In the film, To the Bone, a 20-year-old woman named Ellen suffers from an eating disorder known as anorexia nervosa. Throughout the film, viewers are able to observe the difficult journey the main character faces as she battles her way through rehab. According to the American Psychological Association, anorexia nervosa is a serious type of eating disorder in which individuals believe they are fat even when they are dangerously thin and restrict their eating to the point of starvation. Anorexia nervosa is further characterized by two subtypes: those which include the restricting type and the binge-eating/purging type. Ellen, the protagonist, has the restricting type of anorexia nervosa in which an individual’s low weight is maintained via fasting, …show more content…
As stated in the International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, “substantial weight loss can lead to hormonal changes, including reduced levels of luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone, often resulting in anovulation or amenorrhea”. In a longigitidunal study, “Fertility and prenatal attitude toward pregnancy in women with eating disorders,” it has been determined that lifetime eating disorders are correlated with fertility problems, unplanned pregnancies, and negative attitudes to pregnancy. The film accurately presents a character’s storyline of what motherhood is like with an eating …show more content…
In addition, in a scene at dinnertime, Megan comments that because of the pregnancy, “…at least she knows things are working down there,” which refers to the fact that eating disorders can cause women to stop menstruating. However, as the film progresses, Megan’s attitude toward her pregnancy surprisingly changes and she becomes enthusiastic. She even tells Ellen that she is looking forward to thinking about “someone other than herself.” Unfortunately, Megan experiences a miscarriage due to her purging. In addition, in a later scene, Ellen says to her therapist, how Ellen knew Megan’s baby “was never going to make it,” making a negative remark towards Megan’s pregnancy. Moreover, the main focus of a person who suffers from an eating disorder relies upon what they eat, how they look, and what the scale says. According to an article in a journal on “Emotion in Eating Disorders,” emotions have been a form of neglect when it comes to the serious topic of eating disorders. This neglect represents the lack of emotions and attachment styles shown by those with an eating disorder and how it contributes to their
In Andre Dubus’ The Fat Girl, Louise is a young adolescent with detrimental eating habits and broken self-esteem. Her lack of self-confidence stems from her atrocious emotional habitat. Louise receives constant criticism from her mother regarding her weight. Her mother states “If you are fat the boys won’t like you.” That kind of ridicule being said by a mother to her 9 year old daughter creates an atmosphere of self-hatred and self-loathing. It is not only her familial environment that contributes so greatly to Louise’s destructive behavior. She has few friends and the one’s she does have agree she needs to change. The society in which she lives also is a contributing factor; the society is laden with stigmas positioned on appearance. That manner of daily ridicule only introverts Louise even more, causing her secretive, binge eating to deteriorate. In research conducted by Ursula Polli-Potts PhD, Links between Psychological Symptoms and Disordered Eating behaviors in Obese Youths, she explains the correlation between psychological, emotional factors and eating disorders in overweight adolescents. Potts states, “The association between binge eating symptoms and eating in response to feelings of distress and sadness with depression/anxiety symptoms corresponds with the results of other studies.” Potts and her colleagues took overweight adolescents and placed them into control and variable groups to ensure correct data. The outcome of their research was that there is a direct correlation with emotional binge eating and psychological factors. Although more extensive research needs to be implemented, Potts and associates were pleased with the results of the case studies.
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.
The documentary Thin focuses on women who suffer from eating disorders in a treatment facility. Currently not many women are educated on the problems they may face when they have an eating disorder. Not only do women themselves understand what is happening to them, the people around them fail to understand why they may have these problems. Throughout the film we are able to focus closely on some of the patients more closely. The patients the film allows us to see closely are Polly, Alisa, Shelly and Brittany. These ladies are all of different ages and are all at different points in treatment.
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...
“Anorexia Nervosa, AN, the most visible eating disorder, is a serious psychiatric illness characterized by an inability to maintain a normal body weight or, in individuals still growing, failure to make expected increases in weight (and often height) and bone density.” (cite textbook) The behaviors and cognitions of individuals with AN adamantly defend low body weight.
“Fighting Anorexia” and “cookie monster” are two different articles based on research by some group of psychiatrists that focuses on eating disorder, which in psychology is referred to as a mental illness. Anorexia nervosa is a mental condition that describes a person’s obsession with food and the acute anxiety over weight gain (Newsweek cover, 2005). This disorder is categorized by an individual’s phobia on what to eat and what not to eat; as a result, the person begins to starve his or her self just to avoid adding more weight. The article published on the “Cookie Monster” expatiate on a research that describes how food is being used by some individuals to change their mood (McCarthy, 2001). This research shows that individuals especially college students try to subdue their emotions through the use of sweets and cookies. To further understand of these two experimental research in both articles, some important questions will be answered below.
