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Mackenzie Gallant
Mr. Cosmin Ritivoiu
English 102
18 March 2013
Social Media and Eating Disorders
If a person was attempting to cut down a tree, they would not typically start by cutting off
the limbs. Instead, they would strike at the roots, eliminating any further growth and removing
all previous growth with one motion. Removing the limbs may make the tree look smaller, but it
will not be a permanent solution to extracting the tree. In the same way, when looking at how to
create a solution for eating disorders, instead of looking at the limbs, it is important to find the
root of this problem. Eating disorders are not simply choices the social media is egging on, but
rather psychological diseases that are being created and sustained by unhealthy thinking.
An eating disorder is a psychological illness that produces physical side effects. The
National Institute of Mental Health, a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services, defines eating disorders in the following way.
The eating disorders anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating
disorder, and their variants, all feature serious disturbances in eating
behavior and weight regulation. They are associated with a wide range of
adverse psychological, physical, and social consequences. (American
Psychological Association)
The three main types of eating disorders are commonly known as anorexia, bulimia, and bingeeating. Anorexia is diagnosed when a person weighs at least 15 percent less than the expected

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weight that correlates to their height (Eating Disorders). Anorexics do not maintain a healthy
weight because they are refusing to eat enough, exercise obsessively, and sometimes force
themselves to vomit or use laxatives to lose weight. With this disorder a person starves
themselves, which can eventually lead to death, but do not see themselves as underweight. In fact
an anorexics self view can sometimes be so skewed that they see a different person in the mirror
than who they really are.
Unlike anorexia, the diagnosis of bulimia is not dependent upon body weight. A person
can be anywhere from slightly underweight to dramatically obese and still be diagnosed as
bulimic. Bulimics often binge eat, gorging themselves with more food, and therefore calories,
than a normal person should consume. Eating binges can cause a person to feel out of control.
When the binge is over, to regain the feeling of control, a bulimic will purge themselves by
vomiting or using a laxative. This cycle can range from happening several times a week to
several times a day. Bulimia is harder to diagnose than anorexia because binges are easy to hide.
As a result, many do not realize that someone close to them has this disease, and many people
with bulimia go undiagnosed.
Binge eating, which is a component to bulimia as well as its own disease, is an eating
disorder where a person is quite often consuming more food than they should (mayoclinic.org).
This disease often follows emotional ups and downs. After a binge eating episode, a person often
feels regret and vows to never do it again. But binge eating is a coping mechanism and when
stress or other emotional episodes arise, it is very common for a person to fall back into this
habit. Anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating, in all of their varying forms can be life threatening if
not taken care of in a proper manner.

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Anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating are not just diseases that women who struggle with
self worth have. A popular belief about eating disorders is that women struggle with them
because they want to impress males, but research now supports the theory that heterosexual and
homosexual women both suffer equally from these diseases (Cusack & Hughes). This research
implies that it is not for the attention or approval of males that females have eating disorders, but
rather for a lack of positive social interactions in general. For example: Although the lesbian
subculture generally rejects societal standards of beauty, this ideology might not be impervious
to the greater culture's overwhelming physical ideals (Cusack & Hughes). A rejection of the
worlds standards of beauty should lower the amount of eating disorders, if the popular theory of
basing them off of choices were true. This research shows that a persons sexual orientation or
standards of beauty do not make one immune to eating disorders.
Research has also shown that not only sexual orientation, but gender, as well, has little
effect on who develops eating disorders. A research study conducted on 135 patients, all men
diagnosed with eating disorders, showed that characteristically men and women with eating
disorders were very similar (Carlat, et al.). These researchers also found that heterosexual and
homosexual males suffered from these diseases atabout an equal rate. This means that the
characteristics displayed by both men and women that developed eating disorders were very
similar. A persons sexual orientation and gender does not effect who develops eating disorders.
Eating disorders are not just occurring in one race, one gender, or even one sexual preference,
they are occurring all over the world.
Eating disorders can be developed as coping mechanisms, especially occurring when a
person feels a lack of control in their life. When an overwhelming feeling of loss of control is

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evident in a persons life, it can be easy to find something to control to regain a feeling of
management over ones life. Many anorexics admit that they began the downward spiral
towards anorexia when they started to perceive that they had lost control of their
lives (Rutigliano). By controlling the consumption of food, anorexics might be attempting to
regain control over their lives. These desires for control can also be brought on by overcontrolling or over-involved parents. For most people, food intake and weight are both areas that
they can control, even when they have little to no control over many other parts of their lives.
One person dealing with anorexia said, I was shocked at the measure of relief that it gave me to
have control of this tiny thing. From then on controlling what I ate became an obsession, a very
twisted obsession (Rutigliano). Psychologically, people may develop eating disorders as a
coping mechanism for a lack of control, but it can become an obsession that overtakes their lives.
Dr. Kevin Fleming, the founder of Grey Matters International, an innovative
neuroscience-based behavior change consultation firm, proposes that most eating disorders stem
from sources inside the house rather than outside of it (Dovey). Fleming suggests that eating
disorders stem from emotional and family problems. For example, A psychological dysfunction
can lead to a dissociative state, which can be exacerbated by media type influences (Fleming).
When a brain is already vulnerable, social media probably is not going to help. Eating disorders
are caused by combinations of biological, psychological, and environmental factors (Mayo
Clinic). One of these factors could be media, but media is most likely not the only aspect that
causes an eating disorder. All of the blame for an eating disorder can not be placed on one thing.
When this happens, people tend to disassociate eating disorders as being health conditions

