I always thought that anorexia was a female problem, something affecting young women manipulated by media and peers, even bullied, to become closest to what men want in a woman or what a successful woman is supposed to look like: tall and thin. This would be a social cause.
However, I read that some people, including men, become anorexic to control: they cannot control much in life, but weight is something they can control, like a way to cope with trauma. This would be a psychological cause.
My question is what’s the bigger trigger to anorexia, society or inner trauma?
What an odd question. I can only offer one perspective. I grew up in a time when the ideal female body type (and only type considered sexy) was short, curvy, with a small waist, bigger boobs and ass, small delicate hands and feet. Petite and curvy I would say, maybe small by today’s standards but not at all skinny nor tall. Plush and short in height.
I was/had none of those things. Tall and skinny, big hands and feet, no curves to speak of. I liked being skinny and liked being tall too, but certainly there was not any outside social pressure to be so thin. Then I had a tragedy and was stressed, and yes looking back I am sure that the anxiety around eating was sort of a reaction to that grief and stress.
But at any point did I think I was controlling my eating to be in a more socially acceptable body form? Hell no. And oddly, when the taller, thinner models started appearing, I got much happier about my body, and it eased the anxiety around eating.
I think it’s internal. Anorexia/restriction in particular. And yes related to life being out of control.
how come?
Mostly because there are so many women dissatisfied with their bodies because of media, but only a teeny percentage have restrictive eating disorder. If it was because of social pressure like that, it seems like modern society would be much thinner overall. But this is No Stupid Questions, I am not trying to insult you for asking.