Anorexia: A disease of weight, or beauty?

Question

I was perusing some "pro-Ana" sites earlier, and noticed a common thing called "Thinspiration" -- photos of very beautiful, thin celebrity women -- Angelina Jolie, Christina Aguilera, Adriana Lima, Gisele Bundchen, Jessica Alba, etc. The point of "thinspiration" is to show girls what they might look like if they starve themselves that thin.

But it occured to me, maybe what the girls think starving will do is make them look beautiful like the celebrities. Maybe its not so much about thin-ness as it is beauty. But starving yourself won't give you Angelina Jolie's beautiful bone structure or generous lips. It won't give you bewitching supermodel eyes, or a slender nose, or a generous bust.

I would especially like the opinions of anorexics/bulemics on this observation. I am not anorexic but I struggle heavily with body image and diet. I almost feel that being thin would transform me into something totally different - yet I also see how that is not logical.

I also wanted to add, many of the sites have "thinspirational quotes", saying things like "all the men will want you", "do you want to look like this fat person?", "Look how beautiful she is, don't you wish you looked like her?", "Everyone will stare at you," "All clothes will look good on you," etc. Generally these seemed to be statements about beauty and vanity. I guess that's why I'm confused. I know eating disorders are about control, but it seems to have a lot to do with looking beautiful, as well?

Answer 1

I am anorexic. While I love looking at thinspo, I know it is bad for me. Anorexia is not about being thin. It is a brain disorder in which you CAN NOT eat. You have no choice, and it controls you. It has the highest mortality rate of any mental disease. I believe starving will make everything better. I know it doesnt, but I cant stop. I know I need help, but I cant. I fear food. I am ocd. I have lost control at 79 pounds 5'2". I am terrified I will die, but i just keep looking at the thinspo, and I know how thin and perfect I will be...

Answer 2

I am a recovering anorexic/bulimic. The disease is all about control--as others have said. It is not about weight or about beauty but rather about striving for a bodily "goal" which the anorexic is convinced will make her life perfect. Of course, once the "goal" is met, life isn't perfect so a new (lower) goal is set. And all the while, the anorexic has the illusion that she is controlling her destiny via striving for the "goal". The fact that this is a dangerous illusion is, of course, obvious to those around her, and sometimes to her as well, but the condition has a life of its own such that logic does not matter . . . in a cruel twist of irony, although the anorexic is attempting to control her life, in fact her life is in the control of the disorder. I know this is very difficult to understand from an outsider's point of view, but it's true, and the hard part about treating this disorder is that logic is about as useful in treating it as it would be in treating cancer. It's very similar to a drug or alcohol addiction in this respect--others will say "my God, just quit doing this!" . . . but the anorexic quite simply can't; doesn't have the choice. In fact the most effective approaches to treatment are similar to those for addiction.

Answer 3

I've suffered from eating disorders (anorexia and bulimia) for over 12 years and I can tell you that the sufferers think they will only be beautiful WHEN the lose the weight. Of course, ultimately, eating disorders are not about food, weight or beauty, but about control. They have nothing to do with food in reality....that's more like a symptom. To an anorexic, no "goal" weight will ever satisfy her. It will continue to go down and down until she either dies or gets help. She thinks her life will magically be perfect when she reaches her goal weight, but she won't be because it has nothing to do with a number on the scale in reality, although to an anorexic, it is and they can't see reality.

Answer 4

I have heard from a bulimic that it is about returning to her childhood, to be a slender light thin young girl, to starve all the badness out of her body and to become pure. It is a mental disease, like Body Dysmorphic Disorder, which I used to have, that on the surface seems to be about beauty but underneath is much deeper than that.

Answer 5

I am bulimic. I've been in recovery for 6 years now, but I still struggle with the demons in my head on a regular basis. That's what bulimia is. It's not about beauty or about weight. It's an illness, a mental illness, and it's about control. Controlling the one thing that no one else can control. My bulimia had nothing to do with beauty.

Answer 6

I agree with you... I consider myself to have EDNOS (eating disorder not otherwise specified) because my constant obsession with weight and food. Although I'm not ana because I eat way too much to be considered.. and i'm not mia cuz I don't purge very often, although I used to purge up to five times a day at one point in my life. When I look at thinspo I'll see a pic of a 5'11 model and envy her long legs, but then i'll look at a pic of a petite singer/actress and envy her tiny-ness. I really dont think that i'll ever be satisfied with my own looks, no matter how thin I become, but seeing these women remind me that at least I can try... "I may not be perfect yet, but at least i'm trying". I agree that it's not logical, but nothing really makes sense in my head...

Answer 7

It may start out manifacing itself as a weight or beauty thing but truly it is a mental disorder. Self hatred. The same deal that causes people to cut themselves or attempt sucide. Sad situation since they are afraid of the person they are.

Answer 8

You seem to talk lots in regards to the bodies of your persons. consistent with possibility in case you (and people) did no longer pay lots interest to that they does not sense so insecure that they opt to be diverse.

Answer 9

it's a mental disorder