The people of the 21st Century have grown apathetic to people’s mental disorders as long as it does not affect them. That is the case with eating disorders. In her article “The Secret Society of the Starving,” Mimi Udovitch effectively justifies the significance of eating disorders, she uses the lives of three girls and the effect eating disorders have had in their life. She argues that eating disorders tend to come with another mental disorder that can make an eating disorder worst. The harmful and many times irreversible effects eating disorders can have on a person. Eating disorders are difficult to quit without help. And how the biggest factor that contributes to an eating disorder is low self-esteem. Udovitch discusses how eating disorders could be accompanied by other disorders that can aggrandize the danger of an eating disorder. Udovitch talks about how many of the people with an eating disorder have O.C.D. one of the girls she interviews takes it to the extreme, Udovitch says, “Chaos, like Clairegirl, is obsessive-compulsive about a certain number (which it would freak her out to see printed), and when she takes laxatives she either has to take …show more content…
Udovitch says, “But you can't ever really say that ana isn't a form of self-hatred, even though I try to say that. If I was truthfully happy with myself, then I would allow myself to eat. But I don't. And it's kind of like a strive for perfection, and for making myself better.” (Udovitch 11) Providing this piece of information is important because it is letting the reader know that the people with an eating disorder do not like how they look, so they are trying to achieve what is perfect in their mind. What people think is perfect in their mind, is what society thinks is perfect, so society has some fault in eating disorders as well, so just like society cause eating disorders, they should help those afflicted with
However, these views don’t take social process into consideration. Therefore, they organized a self-help group for bulimics and anorexics known as BANISH in order to determine what societal aspects cause these disorders. The author’s group consisted mostly of college age females which is significant because this is group primarily affected by these disorders. Interestingly, the backgrounds of the women in the BANISH group are strikingly similar in that they are excellent students, good children who have very close parental relationships, from “functional” families - all having been brought up with an emphasis on thin physical appearance. The authors also allude to the fact that in today’s society, slimness is considered attractive and most worthy, while being overweight is viewed as both morally and physically wrong. Society labels heavy people as “lazy, obscene, and unhealthy”. (244) It is noted that when members of the group lost weight, they reported feeling more accepted and
These cases, along with the Junkie case (Joe), were the only cases that showed significant physical consequences, such as headaches, loss of tooth enamel, feeling fatigue, and possibly leading to terminal illness. Mrs. B’s and Thin Tim’s cases were the only cases where the clients’ intrusive thoughts caused them to avoid a behavior (Mrs. B avoiding sexual intercourse with her husband for fear of disapproval from family or being a “tramp” and Tim’s obsessive cleanliness causing him to avoid social activities at friends’ homes because they are “dirty”). Joe, Wanda, and Tomas all seemed to engage in behaviors despite being aware of the physical and financial consequences. The last difference we believe is important to mention is that Tim is the only client who has significant and obvious signs of a comorbid disorder. According to https://iocdf.org/expert-opinions/expert-opinion-eating-disorders-and-ocd/ eating disorders fall on the OCD spectrum. This is actually quite challenging for clinicians, since they may struggle to diagnose and treat OCD in a client who is in need of treatment for a diagnosed eating
The National Institute of Mental Health: Eating Disorders: Facts About Eating Disorders and the Search for Solutions. Pub No. 01-4901. Accessed Feb. 2002.
The author’s intended audience is most likely to people who are experiencing the disorder or are interested in knowing more about eating disorders. When Lia was admitted to New Seasons, her rehabilitation facility, she relates her experience to someone who has gone through the struggles in that kind of facility. Lia was expected to be “a good girl [by not poking holes] or write depressing poetry and [eat and eat]” (Anderson 18). Her struggles in the facility allowed the audience who experienced this disorder to relate their experiences. In addition, people who choose to starve...
“Eating disorders are ‘about’: yes, control, and history, philosophy, society, personal strangeness, family fuck-ups, autoerotics, myth, mirrors, love and death and S&M, magazines and religion, the individual’s blindfolded stumble-walk through an ever-stranger world.” (Hornbacher, 4)
Kidney failure, heart problems, spleen dysfunction, bone and muscle loss, and finally death; these are only a couple of the deadly effects associated with anorexia and bulimia. As Mim Udovitch states, “About one in 200 American women suffers from anorexia; two or three in 100 suffer from bulimia.” (Udovitch 557) Through the combined works of Mim Udovitch and Lisa D. Galynker, the message was made clear and both sides of eating disorders were argued. In A Secret Society of the Starving Udovitch keeps a tone of anti pro-ana (against pro-anorexia) throughout the entire story. She repeatedly talks about pro-ana websites and how ridiculous and crazy they are. Udovitch is very persuasive with her choices of words and personal interviews. According to Galynker, Udovitch has a “dispassionate description of the girls and the “pro-ana” Web sites.” (Galynker 564) While Udovitch takes a reporter’s view upon the subject, Galynker takes the view of a trained medical Psychologist. Although Galynker and Udovitch discuss the same subject, their views and opinions are entirely opposed throughout the entire essay.
