Eating Disorders: Cause, Rate, and Recovery

Starvation is one of the most painful experiences for the human body. Starvation brought on by the self as an effort to achieve a certain image can only be defined as a mental disease and that is exactly what occurs in eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia. Anorexics are defined as those who restrict their eating and lose at least 1/3 of their body weight. Bulimics are those who binge and/or purge food frequently. Eating disorders are the most lethal of all mental illnesses. These diseases are not simple diets or frequent crash dieting (although those may be symptoms) but psychological disorders that go way beyond the calorie counting and weight loss. Eating disorders can start out slow, usually as a diet to lose a few pounds or as an effort to be healthier, but can spiral out of control.
Anorexia had been documented since the 1890’s, and is more than just a social pressure to be thin. Cultural influences are not the only cause of the disorder and studies have shown that genetic causes may be at play here. In history, the very first case of what seems to be symptoms of anorexia appeared in the 12th century in Saint Catherine of Siena who denied food to herself for spiritual purposes. Since then, many cases have popped up from the 17th century onwards. The history of this disease, which is the main cause of death in women 15-20 in the United States, shows that it goes far beyond the influences of high fashion magazines. Bulimia had been dated all the way back to the Middle Ages with the upper-class vomiting during meals so that they could consume more food.
There are other types of eating disorders besides Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa such as Binge-Eating Disorder and the two newest disorders, Orthorexia and EDNO...

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...h efforts are being made to ban these websites, the damage may have already been done. The recent obsession with the “thigh gap” shows social media’s influence on teens and body image and has caused many girls to resort to extreme dieting to achieve the new cool look. Thankfully, many social networks have taken down pictures and posts tagged with such images but there is really so much one can do to fight against one of the most powerful mental diseases. Anorexia, Bulimia, Orthorexia, Binge-Eating and EDNOS are still a part of not only western culture but the world and may remain so for decades to come. But with powerful strides forward society must strive to eradicate the diseases that have killed off so many of our women. The fact that girls are literally starving themselves to feel better is an epidemic that must be controlled, before it claims any more victims.