USA—According to a recent breakthrough study conducted by the Gym Etiquette Critics of America, taking photos of yourself while working out at the gym indeed increases vanity to insufferable levels.

The study’s lead author, Exercise Science Scientist, Dr. Saul Steele, said there’s an epidemic of what is now being deemed the newest of the endless mental health issues, sweeping the country.

“If current trends continue, more than half of gym goers across the country will be plagued by this newly diagnosed disease. There are actual people out there who will walk into a gym, begin working out, pause at some point, pull their phones out, take what’s called a ‘selfie,’ upload it to social media, and then go on with their day as if people are supposed to pretend it didn’t happen,” Steele said.

Steele said that while taking photos of yourself at the gym not only shoots vanity levels through the roof, it also sharply decreases likability, in turn making people not want to be around you.

“A sort of instant red light of not wanting to get to know someone, if you will,” Steel added.

The study found the epidemic embraces all different kinds creeds, colors, genders, shapes, and sizes of people. It’s an all-inclusive issue among human beings.

While this mental plague can’t be nailed down a particular demographic, testosterone overloaded males suffering from Adonis complex and what are known as ‘fitness princess females,’ seem to make up the largest portion of culprits.

One of the study’s co-authors, Dr. Teegan Parton, stated that having a picture taken of yourself at the gym can be a slippery slope to becoming a full blown narcissist.

“You start out taking selfies of yourself at the gym, and then you’re doing a photo shoot for Time Magazine. All the sudden you become the Speaker of the House, and soon enough you’re so out of touch with reality you’re endorsing an impulsive inflammatory megalomaniacal sociopath running for President purely because of your ideologically blinded vision,” said Parton.

“I don’t think that’s the kind of person anybody wants to be,” Parton added.

For those wondering what can to do about someone suffering from this curable disease, the study’s authors suggest sitting down the affected person, and letting them know they have a serious problem without being an acerbic dick like whoever wrote this imaginary story.

“A good old-fashioned intervention should do the trick as it does with many other psychological ailments and habits. It’s the lack of self-awareness that needs addressing as with most other warped human behaviors,” Steele concluded.

A related study done by the GECA found that making fun of fat people at the gym guarantees you a spot to rot in hell.

All three images by Time Magazine

Top right and bottom right images retrieved from: http://time.com/3445032/paul-ryan-all-pumped-up-for-his-closeup/

Left image retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/11/paul-ryan-workout_n_1957452.html