An earlier version wrongly stated that you need to be in calorie deficit to be diagnosed with an eating disorder.