Essay about Media, Appearance and Eating Disorders

Media, Appearance and Eating Disorders Many women are concerned with their appearance. Too many of them are caught up with the image of being skinny and pretty. By seeing all the beautiful, thin women in the media and in society, they may feel insecure about the way they look. Therefore, they try and do anything they can to acquire that appearance. Methods they use to try and achieve this are by self-starvation, known as Anorexia, or induced vomiting, known as Bulimia. Anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa are only two of the eating disorders that often result from their incessant desire to be thin and beautiful. Eating disorders, such as these, also occur amongst men. However, it is less common. Standards for males simply†¦show more content†¦Anorexia nervosa is the persistent pursuit of thinness. A person suffering from this eating disorder refuses to maintain normal body weight for his/her age and height. He/she weigh eighty-five percent or less than what is expected for their age and height, and deny the dangers of low weight. He/she is terrified of gaining weight and becoming fat, even though they are distinctly underweight. Young girls do not begin to menstruate at the appropriate age, and in women, menstrual periods stop. In men, sex hormones fall. Also, often included with anorexia nervosa are depression, irritability, withdrawal, and peculiar behaviors such as strange eating habits. Bulimia nervosa is the diet-binge-purge disorder. A person with this eating disorder binge eats and feels out of control while eating. He/she vomits, misuses laxatives, exercises, or fasts to get rid of the calories. Dieting is done when not bingeing but then he/she becomes hungry and binges again. He/she believes self-worth requires being thin. Their weight may be normal, unless anorexia is also present. Like anorexia, bulimia can kill. Bulimics act cheerful but are often depressed, lonely, ashamed, and empty inside. Also, due to their feelings of unworthiness and difficulty talking about their feelings, anxiety, depression, self-doubt, and deeply buried anger is almost always included. There is a great deal of otherShow MoreRelatedBody Dissatisfaction And Eating Disorders946 Words   |  4 Pagesbody (Cash, 2012). This includes both a perceptual awareness of one’s appearance and an attitude toward one’s appearance (Cash, 2012). Body dissatisfaction involves the attitudinal portion of body image, which refers to the extent to which a person is displeased with his or her body (Cash, 2012). 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