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Kylie Marsh

Aughenbaugh

Academic English 12

06 Feb. 2017

Media Comparing with Eating Disorders

An eating disorder is a very serious and psychological illness that is more influenced with

todays society. An eating disorder can be explained likely resembled by drug use. It is like drug

abuse because of the fact that drugs are influenced by people , media , and things that people see

and think that they should do. Once you start the drug (or in this case the eating disorder) it is

addicting and extremely hard to overcome. This is extremely dangerous and causes many serious

health conditions.

The increase of eating disorders has increased dramatically throughout the years and

mainly it is because of the advancements in technology and media and the way we see people

and beauty. There is an estimated ten million women and one million men existing in the United

States that has been diagnosed with anorexia or bulimia.(Web) Millions of more have been

connected to binge- eating disorder, this is the most common disorder.(Web)

Beauty Standards should not be expressed as limited options . There should not just be

beauty in skinny people. That is a huge concept of influencing eating disorders. Men and women

feel that they should look like them and feel confident when they are risking their health and life

pursuing that accomplishment.

Health care should be a huge priority and people feel that they need to look like

models and will do anything in their power to do that. This is very concerning mainly because
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people take it to the huge extreme and it does not apply to them that it is a serious disorder that

can cause many problems and is very uncontrollable.

A reason for these eating disorders that could definitely be fixed is by decreasing the

amount of people being brainwashed about what is considered being perfect in beauty

standards . Examples that would make a change would be if people will acknowledge that

photoshop gives others a horrible feeling about their appearances. There should be no beauty

standards whatsoever.

Another reason for this is social media and entertainment.(Database) Social Media is a

common reason that is known to be a factor of the increase on eating disorders. Images and

media make women feel like they aren't thin enough. . Mass media shows what people want to

look like and feel.(Database) Not many people understand the negative consequences and young

kids are now introduced at younger ages and that increases the amount of social media they use.

8-18 year olds on average are on their phones for about 7.5 hours daily.

Entertainment like magazines, TV , and modeling shows (like Victoria Secret fashion

shows) are said to also be a factor of this disorder. People who see models and TV get

determined to look like them to feel more confident and attractive. Statistics show that over 80%

of Americans watch TV every day and on average about three hours of television is watched

daily from American children. This shows the amount of viewing going on especially in young

children and that can influence their vision of themselves. People also feel that some TV

commercials with junk food and fast food mixing with commercials dealing with diet and

exercise can also lead the feeling that can cause the dangerous disorder.(Print)
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Another reasoning that is caused by these things in today's world is the different types of

disorders and how concerning it really is . There are people that aren't educated about the

harmful things that this can do to the human body. The different types include Anorexia Nervosa

, Bulimia Nervosa, and Binge-Eating Disorder. Anorexia has many symptoms that include low

body weight, severe food restriction, being unable to maintain a normal/healthy weight,

self-esteem problems, and lack of menstruation.(Web) Bulimia has very many different

symptoms that are harmful. This includes inflamed/sore throat, swollen salivary glands in neck

and jaw area, severe dehydration, acid refum, and worn tooth enamel. (Web)The last kind of

disorder is Binge- Eating and the symptoms include Cardiovascular Disease, high blood

pressure, and are also said to experience guilt shame and distress about their binge eating.(Web)

Eating disorders in general have symptoms that include extreme thinness, unrealistic

body image , self- induced vomiting , misuse of laxatives, and excessive exercise. (Print)With all

of these awful experiences that people with these disorders contain there is also the fact that

additional illnesses can also happen. People with eating disorders are more likely to also

experience depression, exhaustion, substance abuse and anxiety. (Database) People feel that they

need to hide the truth and that can also cause intense pain emotionally and physically by not

getting the treatment needed.

An argument made against this topic is that media isn't the reasoning for the cause of

eating disorders since some are said to be genetically inclined. This is true but some are not from

genetics and happen from a image disappointment of what they see about themselves.

Researchers and therapists have expressed that individuals feel this way and it is concerned by
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two main reasonings. One of the reasonings that they can be caused is by not maintaining a

positive body image. The second reasoning is a lack of expressing feelings. This supports the

fact that these disorders can be from media and technology.

Also another example of an argument made is about the advances in todays treatment.

There is a advancement and there are cases where people recover from this disorder but that is

not 100% accurate. Scientists are still studying brain imaging and genetic studies of eating

disorders. The treatment can include nutrition, reducing excessive exercise, talk therapy,

psychotherapy and prevention programs. What if somebody doesnt realize that they have this

disorder? What if they cant get these sources of treatment ? These questions reassure the fact

that these are not ineffective and just because there is advancements does not mean it works on

every human suffering from this.

This concludes that beauty standards aren't as important as maintaining good health and

that changes can be made. Media and technology happening in the world we live increasing these

awful disorders and just overall has revealed that this corrupts our world's way of thinking.
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Works Cited

Ambrose,Marylou. Deisler, Veronica. Investigating Eating Disorders New Jersey: Enslow

Publishers, 2011. Print.

Cheng, Julia. "Some Perceptions of Thinness Are Unfair and Harmful." Eating Disorders. Ed.

Roman Espejo. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2012. Opposing Viewpoints. Rpt. from "What Causes

Eating Disorders?" www.anred.com/causes.html 18 Sept. 2006. Opposing Viewpoints in Context.

Web. 24 Jan. 2017.

"Eating Disorders." Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection. Detroit: Gale, 2014. Opposing

Viewpoints in Context. Web. 24 Jan. 2017.

National Eating Disorders. Feeding Hope. NEDA. 20 Oct. 2016 .Web.

Wexler, Barbara. "The Influences of Mental Health and Culture on Weight and Eating

Disorders." Weight in America: Obesity, Eating Disorders, and Other Health Risks. 2010 ed.

Detroit: Gale, 2010. Information Plus Reference Series. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web.

24 Jan. 2017