“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)
Out of all mental illnesses found throughout the world, eating disorders have the highest mortality rate. Anorexia nervosa is one of the more common eating disorders found in society, along with bulimia nervosa. Despite having many definitions, anorexia nervosa is simply defined as the refusal to maintain a normal body weight (Michel, 2003). Anorexia nervosa is derived from two Latin words meaning “nervous inability to eat” (Frey, 2002). Although anorexics, those suffering from anorexia, have this “nervous inability to eat,” it does not mean that they do not have an appetite—anorexics literally starve themselves. They feel that they cannot trust or believe their perceptions of hunger and satiation (Abraham, 2008). Anorexics lose at least 15 percent of normal weight for height (Michel, 2003). This amount of weight loss is significant enough to cause malnutrition with impairment of normal bodily functions and rational thinking (Lucas, 2004). Anorexics have an unrealistic view of their bodies—they believe that they are overweight, even if the mirror and friends or family say otherwise. They often weigh themselves because they possess an irrational fear of gaining weight or becoming obese (Abraham, 2008). Many anorexics derive their own self-esteem and self-worth from body weight, size, and shape (“Body Image and Disordered Eating,” 2000). Obsession with becoming increasingly thinner and limiting food intake compromises the health of individuals suffering from anorexia. No matter the amount of weight they lose or how much their health is in jeopardy, anorexics will never be satisfied with their body and will continue to lose more weight.
The DSM-IV outlines four criteria for anorexia nervosa (APA, 1994). One, a refusal to maintain body weight over a minimal normal weight for age and height (i.e., weight loss leading to maintenance of body weight less than 85% of that expected). Two, an intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat, even though underweight. Three, a disturbance in the way in which one’s body weight, size, or shape is experienced (i.e., denial of the seriousness of current low body weight, or undue influence of body shape and weight on self-evaluation). Four, in post-menarcheal, amenorrhea (the absence of at least three consecutive menstrual cycles). Two types of anorexia nervosa are defined. The binge eating/purging subtype means that the individual engages in recurrent ep...
Steiner-Adair, C. (1986). The body politic: normal female adolescent development and the development of eating disorders. Journal of the American Academy of Psychoanalysis, 4(1), 95-114.
There are many more reasons to developing an eating disorder other than the media. After looking at the affects of media and how researchers explore the concept of development: we will now focus on the other key opponents to the development. Ultimately, if a person’s life situation, environment, and/or genetics leave them open to an Eating ...
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...
Anorexia nervosa, often referred to simply as anorexia, is an eating disorder characterized by low weight, fear of gaining weight, and a strong desire to be thin, resulting in food restriction. Many people with anorexia see themselves as overweight even though they are in fact underweight.
Theorists in Du Pré’s book mentions pathologizing the human body which is “making natural functions seem weird and unnatural” (Du Pré, 2017). Teenagers are susceptible to this because they are undergoing puberty and experiencing changes in their bodies. They are also extremely susceptible to peer and societal views on physical appearances. According to the National Eating Disorders Association in the book, 30 million Americans will experience an eating disorder and two-thirds of the total are made up of females (Du Pré, 2017). The movie’s main point is about body images and how those suffering eating disorders usually deal with it. In the beginning, Ellen believes that she is fine and healthy even though she is undergoing anorexia. However during her family session with Dr. Beckham and convincing of her sister, she decides to try harder during her treatment to get better while still feeding into her mental addiction of anorexia. During the movie, she still suffers from body image issues supported by her ritual which was wrapping her fingers around her upper arm. It did not make a complete circle until near the end during her uncontrollable downhill spiral after the incident with Megan and Luke. At the end of the movie when she swallows the coal in her dream, she realizes that she is truly sick and accepts that the group home is the only way for her to get better and healthier (Curtis et al,
Trampling over all other mental illnesses with their mortality rates, eating disorders like anorexia nervosa devour their victims (ANAD). It is a psychological disorder which causes people to have irrational fears about their weight and appearance. Most people assume that anorexia is a deadly mental illness, but that is not true. Anorexia is simply the natural loss of appetite, and does not cause an unhealthy desire to lose weight. Anorexia nervosa is the dangerous eating disorder that causes people to starve themselves. Skinny is promoted in the 21st century, and that is why anorexia nervosa has become even worse in the last decade (“The History of Anorexia Nervosa and Other Eating Disorders”). Making matters worse,