Anorexia - Vanity or genuine?

[Ori]

I believe it is a genuine disease, though I used to believe it was just vanity.

 

[Melody]

As with most eating disorders, it's a disease and has less to do with weight and food and more to do with "control". Anorexics use their control over their body and food as a way of dealing with either an over controlling parent ("You may be able to tell me what to do, but you can't make me eat.") or possibly a "chaotic or emotionally painful" life.

 

[michel]

As with most eating disorders, it's a disease and has less to do with weight and food and more to do with "control". Anorexics use their control over their body and food as a way of dealing with either an over controlling parent ("You may be able to tell me what to do, but you can't make me eat.") or possibly a "chaotic or emotionally painful" life.

Quite right Melody; the strange thing is that anorexics and bulemics have always been around - without the label - My mother used to twell me how her mother used to go and 'dispose upwardly' of any food she had eaten, because she wanted to keep her figure!

 

[evearael]

In my case, it certainly wasn't vanity... though I would hesitate to call it a disease as well. I became anorexic during the four years I was repeatedly sexually assaulted and raped because I wanted to disappear. I only recovered after escaping my tormentor and attaining a healthy sense of my own self-worth.

 

[ladyhawke]

Its a disease as far as i'm concerned, but it does start with someone wanting control where that feel they may not have any in their life.The most disturbing thing about anorexia i think is the rise of Pro Ana...these web sites promote anorexia as a lifestyle choice not something that can ultimately kill you...

The link below shows all about Pro Ana site..PLEASE PLEASE be aware there are VERY disturbing pictures on here but this is what is available as a LIFESTYLE choice

http://www.btinternet.com/~virtuous/planetgrrlbabe/babearticles/wasting_away_on_the_web.htm

I have signed numerus petitions to get these sites removed hopefully one day soon it will happen.

 

[angellous_evangellous]

In my case, it certainly wasn't vanity... though I would hesitate to call it a disease as well. I became anorexic during the four years I was repeatedly sexually assaulted and raped because I wanted to disappear. I only recovered after escaping my tormentor and attaining a healthy sense of my own self-worth.

Sounds like a disease to me. Diseases can have a variety of causes.

 

[jamaesi]

It's a disorder. It's not a lifestyle, it's a form of self-multilation- 10% of the people who have eating disorders die and those who survive suffer lots of damages to organs and the body systems. The boys and girls who have it need support and understanding, not people who have no idea what it's like to have something like this pass judgement on them. I also think it's terrible how the boys who have eating disorders are treated- their problems are just a valid as the girls who have them.

I also think that, aside from the mental, genetic, and physical causes for eating disorders, society does lead to a lot of eating disorders- models in magazines are nowhere near an healthy weight or an average body shape. These unhealthy looking and very thin people are shown in advertising and media everywhere. Women who are bone-thin and males who are just bulging with muscles are not average looks.

( I also find it interesting that the average model in Cosmo and the average model in Playboy are vastly different, the ones in the latter are far closer to an average body than the ones in the former... It's sad how women are told to look how men/other women actually don't desire women. Women are supposed to have curves and bum and thighs, those are signs of fertility and that's what's supposed to attract a mate.)