Imagine hearing over the phone that a loved one has been taken to the emergency room. Of course, you would want to know what happened and how she got there. What if you found out that she had been the one to hurt herself? For the past three months, she had been starving. It had been a way for her to gain control over some aspect of her life. At first, it was “just a diet,” and she had it under control, but it rapidly became unhealthy and life-threatening. Anorexia nervosa is a psychological illness where the person has a distorted image of themselves and a fear of gaining weight (Anorexia...). It affects millions of people worldwide, and only about one in ten who have anorexia receive treatment (Hudson). Anorexia has been said to be a “silent epidemic” in that it has affected so many, but is so rarely talked about (Bordonaro). It needs to be talked about, and it is an epidemic that needs to be taken seriously in order to find a solution.
History
Anorexia has existed for a long time, dating back as far as the 12th century (Deans). The disorder was first named in 1873 by Sir William Withey Gull, a British physician who took care of Queen Victoria and her royal family (Lawson). Joan Jacobs Brumberg, a history professor at Cornell University, said, “Anorexia is related to the larger history of the rise of the middle class. In the 19th century, there was a certain emotional and material privileging of girls. In a culture of affluence, food and eating become very important to people.'' (1) Although anorexia existed for a long period of time, it did not become an epidemic until the early 1970s (Deans). An American psychoanalyst named Hilde Bruch published a book in 1973 called Eating Disorders: Obesity, Anorexia Nervosa, and The Person Within (1). Her book contained case studies of those with anorexia and talked about their mental and physical issues (1). When the book brought public awareness to anorexia, the cases increased, and the epidemic ensued (1).
Today, the disorder mostly affects girls aged 13 to 18 who diet near the point of starvation (Lawson). The epidemic today is believed to be influenced by the pressure to look thin and healthy (1). In an interview with RadioTimes, Kay Mellor described anorexia as a disorder that creeps up on you (“Overshadowed…”). She said, “...they get it from the media and from airbrushing. Automatically photoshoots and models are airbrushed. We’re striving to get to this ‘perfect size’ that doesn’t exist.” (1) The cases of anorexia were increasing in the 1970s and 1980s, and awareness was brought to the subject (Deans). However, the recognition has gone down while the cases are still escalating (1). Spreading awareness of the profound effects of anorexia by looking back on past cases may help prevent future disorders from occurring.
Social Effects
Anorexia does not only have irreversible effects on the individual, but also on the family. Relationships are strained, and family members are constantly distressed. They are always worrying about their loved one. Parents and siblings often feel guilty about the situation and do not know how to make it better (Anitei). Their helplessness leads to anger and frustration, and they begin to isolate themselves (1). Professor Christine Halse said, “...they devote all of their time and energy to caring for the child with anorexia, often at the expense of their own needs and the needs of the rest of the family.”(1) The siblings are affected by the family conflicts, and their needs are often looked over (1). This develops mental health issues, which in turn affects their academics and extracurricular activities (1). It has almost the same effect on their friends, as they feel guilty and helpless in the situation (1).
Anorexia has the potential to affect entire populations through the media. Many actors and artists have immensely strict dieting plans or may even have anorexia nervosa themselves (Wilson 390). When people watch TV shows or movies, they see these people and want to be skinny just like their idols (390). Research conducted by Barbara Wilson in The Handbook of Children, Media, and Development assessed that, “...increased [media] exposure is associated with increased body dissatisfaction, a greater drive for thinness, and the adoption of increasingly disordered behavior.”(392) Anorexia is like a virus spread through the media to find thousands of hosts.
Examples
Nikki Mason, now 29 years old, first struggled with anorexia as a teen (“19…”). She stated that the worst part was not the health issues, but what it did to her relationships (1). She said, “You lose your sense of humour and your whole personality really. I didn’t have enough energy to laugh or enough focus to listen to conversations and understand jokes.”(1) Her life was entirely dictated by food (1). Nikki split up with her boyfriend and stopped spending time with her friends because she could not let them get in the way of her eating and exercising habits (1). She described being constantly cold (1). Also, her cuts and bruises wouldn’t heal, and because her white blood cells were not functioning properly, she still has the marks (1). Nikki was always worried, “If I couldn’t weigh myself, I panicked. If someone offered me a treat I hadn’t factored into my intake for the day, I’d eat less the next day.”(1) Being skinny gave her a powerful and secure feeling, when she was actually very ill (1). For Nikki, anorexia was a way to have control over her uncontrollable life (1).
