A Disease Unlike Any Other
While one can say that those with EDNOS and Bulimia share some traits in common, this is not the case with anorexia. Anorexics tend to be more isolated and anti-social than people with other eating disorders. "Anorexics can be recognized as different, with a particular and unique own status in relation to the other subgroups (Bulimia and EDNOS)" (Guinzbourg 38). The disease itself is isolated to one particular ethnicity in our society the majority of the time as well--we often think that people of color do not exhibit symptoms of Anorexia Nervosa. Moreover, we assume that people of color are more susceptible to binge eating and bulimia because the ideal in most ethnicities outside of Caucasian is not the thin ideal. Referring to a 30-year-old black woman in a study researchers found out that there were many people of color who did in fact have Anorexia Nervosa; "She forced herself to do aerobics until she was exhausted, usually after 2 hr of exercise" (Hoek & Willemsen 353). The disease is also a sort of subconscious love affair. Oftentimes people who have anorexia name their disease something; typically the word for this is "Ana". They refer to the disease in this manner as a way to cope with the disease and have "someone" to turn to if they feel hungry, sick, or anxious. |
It's Just Me and Ana
Unlike other eating disorders, Anorexia often leaves a person to turn inward. The disease becomes the person and tends to take over. Once the person is fully aware of the disease and finds a name for this disease, they lose a lot of social ties, avoid family, and at worst become agoraphobic. The food is not the issue, it is the disease and the psychological factors that dominate. The food is something Anorexics focus highly on and become obsessive about. Anorexics are very consistent about counting calories and doing things alone--especially when food is involved. When an anorexic is around social ties they exhibit a sense of distorted thinking and get angry when people tell them they are too thin and even if people say things like "You look so great now that you lost the weight." The distortion comes from the disease. Anorexics will literally look into a mirror and see the exact opposite of what the society around them sees. They see this whole other person; much larger and unattractive. The trick is to get the person out of the disease by using methods like cognitive behavioral therapy. CBT regulates moods and emotions and brings a person back to a rational state over time. It has been my personal experience that to distance yourself from the words "MY" eating disorder or calling it by a name produces much success as a start. The feeling of worthiness needs to be built back up and self-esteem needs a new foundation in which to build from. **Please refer to "Thinspiration" by Laci Green under Video Clips in order to learn more about "Ana" spreading across the internet and encouraging people with the pre-existing disease to get worse because of this. |
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