Eating Disorders
Grant Jorgensen
Honors english 10
Self-Made, Not Made in China
Throughout modern history, the unrealistic standard for the female body has been nearly impossible to obtain. As Doctor Joel Yage puts it, “Every society has a way of torturing its women, whether it is binding their feet or by sticking them into whalebone corsets. What our society has come up with is designer Jeans” (qtd. in Derrenne and Beresin). People in a higher socioeconomic status are far more likely to be able to match such standards. Women are willing to go through excruciating pain and sacrifice their own comfort just to achieve the unrealistic body image that has been created. Eating disorders are one way for women to achieve such standards. Eating disorders among young women have become more prevalent due to the increase in the media’s involvement in portraying the “perfect” female body image.
Once an eating disorder has begun, it can generate a domino effect on one’s life, both physically and emotionally (Perfect Illusions: What Causes). Physiological and emotional disorders such as Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa and also Binge Eating can all be classified as eating disorders. Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder in which one starves oneself to lose excessive weight. Anorexia can be fatal, socially and psychologically (Perfect Illusions: Anorexia Nervosa). Bulimia is an emotional “weight control” disorder characterized by episodes of binge eating, followed by purging or restriction from food (Perfect Illusions: Bulimia). Anorexia and Bulimia are linked with the attainment of thinness (Harrison). The third most recognized eating disorder, Binge Eating, is the consumption of unusually large amounts of food in a short period of time (Perfect Illusions: Binge Eating). The binge-purge process is usually followed by self-deprecating thoughts such as depression and the awareness that the eating disorder is abnormal and out of control (Perfect Illusions: Bulimia). Anorexia, Bulimia, and
Honors english 10
Self-Made, Not Made in China
Throughout modern history, the unrealistic standard for the female body has been nearly impossible to obtain. As Doctor Joel Yage puts it, “Every society has a way of torturing its women, whether it is binding their feet or by sticking them into whalebone corsets. What our society has come up with is designer Jeans” (qtd. in Derrenne and Beresin). People in a higher socioeconomic status are far more likely to be able to match such standards. Women are willing to go through excruciating pain and sacrifice their own comfort just to achieve the unrealistic body image that has been created. Eating disorders are one way for women to achieve such standards. Eating disorders among young women have become more prevalent due to the increase in the media’s involvement in portraying the “perfect” female body image.
Once an eating disorder has begun, it can generate a domino effect on one’s life, both physically and emotionally (Perfect Illusions: What Causes). Physiological and emotional disorders such as Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa and also Binge Eating can all be classified as eating disorders. Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder in which one starves oneself to lose excessive weight. Anorexia can be fatal, socially and psychologically (Perfect Illusions: Anorexia Nervosa). Bulimia is an emotional “weight control” disorder characterized by episodes of binge eating, followed by purging or restriction from food (Perfect Illusions: Bulimia). Anorexia and Bulimia are linked with the attainment of thinness (Harrison). The third most recognized eating disorder, Binge Eating, is the consumption of unusually large amounts of food in a short period of time (Perfect Illusions: Binge Eating). The binge-purge process is usually followed by self-deprecating thoughts such as depression and the awareness that the eating disorder is abnormal and out of control (Perfect Illusions: Bulimia). Anorexia, Bulimia, and
Cited: “Eating Disorders and the Family”. Perfect Illusions: Anorexia Nervosa. PBS. KCTS-TV. 2003. 18 DEC 2011. . “Eating Disorders and the Family”. Perfect Illusions: Binge Eating Disorders. PBS. KCTS-TV. 2003. 18 DEC 2011. . “Eating Disorders and the Family”. Perfect Illusions: Bulimia Nervosa. PBS. KCTS-TV. 2003. 18 DEC 2011. . “Eating Disorders and the Family”. Perfect Illusions: Facts. PBS. KCTS-TV. 2003. 18 DEC 2011. . “Eating Disorders and the Family”. Perfect Illusions: What Causes Eating Disorders. PBS. KCTS-TV. 2003. 18 DEC 2011. . Eating Disorders and the Media: Media Influence on Eating Disorders. 2007. The Something Fishy Website on Eating Disorders. 18 DEC 2011. .