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Charlotte Brierley?studies Public Relations at Leeds Met University.
Photography:?daniellehelm / flickr.
I would need two hands to count the number of people that I alone have known with an eating disorder; so I wanted to understand why it seems to have become so common for women, men and adolescence to battle with their health over body image.
Figures released by the Health and Social Care Information Centre show that more than 2,200 admissions for eating disorders were recorded in the year up to June 2012 and over 1.6 million people in the UK are directly affected by an eating disorder.
We have a history of eating disorders in the West, dating back to the 12th century when food was denied as a part of self-spiritual discovery. Today, it seems that social media, such as pro-anorexia websites and ?thinspiration? accounts, has created a community for people with this illness to encourage each other or to become obsessed with challenging themselves against other people?s eating disorders.
Psychology studies have shown that a sudden change in family dynamics, a loss, societal pressures, anxiety and stress are all major denominators in the cause of developing an eating disorder. The four diagnoses? of eating disorders are Anorexia, Bulimia, Binge Eating Disorder and EDNOS (Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified).
Anorexia is the most common illness that comes through admissions in the UK, and can be easily recognised with visual signs of dramatic weight loss, behavioural change towards food, excessive exercising and very low energy.? Psychologically, victims of anorexia will begin to push people away to avoid being questioned about their eating habits, or lack of. The effect this starvation has on the body is a severe threat to the person?s health and puts their life in great danger.
Binge Eating Disorder is also detected in the drastic change of the person?s appearance through weight gain due to excessive eating of bad foods. People with this disorder will eat in secret and often eat several meals in one sitting, lack of control is followed my paranoia of weight gain, but this person will not purge after eating.
Bulimia is defined as a person binge eating then purging or throwing up. This form of eating disorder goes on behind closed doors and is harder to detect in appearance. A person suffering with bulimia may seem to have regular eating habits, but once alone will binge eat and then vomit and/or take laxatives to control their weight. A person suffering from bulimia psychologically suffers from feeling out of control, stressed and depressed. Bulimia is a vicious circle - binge eating, purging, followed by starving the body because the person feels guilt, and then binging again because the body craves nourishment. Severe damage is caused to the stomach, throat, teeth and digestion system.
EDNOS is connected to anyone who has a mix or some of the symptoms that are presented in the other eating disorders. Some people may not realize they?re suffering with EDNOS until reading symptoms of the other disorders.
The statistics show young people, mostly female, aged between 15-25 are most at risk of developing an eating disorder. To support this, I asked 20 fellow peers if they had any experience with eating disorders; 14 of these honestly discussed that they had either been directly affected by an ED or have been aware that a friend or family member has. Only a couple of the cases discussed received medical advice or support, the rest undiagnosed, which may dangerously go on for years unknown.
This particular age group, dominated by females, is more influenced and affected by social pressures and the desire to look a certain way. The fashion industry has portrayed this look as thin, yet we know these cover girls are commonly unhealthy and battling with an ED themselves; adding further pressure to achieve this ?look?. It?s fantastic that high street companies, such as H&M, are now using curvier healthy models, which they call ?real girls?, to advertise their clothes.
I have noticed a social boom in health and fitness, with fitness experts promoting and educating how to correctly maintain a healthy weight with a moderate amount of exercise and the correct nutrients and calories the body needs. If this could reach people in their early teens via social networks or the education system, could it slowly but surly decrease the cases of eating disorders and increase the health and confidence of our future generations? I think and sincerely hope so.
If you feel like you may be suffering with an eating disorder, know someone else who might need help, would like to ask any questions or are simply after more information, check of the Beat website;?www.b-eat.co.uk?- Beat provides?helplines,?online support?and a network of?UK-wide self-help groups?to help adults and young people in the UK beat their eating disorders.
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