We Must Work Together to Defeat Eating Disorders

In the United States, 20 million women and 10 million men suffer from a clinically significant eating disorder at some time in their life (“Get The Facts on Eating Disorders,” NEDA). This is in the United States alone. Imagine how many people are affected by eating disorders in the world. Even Though there is a plethora of people with eating disorders, many people don’t speak out and if they ever do it may be too late. Eating disorders can kill you and affect other factors of your health so it is important to find help. Although eating disorders are crucial, scientists, school, etc are trying to help people suffering and prevent others from having an eating disorder.

Around 10-15% of all Americans suffer from an eating disorder. “More than 7 million women suffer from an eating disorder whereas only one million men suffer from an eating disorder” (Mirasol). In modern society, we are surrounded by media and images. Both men and women struggle to meet the expectations set forth in magazines, websites, and on television. The pressure to imitate the ideal body can lead many down unhealthy paths. Teens today face a lot more challenges which leads them to illnesses like Anorexia, Bulimia, and Binge eating. Although there are a lot of similarities in this disease, the differences can also affect people differently, which means different treatments are required.

At present, these eating disorders have an effect on roughly 25 million Americans, of which almost 25% are of the male gender. Out of all the psychological disorders, anorexia has the highest mortality rate. The whys and wherefores include malnourishment, substance abuse and reckless suicides. Eating disorders can happen to anyone; no matter whether they’re male or female, rich or poor, old or young. According to many researchers, eating disorders are caused by more than just food. There are numerous

The best way to get rid of eating disorders is to shut them down before they can surface. Some major causes of eating disorders include sociocultural, mental, and family factors such as the media, peer influences, negativity, criticism, low self-esteem and body dissatisfaction (Polivy et.al. n.p.). This means that almost every eating disorder will spawn in a person who does not feel good enough, or believes that his or her body is not satisfactory. This can occur as a result of a mental illness, or because of one’s peers, family, or pressure from the media. Showing compassion to friends and family is a great way to take part in preventing eating disorders, just as Compassion Focused Therapy for Eating Disorders is being developed in order to help people who are currently struggling with an eating disorder (Goss et. al. n.p.). The Everything Parent’s Guide to Eating Disorders says that a great way to prevent eating disorders is to never put a child on a diet (Best-Boss 42). Rather, the focus should really be on overall healthy eating habits. While diets can be a healthy change for someone mature, they can put pressure on children to stick to strict eating habits and schedules. A no-diet prevention technique could drastically lessen the chances of a person getting Anorexia Nervosa, which starts developing in early-to-mid adolescents who take part in extreme dieting and food rituals (Hill n.p.).

Eating disorders are extremely serious and often even fatal. They are tremendously trying on both the person with the disorder, and those who are close to them. I remember the time that my roommate and I were watching TV with a group of girls when one of the girls started commenting on how fat a certain actress had become, and how gross she looked. I saw the look on my roommate’s face when she heard this girl criticize this actress who still looked practically perfect. More than anything, the weight this actress had put on made her look healthier than she had before. I became quite concerned though when I noticed that my roommate ate nothing for the next three days, and the one meal she did eat I am certain she threw up soon after. My roommate, like many other girls, was trying to achieve an unattainable goal. Some girls will just never be so thin, and struggling to be is very dangerous.

An eating disorder is an illness that involves an unhealthy feeling about the food we eat. “Eating disorders affect 5-10 millions Americans and 70 million individuals worldwide” (www.eatingdisorderinfo.org 1). They also affect many people from women, men, children, from all ages and different races. People who have eating disorders usually see themselves as being fat when they really aren’t. This usually deals with women or teenage girls mostly. They watch television, movies, read articles in magazines, and see pictures of the celebrities whom they want to be like because they have the “ideal body” that everyone wants and craves for. The media makes us all think we need those types of bodies to be happy with ourselves, be more successful

In todays’ society, there are more than thirty million people suffer from an eating disorder in the United States, Binge Eating Disorder is one of them. Binge Eating Disorder (BED), also known as Compulsive Eating Disorder, affects more than 2.8% of adults in their lifetime. Statistics show that BED is genetic for some, while others tend to have comorbid mood, anxiety or substance abuse disorders. Even something so small, such as a malfunction in the brain insulin can cause a brain disorder that causes the addiction to food. Our society plays a significant role in eating disorders across the state. Images of men and women are plastered in books, magazines, social media and the television of being fit, lean and very thin. According to pop cultures,

