Norah Judge
28 November 2017
HEng9- Klus, 6th hour
Nonfiction Book Outline
Wasted: A Memoir of Anorexia and Bulimia by Marya Hornbacher
Meta-thesis and It’s Development:
Eating disorders are not caused by a single source, such as control, but are due to an accumulation of factors including genetics, upbringing, culture, and personality.
• Marya, the author and main character of the book, didn’t have a specific source that she could pinpoint as what caused her to start exhibiting bulimic behaviors.
• “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)
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• Marya claimed to have had odd eating habits even as a small child. Her mother also had odd eating habits, she even said that she used to make herself throw up. Marya’s grandmother was also very aware of food intake. She told one of Marya’s cousins (who was healthy and skinny) that she shouldn’t eat as much because she’s starting to look fat. o Marya’s anorexia and bulimia was most likely partly genetic because members of her family had a history of eating disorders and weight consciousness.
• Many doctors look for family problems when trying to find the cause of bulimia or anorexia. Marya had many problems with her relationship with her parents. They definitely cared about her, but her mom and dad had problems between them which often ended up affecting the relationship between her parents and her. Marya often acted as the “buffer” between her father and mother. o Her doctors suspected that her family’s dynamic and her upbringing may have contributed to the eating
In the story “Sugar Days” by Taylor, Elma Rae’s and Lornie’s eating habits are a result of Dever’s accident. Two girls Elma Rae and Lornie have eating disorders from a past accident. First, the narrator was describing the two girls. “They made a strange pair, with Elma Rae so large, almost fat, and Lornie all bone. Elma Rae was fat because she ate so much, and Lornie didn’t eat at all. Second, Elma Rae just got a cupcake and offered Lornie a bite. “I’ll just watch you eat, she said. Elma Rae turned murmuring something under her breath about getting help.” Elma Rae would eat anything she could get her hands on and Lornie wouldn’t eat at all. Third, Elma Rae was remembering when Dever got crippled. “So he was crippled because she dared him, dared him right in front of the truck bearing down on them like a bad memory.” They both feel it is their fault that Dever was crippled. Elma Rae and Lornie have an eating disorder because they think they caused Dever’s accident.
Anorexia Nervosa has been a problematic disease many women suffer from. The article “The Slender Trap” was composed by Trina Rys who is a stay at home mother with a husband and one daughter. Rys writes the main reasons a woman may develop anorexia from. She states that the psychological pressures, expectations of friends and family and influences of the media all are factors when a woman is inflicted with the disease. I strongly agree with Rys persuading argument that anorexia could be caused by an unknown identity and the overall main focus of the ideal image of a woman. Although, I believe Rys requires a stronger argument on whether food restrictions executed by parents are a major step to developing the harmful illness. She seems to put emphasize on mainly women but does not shine any light on men.
This interview should consist of open-ended questions to make Sara feel she is able to express herself in a manner she sees fit. To help a client, a clinician needs to be able to create rapport with a patient and creating an open conversation for Sara to express herself will help her let go of the refrigerator and have someone to confide in. As well this interview should include questions about how Sara feels about herself personally, how she feels about her body image, experiences or trauma she may have had pertaining to her body image and size, and her perceptions on the importance of being “skinny”. This interview will be the last factor determining whether Sara has Bulimia Nervosa. Bulimia Nervosa is linked to psychosis so more questions would need to be asked to see if Sara feels as if she is mentally flawed and she blames others for her flaws (Miotto et al., 2010). A test of Sara’s DNA would also be helpful in this case. Sara states that she was always large, in a taller sense, but given her obsession with bingeing and purging and possible weight size that has not been revealed, a simple thyroid test could determine whether issues with weight are possibly thyroidal and/or from bad lifestyle habits such as overeating. Current research has been done on the link between genetics and Bulimia Nervosa. Lewin and Carter (2014), state that neurotrophic factors are a group of proteins that supplement the growth and
Her restrictive food intake through her diets impeded her from maintaining a healthy body weight. As a result, she was 85% less than her normal body weight. She also had an immense fear of gaining weight and recurred to purging and excessive exercise. Portia viewed herself to be “fat” even though she was already underweight due to her distorted point of view on body image and weight; all that mattered to her was to be thin. Despite having symptoms that could also diagnose her with bulimia nervosa, there was still no clear proof she fulfilled all the criteria for this disorder.
One possible factor is biology. A person might inherit a gene from their parents that predisposes them to a susceptibility to eating disorders. While that may not be enough on its own, it certainly starts that person off on the wrong foot and if combined with other factors it can lead to an eating disorder. For example, an individual could inherit a slow metabolism causing them to put on weight faster than others, which in turn could cause them to develop an eating disorder to counteract the weight gain.
