3/25/07
Anorexia: Who Are We To Blame?
Author: Matthew Wagner
More and more anorexia sufferers are appearing each day. Should we blame ourselves for creating a society in which anorexia seems necessary for a young person? When a teen begins to suffer from anorexia nervosa, it is never just a quick onset but rather there are always conditions that lead the anorexia sufferer to believe he/she can't be good enough, which ultimately leads to anorexia. These conditions come from every single aspect of the sufferer's life.
The main cause cited for anorexia among teens is the media. Many media images portray individuals as being extremely thin. This image is very prevalent in the media, and may create the delusion in young people that this is how they were meant to be. Lots of people are naturally heavier during their younger years. When an anorexia sufferer looks at his or herself in the mirror and compares this image with the magazines and TV ads that they are constantly bombarded with, it can seem like there is a huge discrepancy. This makes it harder for anorexia sufferers to feel good about their self-image.
Although the perfect image created by society is not really what a person should look like, this always needs to be made clear to anorexia sufferers. Models in magazines are usually modified by computer programs, and they (the models) don't even look like their pictures in the magazine. It is a very unfortunate double-sided standard that society had drawn up which is endangering the health of young people in the form of eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia.
Many anorexia sufferers can also be affected by their peers. At a young age teens can be extremely cruel in their teasing. A few insults expressed by another teenager could leave the other teen completely crushed, particularly the anorexia sufferer, focusing on the negative comment. It is unfortunate that teens can be affected so much by the thoughts or comments of a peer, but it is a fact. It is critical that everyone in the anorexia sufferer's life be supportive, not just family, but peers as well.
An anorexia sufferer needs to get help as quickly as possible. This means that if someone suspects anorexia he or she should immediately arrange an appointment with a mental health professional. In particular the anorexia sufferer should attempt to find a professional who deals with anorexia and in particular uses Cognitive Behavioral therapy (CBT). CBT is thought to be the most effective treatment for anorexia.
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Author: Matthew Wagner
More and more anorexia sufferers are appearing each day. Should we blame ourselves for creating a society in which anorexia seems necessary for a young person? When a teen begins to suffer from anorexia nervosa, it is never just a quick onset but rather there are always conditions that lead the anorexia sufferer to believe he/she can't be good enough, which ultimately leads to anorexia. These conditions come from every single aspect of the sufferer's life.
The main cause cited for anorexia among teens is the media. Many media images portray individuals as being extremely thin. This image is very prevalent in the media, and may create the delusion in young people that this is how they were meant to be. Lots of people are naturally heavier during their younger years. When an anorexia sufferer looks at his or herself in the mirror and compares this image with the magazines and TV ads that they are constantly bombarded with, it can seem like there is a huge discrepancy. This makes it harder for anorexia sufferers to feel good about their self-image.
Although the perfect image created by society is not really what a person should look like, this always needs to be made clear to anorexia sufferers. Models in magazines are usually modified by computer programs, and they (the models) don't even look like their pictures in the magazine. It is a very unfortunate double-sided standard that society had drawn up which is endangering the health of young people in the form of eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia.
Many anorexia sufferers can also be affected by their peers. At a young age teens can be extremely cruel in their teasing. A few insults expressed by another teenager could leave the other teen completely crushed, particularly the anorexia sufferer, focusing on the negative comment. It is unfortunate that teens can be affected so much by the thoughts or comments of a peer, but it is a fact. It is critical that everyone in the anorexia sufferer's life be supportive, not just family, but peers as well.
An anorexia sufferer needs to get help as quickly as possible. This means that if someone suspects anorexia he or she should immediately arrange an appointment with a mental health professional. In particular the anorexia sufferer should attempt to find a professional who deals with anorexia and in particular uses Cognitive Behavioral therapy (CBT). CBT is thought to be the most effective treatment for anorexia.
About the Author:
Matthew Wagner has a degree in Psychology, and has additionally studied Physics, Consciousness, and Wellness. His passion involves researching and sharing useful information with others via the internet to help them improve the quality of their life. Most relevant here is Matthew's website (shown below) on anorexia nervosa which contains important information that anyone suffering from Anorexia needs to know. www.anorexiahelp.org
Matthew Wagner has a degree in Psychology, and has additionally studied Physics, Consciousness, and Wellness. His passion involves researching and sharing useful information with others via the internet to help them improve the quality of their life. Most relevant here is Matthew's website (shown below) on anorexia nervosa which contains important information that anyone suffering from Anorexia needs to know. www.anorexiahelp.org
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