So why is it that many of us girls that starve, purge, and behave in behaviors associated with eating disorders are obsessed with reading, and watching as much as possible about the subject matter. I don't know if it's just me or if most people are like this.
So here's my story about everything: Even before I engaged in the behaviors I was obsessed with reading about eating disorders. I did projects about eating disorders from the start of middle school. It always intrigued me and I'm not sure why. I don't know if I set myself up to become disordered or if it became constant subconscious thought but either way here we are. I love reading books both informative and fiction/nonfiction types, watching YouTube videos and documentaries, going on both pro ana and anti pro ana sites. They all seem to have them same effect on me so maybe I'm just crazy.
I'd love to hear from you so tell me if this is true with you and in what ways :)
Stay strong ladies <3
This is true of me too-- when I was little, I devoured everything (er), from the tiny blurb in an American Girl book about the scientific definition of bulimia to those glossy stories on recovered celebrities. Someone once pointed out (I forget who) that the tabloids present their anorexia stories as "how-to" manuals-- like a recent headline that advertised "stars' secrets to not feeling hungry". Obviously, that reads like a diet tip (to someone who isn't disordered, even), and the article was actually describing the "high" one gets from starving when anorexic.
ReplyDeleteTl;dr, society glamorizes eating disorders. Glamorizes mental illness, and waifs, casts the infamously beautiful in movies about supermodels (co-starring lesbianism and heroin chic) and gives them Oscars for playing sociopaths in mental hospitals. There's a whole book, "Bitch" by Elizabeth Wurtzel. It's a little feminist preach-y (not unlike this post, sorry :() but she talks at length about the incentive our society gives women to behave as if they're sick, frail, or starving.
I think anyone with an ED is a little more interested, even as a child, because I think EDs are something to which you can be "predisposed".
WOW, that was long! I'm sorry! I guess I share your fascination with the stuff ;)
i'm with you as well, i totally get obsessed by it and watch all the videos i can and read everything about it. i guess it's just something that we're born with? xo.
ReplyDeleteThat's me too. I am completely obsessed with reading things about it, watching videos, learning things to do with eating disorders and associated disorders.
ReplyDeleteI used to do projects on eating disorders and things in school too, though I did have my ED at that point so maybe that influenced me a little. It's just a fascinating subject I think, and it's nice to read others perspective on it and things. Or their story and seeing how it is different from yours. xo
I think it's all of us. I've been watching thinspos and ana documentaries forever, it seems. i feel like looking at these blogs too much is what finally sucked me in. I guess some of us are just prone and destined to live a life like this...
ReplyDeleteIt's well-documented, just something to do with the way our brains work. The only way to keep up the energy for an eating disorder is to stay obsessed with it, perhaps. (Basically, we do it to keep triggering.)
ReplyDeletewow I am glad I am not the only one!! I was always always doing projects on it and always researched about it even before it took over my mind
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