It is that sense of perfection and control that leads too many women, teens, and even children to become anorexic. Obviously, Martha Stewart is not anorexic; while some may proclaim that she is fixated with food, most of her attention is really on decorating. Sheila was displayed a few minor symptoms of anorexia, although we ex-employees believe she was a frequent user of coke instead of dieting. I am not arguing that either of them is anorexic; instead, I want to explain how their obsessions can be linked to anorexia.
Shapiro, C. M. (2012). Eating disorders: Causes, diagnosis, and treatments [Ebrary version]. Retrieved from http://libproxy.utdallas.edu/login?url=http://site.ebrary.com/lib/utdallas/Doc?id=10683384&ppg=3
Eating Disorders." Current Issues: Macmillian Social Science Library. Detroit: Gale, 2010. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 20 Oct. 2015.
Terry Yarber, a single overweight mother of a sixteen year old and two adolescents, wipes away the salty tears from her pale face so that her daughter does not see the fear inside her. Weighing only ninety one pounds, strapped to a hospital bed with a tube down her throat is a girl named Sherie. Sherie thinks the thought of food is repulsive. For instance, she doesn't bother to count calories, carbohydrates, or watch out for bad fat or good fat. Sherie does not bother to eat at all. The most she has had to eat in the last three days are two baby carrots, one slice of low carbohydrate bread, and one leaf of lettuce. While Ms. Yarber sits next to her daughter, she try's to look in to her deep blue crystal eyes but all she sees is a hallow glaze staring back at her. She tells Sherie the news that was just given to her by the doctor. "Unfortunately, she is isn't letting her body get the kind of nutrients it needs. If she does not start eating she will die a painful death. In fact, she is starving herself" said Dr. Roth. Teenage anorexia is a simple diet that has become an obsession. That person concentrates extraordinary energy on the diet, which can become more important, then anyone or anything else in the world. (Sacker 10)
Recently, a great amount of psychological literature has focused on finding biological and genetic causes of mental illnesses and disorders, including eating disorders. However, according to recent twin studies, the heritability component of eating disorders may only account for 0% to 70% of the variance (Fairburn, Cowen, & Harrison, 1999). The leaves an ample amount of room for speculation of possible environmental risk factors for eating disorders. In this paper, I wish to examine one possible environmental risk that has received attention since the mid-80’s. Since that time, researchers have searched to determine the relationship between childhood sexual abuse, or trauma in general, and the development of eating disorders.
Mazzeo, Suzanne E., and Cynthia M. Bulik. "Environmental and genetic risk factors for eating disorders: What the clinician needs to know."
Marya Hornbacher was born on April 4th, 1974, her parents were well-known actors and directors in Walnut Creek, California. She led a chaotic childhood, consisting of a major move to Minnesota, an anxiety disorder, and most of all, perfectionism everywhere she turned, “I always felt there was an expectation that I would do one of two things: be great at something, or go crazy and become a total failure. There is no middle ground where I come from,” (Hornbacher, 281). Marya developed bulimia when she was nine years old, and when she moved away to attending boarding school at fifteen, she became anorexic. Her parents saw it as a phase and Marya did not go into treatment for another seven years, since then, she has had several relapses. Marya wrote her ...
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.
There are many reasons that can contribute to the cause of eating disorders. One of the main reasons seems to be the obsession over every little pound a person is wearing. Sometimes low self-esteem or depression from any number of causes can usher in the eating disorder. Other times compulsive exercising can help shed the pounds but leave the enthused unhealthy looking.
In a society that discriminates against people, particularly women, who do not look slender, many people find they cannot - or think they cannot - meet society's standards through normal, healthy eating habits and often fall victim to eating disorders. Bulimia Nervosa, an example of an eating disorder that is characterized by a cycle of binge eating and purging, has become very common in our society. Although it generally affects women, men too are now coming to clinics with this kind of disease. This is not a new disorder. It can be brought on by a complex interplay of factors, which may include emotional, and personality disorders, family pressures, a possible genetic or biologic susceptibility, and a culture in which there is an overabundance of food and an obsession with thinness. Common signs of this problem are pre-occupation with the body, a need for control and perfection, difficult interpersonal relationships, and a low self-esteem. It seems that irrespective of the initial triggers, bulimia can become a rigid pattern, which is difficult to change. The purpose of this paper is to reason out why bulimia is detrimental to our society. It focuses on its bad effect to the health of an individual and to the society. Perhaps you do not have this kind of eating disorder but you are definitely affected by it.