Depression, fear of gaining weight, distorted body image, obsession with dieting, an intense drive to become thinner, and, finally, denial of feeling hunger: this is the process that leads 10% of female college students to surrender to an eating disorder. To put this into perspective: that means that out of Ohio State’s nearly 30,000 female students, approximately 3,000 have chronic eating disorders. I was one of those 3,000 females. A few years ago, my life came crashing down around me. Depression became integrated into my daily life as I continually searched for “a way out” of the loneliness I felt. The escape route I chose turned out to be the most constraining and deceiving of my options. My dieting turned from healthy meals, to strictly vegetables, to one bite of cracker a day, to eventually nothing. Anorexia is something that devours one’s body, mind, and soul; it feasts not on nutrition but on one’s mentality. Eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia are issues that must never be spoken of lightly. Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness. In fact, anorexia is the third most chronic illness among teens. What most people do not know is that eating disorders are not always a result of a pre-existing mental illness; they are far more complicated. The media, stress, and one’s lifestyle are only a few of the many precursors to the adoption of an eating disorder.

Mary-Kate Olsen, Paula Abdul, Ashlee Simpson, Lindsay Lohan, Nicole Richie, and Kate Moss. What do all of these celebrities have in common? They are all victims of eating disorders. The media posts pictures of these women and their skeleton-like figures all over magazines and news broadcasts, but why? Surely it is not to support adopting eating disorders, but rather to support fighting them and to raise awareness of the dangers severe eating disorders present. Despite the media’s commendable reasoning behind reporting these celebrities’ struggles, the media is often what inspires young women to become thinner. Another technique the media uses to support actresses’ and models’ ultra-thin look is to airbrush their bodies to look flawless. A young woman looking through a magazine sees a picture of Mary-Kate Olsen, and remembers how much she adored the show “Full House.” It’s easy to say how adorable Mary-Kate was when she was little; we were all sweet, innocent children at some point, but we did not all become famous for it. Many women see these stars and automatically believe that fame has a direct connection to appearance and, consequently, develop the mindset that “thin is in.” Some women feel that the media, as well as society in general, forces thinness, dieting, and thus eating disorders upon them through the broadcasting of celebrities’ ultra-thin bodies.

It is not a matter of if, but when an eating disorder will kill.

In addition to the media, stress, and anxiety are also common sources of eating disorders. Anorexics and bulimics often exhibit qualities of severe perfectionism, whether they are personal-, school-, friend-, or work-related. As college students, we can identify with the anxiety brought by moving away from home, having no money, a heavy work load in our courses, and gaining independence. Often life seems too much to handle, and we want to give up, but we find a way to pull through. Not everyone is strong enough to get through such tough times. People will turn to an eating disorder when they feel they have lost control of their lives by over-controlling their diet and exercise techniques. According to the National Institutes of Mental Health, “Anxiety disorders frequently co-occur with depressive disorders and eating disorders.” Depression often causes low self-esteem, loss of self-worth, and feelings of helplessness; therefore, eating disorders are often the chosen escape route because, at first glance, they appear to improve one’s appearance. What yet remains unseen are the negative physic al effects of malnutrition––thinning of the hair, yellowing of the skin, brittle nails, and tooth decay.

A recent survey conducted by the National Eating Disorder Association found that 91% of women on a college campus had attempted to control their weight through dieting. Female subjects who dieted at a severe level were 18 times more likely to develop an eating disorder than those who did not diet. While exercise and maintaining a proper diet is essential for a healthy lifestyle, there comes a point where people become “health crazy.” These are the people who analyze the nutrition facts on EVERYTHING, even things like carrot sticks that most people would assume to be nutritious, regardless of calorie content. Health-crazed people exercise excessively and weigh themselves every hour, maybe even more frequently. There were countless times when I would work out without eating for days; for hours I would push myself to do more, and eventually pass out. If dieting and exercise are a part of one’s daily life it will not necessarily cause an eating disorder; however, it is extremely important to be aware of how one’s health routines change over time. In order to avoid taking diet and exercise too far, one must remind him- or herself of the reasons one is partaking in these activities. Is it to live a healthier lifestyle? or just to look better? If the answer to this question is the second option, one is far more likely to take dieting and exercise to the extreme, resulting in a higher risk of developing an eating disorder.

It is not a matter of if, but when an eating disorder will kill. According to the American Psychiatric Association, five to ten percent of anorexics die within ten years of onset, 18-20 percent die within twenty years of onset, and only 50 percent report ever being cured. Once an eating disorder becomes an integrated part of one’s daily life, the addiction to become thinner never goes away. If anorexia or bulimia takes hold of you or a loved-one’s life, please seek help immediately. Treatment centers such as Timberline Knolls, Avalon Hills, Monte Nido, and Castlewood are available to help you recover from this life-threatening illness. It may be hard to take the initial step to get help; trust me, I know. Now, three years after I began receiving treatment and support from my family and doctors, I am fully recovered. I am a normal looking person who likes to do normal people things. I am a survivor of anorexia.

The Ohio State University

February, 2010