Anorexia and Bulemia - symptoms of a failing society?

[Hope]

An interesting item on eating disorders on this morning's BBC Breakfast, suggesting that they are 'developed nation' issues, as opposed to global issues.

I remember a fellow student at college - who was in the Drama group with me - slowly starving herself to death, and taking 2 months to die even once she had been admitted to hospital.  She finally died the day before we were due for our final drama presentation and assessment, and although the college authorities offered us a week's delay, we decided to go ahead with the assessment but ensured that there was a minute's silence for her at the start of our group presentation.  Just watching her disappearing 'before our eyes', from a vivacious - almost 'hyper-active' - lass to a skeletal mockery of a body over a period of 6 months was heart-breaking and possibly the worst time in my life.

How can we stop the 'Size 0' culture?  Here in the UK, we seem to have slowed it, but it remains almost imbedded in our psyche.

[Sriram]

How can we stop the 'Size 0' culture?  Here in the UK, we seem to have slowed it, but it remains almost imbedded in our psyche.

Splash photos of Iskra Lawrence and Kim Kardashian everywhere!!!?

[Rhiannon]

I've known quite a lot of people with anorexia and bulimia and it's really not just about body image. It's more about a need to feel in control - one friend of mine who was bulimic became so after her dad died. Fat shaming does definitely play a part for some -Portia di Rossi's outstandingly good autobiography detailing her bulimia and anorexia traces hers back to being dragged off to Jenny Craig by her mother - but that is about trying to make yourself disappear rather than trying to be somebody else, although you might then seek out super thin people to emulate. It's not only a young person's thing either; one woman I know is my age and is currently living in hospital while her husband raises their teenage children. A man I knew a while back had his twelve year old living in hospital; she had no desire to be a size 0, she just felt overwhelmed by life and eating - or not - was something she could decide for herself. It's also painful, and unpleasant, and so it's a form of self-harm which usually reflects mental torment.

It sucks; they are the most hideous diseases with one of the highest mortality rates of mental illnesses. Living with and overcoming them takes a vast amount of courage.