Audrey Helfrich

Whitley
English 10
13 May 2016
Anorexia
People have this idea in their head that they have to be skinny to be beautiful. But, sometimes
that could put you on the track to eating disorders such as anorexia. Much to peoples surprise
anorexia isnt caused by social media, but by a persons chemical makeup and environmental
factors in their life. Anorexia is something youre born with, it just needs to be triggered in your
mind. Anorexia could be triggered by anything in someones environment whether it be the
constant talk of losing weight and dieting, or anxiety and/or depression. Anorexia is a brain
disorder caused by chemical makeup and environmental factors.
Anorexia is known as the most deadliest brain disorder with a death rate of 15-20% (Rosen 2024). Anorexia nervosa is a disorder when one has the desire to lose weight, a person goes on a
strict diet or limits the amount of food they eat or stops eating completely. As a matter of fact,
only a little under 1% of boys are anorexic, and just a bit more than 1% of girls are anorexic.
(Whitmire). In general, 90% of teenaged girls in America are on a diet of some type. Anorexia
is likely due to the interaction of a number of genes with a number of environmental factors
(Ogilvie A1+). Anything can trigger anorexia in someones brain, whether it be a kid getting
bullied, anxiety, or depression. Even if a person is close to someone with anorexia, the chances
of being anorexic increase. Personality traits also have a play in whether or not one is more likely
to be anorexic. Even if a person has a genetic risk for anorexia it doesnt mean that person will
get it, something just needs to trigger it in their brain.

Several studies show that anorexics are wired differently than normal people, their senses
seemed to be dulled in comparison to normal person. Researchers have found that the chemicals
coursing through healthy peoples reward circuit arent quite the same in anorexics(Rosen 2024). For example, when a normal healthy person gets a rush of dopamine it makes them
extremely happy, when anorexics get the same rush they get extremely anxious. The control
center, two golf ball sized chunks of tissues called DLPF, helps stamp out primitive
urges(Rosen 20-24). Likewise, anorexics have extreme control over everything, this helps them
fight the need to eat, food doesnt even taste good for them. Not to mention it is believed when
anorexia develops it turns some genes off, but scientists are trying to find a way to turn these
genes back on. Results of the first genetic studies, released in the past 5 years reveal that genetic
vulnerability for anorexia lies on chromosome 1 of the 24 chromosomes that make up the human
genome(Ogilvie A1+). If scientists can locate the exact genes then they can find a treatment and
even possibly prevent anorexia.
People with anorexia dont realize their own weight, its mentally impossible for them to
see how skinny they are. Symptoms of anorexia include, refusal to eat, throwing up, anxiety,
depression, extreme weight loss, irregular menstrual cycles, etc. In light of that, scientists have
linked anorexia to high levels of estrogen in the womb; a genetic mutation; a tendency towards
anxiety, which can make the child more likely to be anorexic. People do not develop eating
disorders because they are weak-willed, but because they carry measurable susceptibilities that
may or may not be activated by various pressures in the environment (Cresswell 8). Granted
that, people who are anorexic tend to be perfectionists, they strive to get perfect grades or be the
best in a sport, many scientists believe that an anorexics brain is wired for willpower. Together

with being a perfectionist, anorexia tends to run in families, or stressful life changes make a
person more likely to be anorexic.
If ones family has a strong history of anorexia the parents should try to avoid talking
about weight or dieting, anything that could trigger anorexia should not be mentioned. In fact,
anxiety in the parents can contribute to anxiety in the child (Laurence 34), which can trigger
anorexia in the child. Likewise, a daughter of a professional couple is more likely to be anorexic
compared to a child with more relaxed parents. Psychologists say that anorexia may be driven
by a fear of adulthood or losing the attention of parents (Laurence 34). Being that, it might be
an attempt to gain more control over areas in ones life where they lack it. Along with suffering
from anorexia, the person will often feel very guilty about the whole situation. So, if scientists
can prove that anorexia is 100% a genetic problem it could lessen the guilt on both the parents
and the person with anorexia. In that case, researchers found that a cholesterol gene could be one
of the genes causing anorexia. If researchers can find a treatment it would tremendously relief
the guilt on everyone and perhaps make it easier for someone suffering from anorexia to tell their
parents, or a loved one.
Most people think that women are vulnerable to aspire to have model bodies but most
ordinary people dont care what so ever. Genetic predisposition outweighs any psychological or
cultural factors, and can account for up to 70% of risk for developing this disorder (Ogilvie
A1+). Susan Burrell a doctor said to the Daily Telegraph The majority of women I see are
incredibly unhappy with their weight--not because society pushes them to be thinner but because
they dont feel well (qtd. in Burrell). In fact, celebrities have insecurities and struggle with their
weight too. Burrell also commented There are just as many regular stars, it is just to that as a
society we like to aspire to be thin, fit and beautiful which is why these individuals get so much

more attention in the mass media (qtd. in Burrell). Not only are celebrities attacked but the
fashion industry is in the line of fire. In France there is a ban on too thin models, in hope that
will control anorexia. The fashion industry bristled at the ban, calling anorexia a mental-illness,
not something that can be treated by levying fines on fashion agencies (Miller). However,
fashion industries do not dictate notions of beauty.
With that in mind, anorexia has a long history, going centuries back. Its been around
before strikingly thin models, superstars, or even before skinny was the ideal of beauty. In fact,
Thomas Hobbes wrote about anorexia in the 1680s. A 1987 study showed that anorexia in the
United States increased throughout the 19th century and peaked around 1900, when chorus girls
were voluptuous and the boyish flapper look was still two decades away. (Schwarz 22-24).
Although social media just might be the cause for anorexia. A doctor went to Fiji where only one
case of anorexia was reported and Fiji wasnt exposed to normal civilization until 1995, soon
after the exposure the rate of anorexics began to increase. Although mass media has been
producing images of societys idea of beauty for years, the increased use of social media allows
users to compare themselves to their peers, not just celebrities (Mulliniks). Provided that there
are websites promoting not just anorexia but other eating disorders such as bulimia. Girls can go
to pro-ana websites and be coached on how to be anorexic. When reading these sites a person
might get confused and not realizing what theyre doing is wrong due to the sense of being
nurtured, or to the feeling of not being alone and being apart of something. One of the most
dangerous messages from pro-ana is that anorexia is no more harmful than getting a tattoo
(Stamford D3). Social media could make sense in some ways, but it just doesnt add up to be the
cause of anorexia. There has been no big change in anorexia in America since at least the mid
20th century. On top of that anorexia is a global issue. Anorexia is a major problem for countries

that dont have mass media or no ideal of thinness, even though cases of anorexia increased in
Fiji when social media and modernization were introduced its because social media and other
factors triggered the disorder in their brains. While social media may be the cause for anorexia, it
just doesnt add up.
Given these points, social media isnt the cause for anorexia, its a persons chemical
makeup and environmental factors in their life. It could take anything to trigger anorexia, it could
be the smallest of things but once its triggered its nearly impossible to turn off. This is because
of a persons chemical makeup, they gain control over their hunger and slowly starve themselves
to death. Many people think anorexia is caused by social media, or the pressures to be thin. But
its not, many anorexics are generally unhappy with their weight not because society tells them to
be. In conclusion, a persons idea of beauty might lead them down the wrong and dangerous path
of anorexia.

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2009 22-24 SIRS Issues Researchers. Web. 20 Apr. 2016
Stamford, Bryant. Being Too Thin Has Consequences. Courier-Journal. 20 Jun. 2013:

D.3 SIRS Issues Researchers. Web. 20 Apr. 2016