Eating Disorders (EDs) are a series of often life-threatening mental health disorders which are commonly used as coping mechanisms or as ways to mask one’s problems. The causes of these illnesses are still being researched, and the effects they have on a person’s physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing can often be as long as the sufferer’s life.
Leave me alone! It's a phrase often times used by teenagers around the world. During teenage years, many people fight to be left alone. They find comfort in being without the company of others. Many of them grow out of it and learn to deal with social interaction in a positive way. But some of them, don't. Instead they alienate themselves from society further. “The Hunger Artist”, by Franz Kafka, and “The Secret Society Of The Starving”, by Mim Udovitch feature the few people that prefer to stay in isolation. They illustrate the true extent that many are willing to go to be alone. They supplement each other. “ The Hunger Artist” helps us to see how far Anas, otherwise known as anorexics, are willing to go to stay isolated from a community that is their own.
Hoek, Hans Wijbrand, and Daphne Van Hoeken. "Review of the Prevalence and Incidence of Eating Disorders." International Journal of Eating Disorders 34.4 (2003): 383-96. Print.
Eating disorders are described as an illness involving eating habits that are irregular and an extreme concern with body image or weight. Eating disorders tend to appear during teenage years, but can develop at any age. Although more common in women, eating disorders can affect any age, gender or race. In the United States, over 20 million women and 10 million men are personally affected by eating disorders. There are many different causes of eating disorders such as low self esteem, societal pressures, sexual abuse and the victims perception of food. Eating disorders are unique to the sufferer and often, their perception of themselves is so skewed, they may not be aware they have an eating disorder. Media, for quite some time now, has played a significant part in eating disorders. Magazines with headlines ‘Summer Body’, or ‘Drop LB’s Fast!’ attract the attention of girls who may be insecure with themselves. Television productions such as the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show or American’s Next Top Model, show airbrushed and photoshopped women who have body types that may be unachievable. Those who are suffering from eating disorders can suffer dangerous consequences, and it is important to seek help.
An eating disorder is characterized when eating, exercise and body image become an obsession that preoccupies someone’s life. There are a variety of eating disorders that can affect a person and are associated with different characteristics and causes. Most cases can be linked to low self esteem and an attempt to, “deal with underlying psychological issues through an unhealthy relationship with food” (“Eating Disorders and Adolescence,” 2013). Eating disorders typically develop during adolescence or early adulthood, with females being most vulner...
Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness; 24 million people of all ages and genders suffer from eating disorders and only 1 in 10 of those 24 million are treated (ANAD). Eating disorders do not discriminate; all ages, genders, ethnicities and races can be victim to this mental illness. It’s important to be aware of the impact eating disorders have on societies across the globe and how the media plays a role if we want to fight the source and promote prevention and/or rehabilitation. I’ve known many people in my life who have some sort of eating disorder, whether it’s anorexia(not eating enough), binge eating(eating large amounts of food rapidly), bulimia (throwing up their food) or just struggling with an unsatisfying self-image. Becoming aware of eating disorders and how they are developed is important to me because in a perfect world, I would like to see this illness become less common or diminished completely among those that I love and anyone else in today’s society. Eating disorders hit home for many people, including myself. Raising awareness may decrease the rate of eating disorders by informing the population of the harm this illness causes and hopefully promote prevention and/or rehabilitation. With the 3 theoretical approaches used by sociologists, Eating disorders can be understood which will better inform society on how to raise awareness, prevent this illness and help those who suffer from eating disorders.
"ANAD." Eating Disorders Statistics « « National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Apr. 2014.
Eating disorders can be altered by many things including bullying. One way that an eating disorder can come about into someone's life if is low self-esteem. Negative body images can make someone want to become skinnier. When someone has a low self-esteem it means a person who has a very low image of themselves. They think that they are nothing and aren’t worthy of life. When someone thinks this they could exercise excessively thinking that it will make them skinnier.
Although, the media promotes this outlook on self image, it seems. as if it tries to correct the “negative images” by making people aware of the dangers of them. They do this by creating after-school specials that expose the risks and dangers involved in eating disorders. Ironically, while writing this paper, I happened to view a program called “Mysteries”. and Scandals”, on the TV network E!.