Anorexia Myths
Thursday, April 3rd, 2008Anorexia is an extremely serious disorder. Unfortunately, there are many misunderstandings and myths associated with this psychiatric disease. These distortions of the truth can prove harmful. Consider some of the following statements; then check out the truth about each.
1. Individuals suffering from anorexia are easy to identify.
There are certain identifying factors in the case of anorexia; the most notable is that of extreme thinness. If the disease is advanced, in addition to emaciation, the individual will have very dry skin, thinning, brittle hair and bluish fingertips. However, every one who is skinny is not necessarily sick. Thinness can be an inherited body type or an individual may have certain medical issues that cause them to be unusually thin.
2. Physicians and other healthcare professionals can be relied on to discover and diagnose anorexia.
Although we might want to believe that this condition will always be picked up by a health care professional, that is not always the case. Physicians have many people they must see in a day, and the truth is, not everyone in the medical field has been thoroughly trained or educated in the area of eating disorders; therefore, they might not recognize the symptoms of anorexia or even think to inquire about the behaviors. What’s more, even if asked, people with anorexia may not respond honestly. By and large, those who have eating disorders will lie about them, primarily because they do not want to be “found out” and be required to give up the behavior.
3. Parents are the cause of their child’s eating disorder.
No, they are not. Just as it is with so many addictions and disorders, many factors contribute to the development of anorexia. These are issues such as peer pressure, perfectionism, trauma, low self esteem, and certainly the influence of media in today’s culture. Simply pick up a fashion magazine or flip on a popular television program. What do you see? Beautiful and often impossibly thin females. Though parents, indeed, any family member can play a role in the development of anorexia, modern advertising and media are probably far more responsible.
4. Eating disorders affect only those who are wealthy or are celebrities.
Many years ago, this myth had some validity. Now, that statement could not be farther from the truth. Today, a full ten million Americans struggle with eating disorders. What’s more, anorexia is an equal-opportunity disorder, meaning it is found in every culture, ethnicity, religion and socio-economic group. Certainly, celebrities with eating disorders often show up in the headlines, but for every star you read about, thousands of women and girls across America are suffering in silence.
5. A person who eats regularly does not have anorexia.
Yet again, this may not be true. Remember, deception is a key aspect of the disorder; often, a woman or girl really does not want to be discovered. Therefore, those struggling with anorexia will play with their food, push it around on their plate, hide pieces in a napkin, secretly feed it to the dog, etc. Even parents leave the dinner table believing that food has truly been consumed.
6. “I obviously don’t have anorexia”.
People often say what they believe others want to hear; this is especially true when an individual has anorexia. Indeed, a person struggling with this disease might truly believe they are not afflicted. Regardless of motivation, mere words do not make reality. People with eating disorders can be unaware that they have an eating disorder or go to lengths to hide it, so their denial in words may not be true.
7. Fat-free food is healthy.
A single fat-free food is neither healthy nor unhealthy. But a very low-fat or fat-free diet is definitely unhealthy. Fat is an important and necessary aspect of a balanced meal plan. It is required for the body and brain to function well. In fact, daily healthy eating should include 25% to 35% of calories from fat.
8. Low carb diets are healthy.
Any diet that severely limits or negates an entire food group, emphasizes excessive consumption of only one or two foods, or advocates very high or very low calorie intake is by definition, unhealthy. All foods are acceptable and fit into a healthy diet. Healthy eating is guided by balance, variety, and moderation. Anything else is a form of extremism that will harm the human body.
9. A “natural” diet pill is a “safe” diet pill.
Far too often the public equates “natural” with “healthy and safe.” Indeed, the word natural is frequently used in a highly misleading fashion. Advertisements often distort the truth about the results diet pills or supplements will provide if taken. Considering that the leading predictor of a future eating disorder is dieting, the very practice of dieting itself, with or without diet pills, can lead to anorexia, and should be avoided.
10. Laxatives prevent the absorption of calories.
Laxative abuse is a common practice among many who suffer from eating disorders. They believe that by artificially rushing food through their bodies by using laxatives they can avoid intake of the calories they are eating. This is a medical myth. Laxatives work in the colon, where no absorption of calories takes place. The use/abuse of laxatives only depletes the body’s store of fluids, so any weight loss experienced is due to dehydration. Not only does this practice fail to produce the desired effect, laxative abuse can permanently damage the body and its ability to function. In the short run, laxative abuse can lead to extreme dehydration, electrolyte imbalances, and additional medical complications. In the long run, excessive laxative use can cause the colon to permanently shut down, which means the person must undergo a colostomy.
11. Exercise is good – you can never overdo a good thing.
Exercise is good for most people. However, you can overdo a good thing, especially if anorexia is part of the equation. In fact, exercise bulimia and anorexia athletic–conditions in which individuals purge calories through extreme exercise–are common in the US today. Excessive exercise can potentially lead to stress fractures of the bone, chronic pain, curvature of the spine, osteopenia or osteoporosis, loss of menstrual cycle, and even sudden death.
12. People with eating disorders are vain.
Although some people with anorexia want to look like supermodels, for most people with this disease, nothing could be farther from the truth. Far from flaunting their appearance, they are often disgusted by their bodies. Indeed, even those who started off wanting to be supermodel-thin, end up behaving similarly and hiding their bodies. Once they become skinny to the point of emaciation, people look at them as though they are sick and alien, so they often hide behind huge, over-sized clothes. This ultimately suggests anything but vanity.
13. An eating disorder is a temporary way to lose weight.
An eating disorder is not a diet; it is a disease. Yet it can start with dieting. Anorexia can rapidly get out of control due to chemical changes it produces in the body. So, what started as a way to get control of one’s eating can in no time take over the person’s entire life. Many people with eating disorders become addicted to the behavior and feel trapped. Even when they know that their anorexia may permanently damage their health and/or result in death, they are unable to stop.
For additional information about anorexia or other eating disorders, please call Remuda Programs for Eating Disorders at 1-800-445-1900 today.