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(Dovey). Thus eating disorders begin to be viewed as a choice. Eating disorders are
psychological imbalances that are health conditions, not just a choice.
While it tells a lot about why and how people struggle with these illnesses, by itself
psychology can not explain the increase of lives impacted by eating disorders over the past 40
years. A research study put out by the Women's Studies International Forum showed that while
most women are being exposed to the same social media portrayals of women, not all of them
are developing eating disorders. It was argued that while eating orders are strongly reliant upon
psychology, there are also social and environmental effects that can lead to eating disorders
(Hesse-Biber et al. 210). With many psychological theories about eating disorders, Each theory
rests on the assumption that Eating Disorders are a disease to be treated as an illness whose cure
remains within the prevue of medicine (Hesse-Biber et al. 210). Psychology is defined by the
American Psychological Association as The scientific study of the behavior of individuals and
their mental processes. If Psychology is the study of mental processes and behaviors, then it can
not be expected that medicine can cure all psychological problems. People feel emotions and
deal with situations differently. Medicine can not control that without taking away a persons
individuality. While modern medicine can do a lot of amazing, miraculous things, it can not
change a way a person chooses to think. Eating disorders are psychological diseases, but the way
that medicine in North America is trying to treat them may not be the proper way.
The treatment plan set out today may not be the most effective way to treat eating
disorders. A recent research study published by Christopher Ferguson and his colleagues
suggests that socially, it is negative peer interactions that create negative psychological reactions.
It was also published in their research that peer interactions are more likely to be a trigger for an

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eating disorder than social media or television (Ferguson et al.). The problem may arise when the
negative peer experiences are occurring via social media. After analyzing large amounts of data
from various researchers, the researchers reached the conclusion that social media did not
produce body dissatisfaction that would result in symptoms of eating disorders in young girls
(Ferguson et al.). On the contrary, it was shown rather consistently in research that social
interactions had a very large impact in body dissatisfaction and as a result eating disorders. If this
is the case, then the source of this problem is not being discussed as much as the medium used.
A negative social relationship, whether it be a family member, friend, or a complete
stranger can greatly increase the chances of someone developing an eating disorder (Ferguson et
al.).
Our results suggest that only peer competition, not television or social media
use, predicted negative outcomes. However, social media use had a small
predictive relationship with peer competition, suggesting that social media may
be one arena in which peer competition for potential mates is carried out.
(Ferguson et al.)
The problem, negative social experiences, is being masked by a source, social media. As a result
the reasons behind eating disorders are not being addressed as much as they should be. Negative
social experiences are being shown to have a large impact upon the determination of who
develops eating disorders. Sometimes, negative social interactions can be experienced through
media. This does not mean that it is media that is creating these reactions in people, but rather
that media is the tool by which these negative social interactions are being experienced. Not all
negative social experiences trigger behaviors resulting in eating disorders. This can be due to the

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fact that Teaching young people how to properly cope with these negative feelings would be
much more beneficial to inhibiting the increase of eating disorders than trying to prohibit how
social media portrays body images.
Social media is creating a confusion between negative self body images and eating
disorders. In 2013, Carrie Arnold was asked to contribute an article to a magazine entitled
Emirates Woman about the connection of social media and eating disorders. In this article, she
shared her struggles and experiences with anorexia. After she went public about her history of
anorexia, women would approach Carrie Arnold telling her that they wished they had her
problem, or that they understood what it was like to have an eating disorder since they struggled
with thinking they were fat. Carrie Arnold said that this was like comparing a paper cut with an
amputation (Emirates Women). A paper cut hurts, but it pales in comparison with an amputation.
In the same way, unhealthy self-body images are not good, and can be harmful to a persons view
of themselves and their bodies, but it is not as dangerous or as unhealthy as an eating disorder. It
would not be logical to get an amputation because of a paper cut. Eliminating photoshopping or
even social media as a whole could be compared to amputating ones arm because of a paper cut.
An eating disorder is not the same thing as discontentment about body image.
A large push is being placed on social media to reduce or eliminate the photoshopping of
models and celebrities, but this seems very unlikely to happen. Some people argue that
photoshopping leads to unrealisic expectations of oneself, especially towards ones body
(Hernandez). One man is even taking this to the point of petitioning to get a bill passed to
regulate how companies can photoshop in the United States of America (Hernandez). If this was
passed, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) will have the ability to regulate and control

