A Brief Note On Anorexia And Bulimia Nervosa - 1561 Words

In today s western society, an abundance of factors contribute to the way one thinks and feels about themselves physically, and essentially how one would act upon this. All over the world, messages and images of skinny women are engrossing people s lives, leaving negative and long-lasting affects behind. Current beliefs of western culture suggest one must obtain a perfect, which has become analogous to thin, physique in order to achieve happiness and success, causing many young women to feel negatively about themselves and potentially leading to dangerous eating disorders. Certain factors and beliefs of western culture, including the obsession with thinness, influence of the media, and society s backlash against feminism, all play a†¦show more content†¦Furthermore, those suffering from eating disorders experience restricted daily life activities. These eating disorders should not be ignored as it is evident that they are malicious and can take over one s life. It does no t help that standards of beauty are depicted as anorexic, making it difficult for the victim to recognize and overcome their illness. There is no one factor that is responsible for eating disorders, but rather several. A loss of self identity, poor self esteem, perfectionism, maturity fears, personality, genetics, and family dynamics are all factors that can play a role in contributing to these disorders(Lackstrom, 2014). Whether one feels as if they are always dependent on someone, has a failure to form an identity, or possesses a need for being perfect, this can lead to an eating disorder. It is these factors, alone or in combination, influenced by western culture that can shape an individual s vulnerability or predisposition to such illnesses. Eating disorders affect people of all races, classes, sexes, and ages. However, the vast majority of those affected are young women. Anorexia and bulimia commonly begin during adolescence or young adulthood, rarely affecting women over the age of forty. As stated in the Diagnosis and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders(DSM), there is an an approximately 10:1 female-to-male ratio, of those affected with