Reshmi Oberoi says her unhealthy habits started with routine (Oberoi). She had only been taking on a healthier lifestyle with nutrient-rich foods and daily exercise (1). However, after receiving compliments on her body after the weight loss, she spiraled out of control (1). Her symptoms all began with the loss of her period (1). After that, she got constant shivers, thinning hair, and brittle skin (1). Remshi said, “I remember taking a long walk on the morning of my graduation and not eating anything until the end of the day. I had chills and felt dizzy, faint, and weak.”(1) She had almost died from chronic starvation on her 25th birthday (1). Severely malnourished, she went to the emergency room weighing 80 pounds (1). Remshi was jaundiced, anemic, and no longer producing any blood (1). Now on the road to recovery, she has shared her story to show others that anorexia is not a beautiful thing (1). According to the charity Beat, 20% of anorexics will die from the physical consequences of the condition or suicide (“Statistics…”). It is a cancerous illness, and it can affect your whole life and those of your loved ones.
Solutions
Finding a solution to anorexia is incredibly difficult, as each disorder stems from different things. It is hard to pinpoint what caused the disorder, as many things can contribute to it. According to the AED, or Academy for Eating Disorders, in a ten-year time period, only half of those with anorexia make a full recovery (¨Treatment...¨). Furthermore, those who do recover tend to maintain low body weight and continue to experience depression. (1). The first thing you can do to help someone with anorexia is to make an initial assessment of their disorder (1). Making a thorough evaluation of their family background, psychiatric disorders, and weight control measures can help you separate them from the things that may be causing the disorder (1). This initial evaluation is the best way to establish a treatment plan (1). From this, you can decide the next step in helping the patient.
One of the best treatments is outpatient treatment, which is a scheduled treatment plan in which the patient receives help from a psychotherapist, a physician, and a dietitian (1). Some patients will only need therapy, depending on how severe the disorder is(1). The psychotherapy needed to treat anorexia can last as long as years (1). Antidepressant medications, such as fluoxetine, can also help with treating anorexia (1). Dietitians can be a great help in giving the patient a basic understanding of the nutrition their body needs (1). This dietary counseling is designed towards helping them change the nature of their eating behavior (1). If outpatient treatment is ineffective, patients may have to try day hospital treatments (1). These residential programs can be anywhere from three to eight hours each day (1). They provide therapies, sessions, and other interventions (1). This treatment is long term and generally for those who have been hospitalized several times, and never achieved physical or psychological stability (1).
There are also some prevention efforts that can be made to stop anorexia nervosa before it begins. The Oregon Research Institute created an eating disorder prevention plan that focused on minimizing social pressures (Novotney). This plan is based on the social psychology theory of cognitive dissonance (1). In the program, the women are asked to comment on the ideally thin standard of beauty (1). They go through a session of speaking, writing, and behavioral group excercises (1). In a study of 481 young women conducted by the institute, it was found that those who participated in the session had a 60 percent reduction in anorexia or other eating disorders compared to women who had no session (1). Eric Stice, a psychologist from the Oregon Research Institute, said, ¨It all boils down to one simple premise - that if you take a critical analysis of the thin ideal, you can talk yourself out of pursuing it.¨ (1) This program changes young women´s perspectives on body image and leads to a higher self-esteem, which eliminates the basis of anorexia.
Another way to prevent anorexia nervosa is by minimizing issues in the family (Bear). Often, intense attitudes about the importance of weight and appearance are communicated through the family (1). It is crucial that parents and sibling try to refrain from communicating these harmful attitudes (1). Low self-esteem and perfectionism are often results of interactions in the family (1). The family can take steps toward educating themselves on anorexia so they can understand and recognize the symptoms (1). The parents should examine their own opinions on weight and food, and be mindful that their opinions might become their child´s opinions (1). By trying to put less emphasis on weight and appearance, they will have put more emphasis on personality and intelligence (1).