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photoshopping in the United States of America. This may be thought of as a good thing because
it could help decrease the amount of people with eating disorders in the future generations.
However, this wouldnt necessarily help the people that already have eating disorders, because in
a sense the damage has already been done. Not all people who suffer from eating disorders are in
contact with the social media. Regulating and controlling what can be portrayed through social
media will not impact the number of people that are struggling with eating disorders as
dramatically as some people hope to achieve.
If social media is to blame for eating disorders than every person that views it should be
struggling with one, but this is not the case. According to a research study published by the
University of California San Diego News Center, by the end of 2015 Americans will be exposed
to on average 15 hours a day of media. Out of the 318.8 million people living in the United
States of America, 24 million are suffering from eating disorders. If the whole country is being
exposed to a large amount of media and media was producing eating disorders, then more people
of the population should have eating disorders. But this is not the case. If media was a huge
benefactor to the rise in social media, then as the whole country is viewing more media, the
amount of eating disorders should be drastically increasing. Lower self esteem, which often
results in negative self body images, can be increased by viewing underweight models or
celebrities, but this does not mean that it also increases eating disorders (Clay et al.). Daniel
Clay, Vivian L. Vignoles, and Helga Dittmar, all part of the policy research bureau of London
defined self esteem as a positive or negative attitude toward . . . the self (qtd. in Clay et al.).
The way media is portraying girls is lowering their self esteem. At the end of this article, the
authors listed some options for what could be done with the data collected from this study. While

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it was found to be very unlikely for social media to change the way they are portraying women,
it was also said that it would be more beneficial to give adolescents the needed information to
properly decipher what they see from media. Not all people are affected by the way media
portrays an attractive person. This is known because every person does not have self esteem or
body image issues. To reduce the rise of eating disorders in the world, future generations should
be informed about self esteem and proper body image while they are young.
Some schools have already started applying programs to help thought processes in
younger generations to be healthier (Clay et al.).
Suggestive evidence comes from a small-scale media literacy program administered to American high school sophomores (1718 years old), which
successfully reduced both internalization of the thin ideal and perceptions of the
realism of media images. (qtd. in Clay et al, 473)
The way someone perceives information received through media can make all the difference as
to whether or not they develop an eating disorder. Perception is the reason behind why social
media can greatly effect some people and not others. Teaching not only younger generations, but
rather people in general, how to perceive and internalize what media is portraying will greatly
help to reduce eating disorders.
Eating disorders, very serious psychological disorders, are increasing in both genders
throughout the world. Something needs to be done if the impact of this disorder is to decrease.
As of recent, the focus is greatly upon social media, and an unattainable representation of men
and women. While social media can be a trigger for some people, many say that social media and
how they view their body have nothing to do with their struggle with eating disorders. Because

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all people think and process things differently, removing something that may be a trigger to some
will not alleviate the problem. It would be much more beneficial to attempt to teach people how
to think and work through situations in a healthy way, as well as to help people find better coping
methods for daily struggles and stresses. When this is done, eating disorders will decrease.
Eating disorders are psychological disorders, not choices, and needed to be treated as such.
Some people view eating disorders as a choice, but really they are psychological diseases.
Many think that eating disorders are a decision because of feelings of discontentment. They are
very serious disorders and should be treated as such. There is no set reason behind why each
person develops an eating disorder. People have different reasons behind their struggles with
these disorders. Eating disorders can not be blamed on one specific source for every person.
What might be a trigger for eating disorders for one person may not have any effect on another
person. Different things create different emotions and reactions in different people. But most
research is showing that sources and triggers for eating disorders are producing psychological
reactions that result in eating disorders. To eliminate something that may be a trigger for some
but not everyone will not eliminate the issue of eating disorders in the world. If a person was
trying to cut down a tree, it might help visually to trim the branches, but it will do nothing to help
get the roots out of the ground. It is so much more beneficial to cut the roots off to eliminate any
future growth. In the same way, it is more beneficial to strike the root of the problem of eating
disorders rather than to just cut off the limbs. Getting rid of the branches, social media, will not
dramatically decrease the number of people that already have eating disorders or may develop an
eating disorder in the future. With eating disorders, social media isnt the problem as much as
their perception and reaction to it. If people were taught the difference between healthy and

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skewed thinking, this would be more beneficial to attempting to eliminate eating disorders in the
world. Limiting or removing the ability for photoshop to be used in advertising and social media
may help in some cases of eating disorders, but changing or showing proper thinking habits
would decrease the total amount of eating disorders, since they are psychologically based.

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Works Cited
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