Speech

Psychosis. We’ve all got a little bit of crazy in us, right? But in some cases, the word quirky is taken to a new level. We often hear about mental diseases such as schizophrenia, depression, and obsessive compulsive disorder. One disease that we often don’t hear about, though, is eating disorders. As a nation, we have become polarized. On one end, we have the morbidly obese; and on the other hand, we have those who refuse to eat. The main problem with eating disorders in America is that they are often looked at as a choice, when they are actually a mental disease. The causes, identification, and treatment of eating disorders are being pushed aside as long as the people participating in them are still alive, but eating disorders are becoming more and more common in the western world.

The causes of eating disorders, like many other things in life, are mainly environmental. As a generation, we have grown up watching celebrities and athletes with impeccable bodies and come to accept their perfection as the social norm. But we have also been subject to those who fall on the very extreme ends of the spectrum. On Tuesday nights in the fall, you can tune in to The Biggest Loser and watch 400 pound people attempt to lose extreme amounts of weight. Or, if you prefer those of the slender variety, you can wait until February and watch rail thin models in extravagant clothing strut down a runway during Mercedes Benz Fashion Week. The environment in which we have lived during our most impressionable years is not one that is conducive to positive body image. The less likely, but still valid, cause for the development of an eating disorder is your genes. Some characteristics that are determined by your heredity, such as impulsivity or obsession, can lead to the development of an eating disorder. These characteristics make it more difficult to treat an eating disorder. While it has not been proven that developing an eating disorder is in your DNA, it has been proven that children are “10 times more likely to suffer from an eating disorder if they have a family history of eating disorders.”

Being able to identify someone who has developed an eating disorder is almost as important as clinically treating them. People with eating disorders are usually not super keen on openly displaying them, especially because most people with eating disorders do not realize that they are doing something wrong. Over the years I have watched many television specials and documentaries about eating disorders. What I have learned from the plethora of programs that I have watched is that treating an eating disorder is almost easier than convincing the patient that what they are participating in - whether it be anorexia or bulimia - is harming their body. Your physician can play a key role in the identification of an eating disorder. They can provide a professional opinion that could help convince someone of the danger that they are putting themselves in. When people with eating disorders are confronted about their situation, most of them react as though they are being attacked. It appears as though they are being accused of something horrible, when they think they are being helpful. A doctor or other medical professional can provide an objective, external opinion.

While treatment is necessary for those who are suffering from an eating disorder, preemptive measures to help prevent development are also a major issue. When someone mentions anorexia or bulimia, do you automatically think of girls? While eating disorders are predominantly found in women and young females, they are becoming increasingly prevalent in men and young males. Just like with many other things in life, stoping an eating disorder before it can happen is a very significant aspect of treatment. As parents, you should always promote a healthy and active lifestyle. But be careful when it comes to what images you allow your children to view. The reason that so many people have developed eating disorders is because they were exposed to negative images at a relatively young age. As friends, you should do the same things. In both situations is it important to remember to always be considerate of the other person.

Treatment for eating disorders is done in two different ways at a treatment center: group and individual. Individual therapy is basically what it sounds like. A patient meets with a therapist and discusses whatever is on their mind. This is occasionally done with a family member or close friend, to show that the patient is being supported by their loved ones. In group discussion, which are often called “community”, patients are encouraged to share their feelings on goings on at the treatment center and how they are dealing with their individual treatment. However, “community” often becomes a place that fosters negative attitudes and causes rifts between patients. These group discussion have been an area of criticism over the years because they have positive and negative consequences.

Being crazy is usually viewed as crazy in our society. But sometimes we exaggerate what we think of as crazy to be people in straight jackets who are stuck in white padded rooms. When most people think about eating disorders, the first image that comes to mind is usually someone refusing a meal or secretly getting rid of one. Many people do not realize that while a person can choose to forfeit one or two meals, their eating disorder is not a choice overall. It is brought about by a combination of many internal and external factors. Knowing the causes, being able to identify, and being involved in the treatment of eating disorders is very important in a culture that is becoming more centered around what we believe to be perfection - even though the perfection is starting to look like a little bit of psychosis.