Camus and Absurdity
The main idea of Albert Camus´ works was to question the meaning of existence (Aronson). In Camus´ mind, there was no purpose to life (1). He believed that the people who attempted to make sense of the world through religion were committing philosophical suicide (1). Camus said, ¨There is but one truly serious philosophical problem and that is suicide. Judging whether life is or is not worth living amounts to answering the fundamental question of philosophy.¨ (1) He thought that suicide was an absurd notion, and carrying on through life is what makes it worth living (1). Camus would probably view the anorexia epidemic as philosophical suicide as well. By willingly starving oneself and knowing that this will undoubtedly kill you is similar to committing physical and philosophical suicide. However, Camus does believe that suicide stems from living in such an absurd world (1). The world has become too much for the individual and there are too many things that are demanded of him or her (1). This relates to anorexia in that the person may feel like being thin is necessary to live comfortably in society.
Conclusion
Anorexia is an incredibly serious issue, and it will continue to be a problem without prevention efforts. The world needs to treat anorexia as an epidemic and rethink the messages sent through the media and the internet. If everyone became more aware of the symptoms and long-term effects of anorexia, it could be eliminated. Hopefully, in the future, there will be a better explanation for the cause of anorexia and a more effective treatment. However, for the time being, it would be best to reach out to prevention efforts and help those who are suffering from eating disorders. The world needs to realize that anorexia is, in fact, a ¨silent epidemic¨.
Works Cited
Anitei, Stefan. “The Way Anorexia Impacts the Others.” Softpedia, 9 Apr. 2008, news.softpedia.com/news/The-Way-Anorexia-Impacts-the-Others-82937.shtml.
“Anorexia: Signs, Symptoms, Causes and Articles For Treatment.” Eating Disorder Hope, www.eatingdisorderhope.com/information/anorexia.
Aronson, Ronald. “Albert Camus.” Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Stanford University, 10 Apr. 2017, plato.stanford.edu/entries/camus/.
Bear, Merryl. “Prevention of Eating Disorders.” Prevention of Eating Disorders, National Eating Disorder Intervention Centre (NEDIC), nedic.ca/prevention-eating-disorders.
Bordonaro, Bob. “Eating Disorders, A Silent Epidemic.” Walden Eating Disorders Treatment, The Salem News, Jan. 2015, www.waldeneatingdisorders.com/eating-disorders-a-silent-epidemic/.
Deans, Emily. “A History of Eating Disorders.” Psychology Today, Sussex Publishers, 11 Dec. 2011, www.psychologytoday.com/blog/evolutionary-psychiatry/201112/history-eating-disorders.
Hudson, James I., et al. “The Prevalence and Correlates of Eating Disorders in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication.” Biological Psychiatry, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 1 Feb. 2007, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1892232/.
Lawson, Carol. “ANOREXIA: IT'S NOT A NEW DISEASE.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 7 Dec. 1985, www.nytimes.com/1985/12/08/style/anorexia-it-s-not-a-new-disease.html.
Novotney, Amy. “New Solutions.” Monitor on Psychology, American Psychological Association, 2009, www.apa.org/monitor/2009/04/treatments.aspx.
Oberoi, Reshmi. “Anorexia Stripped Me of My Identity.” SELF, 29 Apr. 2016, www.self.com/story/anorexia-stripped-me-of-my-identity.
“Overshadowed Producer Kay Mellor Fears ‘Anorexia Epidemic'.” The Irish News, 1 Oct. 2017, www.irishnews.com/magazine/entertainment/2017/10/01/news/overshadowed-producer-kay-mellor-fears-anorexia-epidemic--1150719/.
“Treatment Options.” Academy for Eating Disorders, 2017, www.aedweb.org/learn/resources/treatment.
Wilson, Barbara J., and Sandra L. Calvert. The Handbook of Children, Media, and Development. Wiley-Blackwell, 2011.
“19 Things No One Tells You about Battling Anorexia.” BT.com, Oct. 2017, home.bt.com/lifestyle/health/health-concerns/19-things-no-one-tells-you-about-battling-anorexia-11363976901415.
Image A: Sir William Gull’s patient before and after anorexia treatment
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