amastie
Member
Hi,
I see that among the forum titles here, the main labels are given to Anorexia and to Bulimia. I see that every kind of eating disorder is allowed for but I wondered why Anorexia and Bulimia are given a separate forum and not Binge Eating Disorder or Compulsive eating, which is now considered to be one of the three main eating disorders.
Years ago, as an obese woman, I sought help from an eating disorders clinic here in Australia and was told that my compulsive eating was not really regarded as a disorder as was anorexia and bulimia - the suggestion was that it was more a matter of self-indulgence rather than a disorder. Given my understanding of compulsive eating, I was flabbergasted at her ignorance. It was only in the last few years (I forget how many), that the Eating Disorder Foundation here included Binge Eating Disorder.
I wonder if it took that long for Binge Eating Disorder to be relegated a place alongside anorexia and bulimia for the following reasons:
1) Overeating, without the offsetting effect of purging etc as practised by those with bulimia, inevitably makes people overweight. Western society sees overweight in general as a sign of indulgence and lack of character. For all of its health dangers, the last thing that is true of an anorexic is being overweight! And bulimics are at pains to hide the effect of their overeating. Could our society?s cultural objection to being overweight have caused some reluctance to look at the different causes of it? I?m sure they have started to do that now, since so many of today?s children are obese, but why did it take this long?
2) The seven deadly sins of our Christian heritage includes gluttony. I cannot help but think that that also sways those who would examine our disordered eating patterns more closely.
As a binge eater, it is interesting that I have always identified more with the stories of anorexics than with bulimics - even though bulimics so frequently binge eat. When I hear of anorexics wanting to take control of their body, I can relate. I expect bulimics do too. And, though I don?t remember ever having heard it said, I wonder if an anorexic might say (by her or his) undereating ?I don?t want to be here? - that it is a way of choosing ?not to be here? without taking the step of an immediate suicide. I can definitely place that! Like Anorexia and Bulimia, it?s not a body thing. It?s a mind thing - at least when it is disordered.
But in society?s eyes, it doesn?t matter so much if it is a disorder or not when you join the crowd. Overweight is *seen* and regarded as morally reprehensible. Those severely underweight, unless they stay indoors, are also *seen* but regarded with pity - which, itself, must be a nightmare. Those with Bulimia, it is hoped, are hardly noticed at all if they can blend in successfully with the cultural (and - though unstated - moral) norms.
It would not surprise me to find disordered eating becoming more prevalent in future generations because, even with our greater awareness of them, I think that, as a society, we feel the need more strongly not to question those norms.
amastie
I see that among the forum titles here, the main labels are given to Anorexia and to Bulimia. I see that every kind of eating disorder is allowed for but I wondered why Anorexia and Bulimia are given a separate forum and not Binge Eating Disorder or Compulsive eating, which is now considered to be one of the three main eating disorders.
Years ago, as an obese woman, I sought help from an eating disorders clinic here in Australia and was told that my compulsive eating was not really regarded as a disorder as was anorexia and bulimia - the suggestion was that it was more a matter of self-indulgence rather than a disorder. Given my understanding of compulsive eating, I was flabbergasted at her ignorance. It was only in the last few years (I forget how many), that the Eating Disorder Foundation here included Binge Eating Disorder.
I wonder if it took that long for Binge Eating Disorder to be relegated a place alongside anorexia and bulimia for the following reasons:
1) Overeating, without the offsetting effect of purging etc as practised by those with bulimia, inevitably makes people overweight. Western society sees overweight in general as a sign of indulgence and lack of character. For all of its health dangers, the last thing that is true of an anorexic is being overweight! And bulimics are at pains to hide the effect of their overeating. Could our society?s cultural objection to being overweight have caused some reluctance to look at the different causes of it? I?m sure they have started to do that now, since so many of today?s children are obese, but why did it take this long?
2) The seven deadly sins of our Christian heritage includes gluttony. I cannot help but think that that also sways those who would examine our disordered eating patterns more closely.
As a binge eater, it is interesting that I have always identified more with the stories of anorexics than with bulimics - even though bulimics so frequently binge eat. When I hear of anorexics wanting to take control of their body, I can relate. I expect bulimics do too. And, though I don?t remember ever having heard it said, I wonder if an anorexic might say (by her or his) undereating ?I don?t want to be here? - that it is a way of choosing ?not to be here? without taking the step of an immediate suicide. I can definitely place that! Like Anorexia and Bulimia, it?s not a body thing. It?s a mind thing - at least when it is disordered.
But in society?s eyes, it doesn?t matter so much if it is a disorder or not when you join the crowd. Overweight is *seen* and regarded as morally reprehensible. Those severely underweight, unless they stay indoors, are also *seen* but regarded with pity - which, itself, must be a nightmare. Those with Bulimia, it is hoped, are hardly noticed at all if they can blend in successfully with the cultural (and - though unstated - moral) norms.
It would not surprise me to find disordered eating becoming more prevalent in future generations because, even with our greater awareness of them, I think that, as a society, we feel the need more strongly not to question those norms.
amastie
