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Causes of Eating Disorders

© Heather Mudgett.

I began my eating disorder career when I was 13 years old. As it happens, that was the same year that my parents split up. Was there a connection? Maybe so... maybe not.

After many years in therapy, spent listenting to a plethora of psycho-babble, I have come to the realization that family and relationships may have a great deal to do with eating disorders. IT ISN'T JUST ABOUT BEING THIN!

So what DOES cause an eating disorder? It would be so much easier to treat if there were a simple answer to that question. As doctors strive to learn more about anorexia, bulimia, and binge-eating (among others), they seem to be discovering that a number of situations can lead to eating disorders.

There seem to be different causes for different people. For instance, the athlete may develop an eating disorder in an attempt to stay ultra-thin and impress his or her coach. A teenager may develop an eating disorder as a way of dealing with a changing body, peer pressures, and family problems. The thirty-something housewife may use an eating disorder as an outlet for dealing with an alcoholic husband or a dysfunctional family. Some doctors feel that an eating disorder can be triggered by one very traumatic event, while other doctors believe an eating disorder is most simply explained as a symptom of depression.

It seemingly may be concluded, that a person with an eating disorder has unconsciously choosen to focus on their dissatisfaction with their body, rather than face other situations in their life. The media bombards us, with images of waif-like models and actresses, tiny gymnasts, and surgically enhanced centerfolds. With these unrealistic bodies being flashed to us day after day, it's easy to see how we begin to see fault with our own forms.

Ellen Creager of the Detroit Free Press put it into a great perspective when she wrote "According to body mass math, plus size model Emme is healthier than Playboy's Miss July, Michigan Gov. John Engler could stand to lose some serious weight, and supermodel Kate Moss should have starved to death by now." Her entire article on body mass index, can be read at:

Creager's BodyMass Article

There are many sites on the internet which discuss eating disorders. A few which specifically discuss CAUSES of eating disorders are:

What Causes Eating Disorders?

Mediconsult-Causes

Various Causes

Whatever the cause may be, eating disorders are a frightening and frustrating problem, which must be faced. For a sobering, yet effective reality check, take a look at Something-Fishy's Memorial page: Memorial Page While you're at it, you should take a few minute to browse throught the whole Something-Fishy site. It has a great deal of general, educational information, as well as good support ideas. Something-Fishy Site

The copyright of the article Causes of Eating Disorders in Eating Disorders is owned by Heather Mudgett.. Permission to republish Causes of Eating Disorders in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.