Eating Disorders Should Be Taken Seriously

By Nicole D. Santiago
Eating disorders have been around longer than many people realize; it is not an issue that has just
recently become a concern. People generally consider eating disorders to be negative and
harmful to the physical and mental states of those who have them. However, many girls who
have an eating disorder, such as anorexia or bulimia, do not see anything wrong with their habits
and are simply concerned with losing weight in order to gain a certain physical appearance.
There are no specific causes for eating disorders, though there are several common triggers
including perfectionism, society and peer pressures. Unfortunately, many girls are unable to stop
once they have started which causes severe damage to themselves, even death in some cases.
Eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia are both physical and mental disorders. They may
be caused by many different triggers, which can vary from person to person and can result in
mental, emotional, and physical damage.

In the article “Eating Disorders Rise in Adolescents,” Richard Cendo defined anorexia as “self-
induced starvation.” Those who suffer from anorexia tend to lose a dramatic amount of weight
and greatly decrease their body size by not eating or eating very small amounts of food. Bulimia
was defined as “a cycle of binge-eating followed by purges to rid oneself of large amounts of
food consumed in as little as half an hour.” These “purges” include self-induced vomiting as well
as misuse of laxatives or enemas. Societal and peer pressures may also be a big contributing
factor in the reason many people develop eating disorders. Today’s society has trained people to
believe that the only way to be beautiful is to be incredibly thin, and many people will do
anything it takes to be considered beautiful. Many people develop eating disorders in an “attempt
to meet expectations of the out society, to get people’s and society’s approval.” (Savukoski)

Somewhat related to the mental illnesses associated with eating disorders are the emotional
effects of them. In the article “Psychological Effects of Eating Disorders”, Marisa Serafini points
out that “no matter how much weight is lost, the person may never be satisfied with his or her
body.” As previously discussed, many eating disorder sufferers struggle with perfectionism; since
perfection is an impossible goal, the person will never be completely happy with the results they
see, yet will keep striving for perfection.
Finally, eating disorders can cause a range of numerous physical effects, which most people are
more familiar with. Anorexia, or self-starvation, deprives the body of the nutrition it requires to
remain healthy. When the body is void of essential nutrients, “the body will use its own tissue,
including muscle and organs, for energy since the body has no food to use instead. This causes
the body to grow very weak and thin in appearance and causes internal damage that are
irreversible and also heart failure which can lead to death. Bulimia, or self-induced vomiting, rid
the body of food and waste. When a bulimic throws up, stomach acid travels up the esophagus
and into the mouth; this stomach acid is very corrosive and can cause ulcers. Bulimia is not just
self-induced throwing up for many bulimics; it also includes the use of laxatives, diuretics, or
enemas to rid the body of already digested food and excess water. These can cause constipation
and kidney failure, which can lead to death. (EPS)

Most people do not think of eating disorders as being nearly as serious as they are, and many
believe that they are strictly a choice. Though some people do choose to develop an eating
disorder, many people develop one unintentionally; either way, they are very serious and should
not be taken lightly. Patients with eating disorders often deny the fact that anything is wrong,
family members, friends, loved ones, and the general public need to have knowledge of these
disorders, in order to prevent them in themselves and to help others. There are many measures
which can be implemented to prevent the occurrence of such, but little is being done. A stand
needs to be taken to prevent future generations from encountering eating disorders—a disease so
preventable, yet so dangerous.
Bibliography
Cendo, R. (n.d.). Eating Disorders Rise in Adolescents. New York: The New York Times. Retrieved from
http://www.nytimes.com/1988/04/17/nyregion/eating-disorders-rise-in-adolescents.html?
pagewanted=2&gt

Common Myths About Eating Disorders. (2008). National Eating Disorder Association. Retrieved from
https://docs.google.com/viewer?
a=v&q=cache:QKRHEwit9MoJ:www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/uploads/file/toolkits

Savukoski, M. (2011, December). The Other Side of Well-being – What Makes a Young Woman Become
an Anorexic? International Journal of Psychological Studies. Retrieved from
http://aumnicat.aum.edu/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=bd8fb839-99fa-403f-bf32-
7cf575c8ecb8@sessionmgr111&gt

Serafini, M. (2009, August 22). Psychological Effects of Eating Disorders. Demand Media. Retrieved from
http://www.ehow.com/about_4572108_psychological-effects-eating-disorders.html&gt

Walter, K. M. (2012, Novermber 7). Consequences of Eating Disorders. National Eating Disorder
Association. Retrieved from https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/health-consequences