Anorexia, Body dysmorphic disorder, and how jacked up we are...

[Cruentus]

http://www.adaa.org/gettinghelp/MFarchives/MonthlyFeatures(June).asp

http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/full/163/7/1280

The above is about BDD. This is important to understand because a lot of people with eating disorders have this. For people with BDD, they actually look in the mirror and "see" or perceive a different picture then the rest of us. Some of the ads I posted with anorexia (and the girl seeing a different picture in the mirror then the emaciated body that everyone else sees) illustrated that point.

I think BDD has increasingly played a more significant role in the societal schizophrenia we seem to have regarding body image. It is like we have BDD in our collective conscious. We (and I am going to use the collective we here for simplicity) seem to have no reasonable understanding of what a healthy or good looking male or female should look like.

So, as a result we have more people who go to extremes; either becoming anorexic or bulimic, or saying "**** it" and overeating and becoming obese. And of course, yo-yo dieting all the way. Now realize that there are chemical and genetic factors that play a role in all of these disorders, but I am just focusing on the social/psychological aspects.

Then there is this book (with 2 articles reviewing it with opposing views):

http://www.amazon.com/Obesity-Myth-Americas-Obsession-Hazardous/dp/1592400663

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0815/is_8_29/ai_n6160544

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m2843/is_5_29/ai_n15384202

Is Obesity a "myth"? Probably not, but some interesting discussions sparked from the book, anyhow.

I think what really needs to happen is that we need to stop looking in the mirror, and start looking at our overall health and physical performance, and use that as our benchmark to determine if we are healthy or not...

 

[Sukerkin]

One small point to add to the tail-end of the information above, I've been thin and toned for most of my life and it's only in the past three years or so that my waistline has escaltaed unimaginably.

Part of me is horrified that I am no longer the Slim White Duke (Bowie fans will get that) and when I look in the mirror to see the new rotund 'Lord of the Manor' profile I am not pleased with the girth I observe. But ... and this is the point of my addendum ... I have never been happier in my own skin in my life. If nothing else, my face now looks 'strong' rather than 'gaunt' .

I may no longer be physically the ideal (not that I ever was) but my emotions are the better for it. Mental stress and biological stress through 'strict' dietary regimes will kill you far quicker than being a bit fat will.

 

[Cruentus]

And holy crap! How about this!?!

I ran into some "pro" anorexia sites. Yes...I said "pro." It is people (mostly girls/women) supporting each other to BE anorexic. It makes me cringe; the dysfunction of these sites and the people who frequent them is horrible and sad.

They even had a term for this... "pro-ana." Trendy, isn't it?

Parents: this is just one more reason to monitor your childs internet usage. I would hate to have a daughter going to any of these sites and getting influenced and sucked into this dysfunctional behavior!

http://community.livejournal.com/proanorexia
(warning: some profanity in some of the blog entries)
http://www.freewebs.com/anorexicsunite/
http://www.houseofthin.com/welcome.php