We live in a world where if we are not accepted we go home, we cry, and we stuff our faces with food. We shut ourselves away from the world because we believe that we are imperfect. However, we are not the imperfect ones it is society. Society raises the rates of depression within victims of eating disorders. There are three main reasons for developing an eating disorder: social, genetics, and psychological. The society we live in brings many people to the belief that in order to obtain the perfect body we must put our own bodies through unhealthy habits which can lead to the harm of ourselves physically and mentally. In fact, “Every 62 minutes at least one person dies as a direct result from an

In our society, there has a been a significant concern of all eating disorders. This is very sensitive subject to majority of people. Everybody should be aware of the issue, it’s an issue that society should be more aware of. Eating disorders can result from genetics, environmental factors, society and social media. In today’s world, unfortunately there is so much social pressure of what beauty is. It is portrayed that being slim is the ideal. In addition, clearly the media has an influence, regardless of the gender, eating disorders and body dysmorphia can happen to both genders. I also learned that family attitudes concerning body shape and eating habits can have a profound effect too. Psychological issues such as depression, anxiety or substance abuse can also be a factor to eating disorder. Teenagers and adults also spend a great deal on social media sites that provide self-comparison of unrealistic expectations and media promotes a weight stigma by stereotyping other body types. In fact, so all this creates a controversial issue in my perspective. Throughout the years there has been a significant increase in eating disorder and body image.

In a study by Serpell, Treasure, Teasdale & Sullivan (1999), positive reinforcement was again noted when patients with AN described the indicators that maintained their eating disorder, such as being looked after or protected, gaining a sense of control, and feeling special. The positive reinforcement that was received seemed to outweigh the perceived costs of the eating disorder such as obsessive thoughts about food, feeling taken over, and damage to personal relationships (Serpell, Treasure, Teasdale & Sullivan, 1999). A young girl in a group setting in the documentary Dying to Be Thin (PBS Nova, 2015) discloses that the control of not eating and the power that it has over family. She readily admits that she knew that restricting her food intake would have an emotional affect on her mother that she thrived on. It is exactly this control over oneself and others that

Each year, 13.1% of mental health mortalities are due to eating disorders. Eating disorders are, sadly, a much more common occurrence in today’s age than they were a decade ago. According to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders, up to 30 million people per year suffer from some type of eating disorder. These 30 million people include people of all ages, genders, and races. Although there are numerous eating disorders, anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa are the most common disorders.

Adolescents and adults are hurting themselves trying to achieve the “ideal thin”. There has not been as much progress with eating disorders as there has been with other mental disorders, like anxiety and depression. In Wilson et al paper he listed one of the problems with treating eating disorder is, “Few doctoral programs in psychology in the United States off a systemic focus on eating disorders despite the wide spread interest among some of the most talented under graduate students aspiring to careers in clinical psychology (212)”. The three categories’ for eating disorders are anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and eating disorders not otherwise

The need for more research to initiate more treatments around the world is prevalent. Eating disorders are not always taken seriously and they are usually avoided. Eating disorders need more awareness because with this society it’s more typical for this to get worse. Media, culture, and history played important roles in the enforcement of eating disorders. Media’s depiction of women’s bodies leads to the individuals developing an eating disorder. They are the reason that society has begun to change and as to why the portrayal and perspective of men and women have changed as well. Women are expected to look and act a particular way and these individuals will do anything to be accepted in society. If it means that they have to cause harm to their

I personally have never had an eating disorder but i have had people very close to me have eating disorders and body image issues and i know how hard it is. In the article the “body politic” I thought there was something very interesting towards the end and that was “Eating disorders affect us all on both a personal and political level.”That is something that I had not thought much about. I always knew the eating disorders affect people on a personal level but i think she means that they consume and affect our entire lives if you have an eating disorder. I think that eating disorders are still a big problem today and the whole idea of body image. A few summers ago I decided that I wanted to start a healthier lifestyle so i changed my eating habits and started working out more and it made me a lot happier and a lot thinner than i was before. This is not to say that I did not feel comfortable in my own body i just wanted a healthier lifestyle. I wish i was able to tell people with eating disorders that all it takes is a healthy lifestyle to lose weight or be

People suffering from eating disorders cannot solely help themselves. Although they may be able to stop for a short time, in the long run they will be back in the same path of self-destruction. Kirkpatrick & Caldwell (2001) state, "Because eating disorders are a complicated mix of physical and psychological abnormalities, successful treatment always includes treatment of psychological issues as well as restoration of a healthy diet" (p. 131). Trained therapists should treat eating disorders. The severity of the disorders will determine the need for outpatient therapy or an in-hospital program (Matthews, 2001, p. 178). There are many goals of therapy but the return to normalcy is the main goal. The eating disorder sufferer needs to restore and maintain a normal weight as well as develop normal eating and exercise routines. Kirkpatrick and Caldwell (2001) state,