Anorexia and its Relationship to Female Images in the Media - Term Paper Example

Eating Disorders- Anorexia and its Relationship to Female Images in the Media Eating disorders- anorexia and its relationship to female images in the media Introduction Anorexia refers to an eating disorder that is characterized by an excessive low body weight, extreme phobia of adding weight and a distorted perception of body weight. People with this type of disorder place a lot of value in regulating their body weight and shape and they always use excessive efforts to interfere with the activities in their lives (Saukko, 2008). To control adding or losing any weight, people with anorexia always control the amount of food they take every day. These people usually monitor the amount of calories they take by forcing themselves to vomit after eating or by misusing laxatives drugs, aiding their diet. They also try to lose weight by exercising excessively (Griffin, 2012). Anorexia is not about food. It refers to an unhealthy way to keep up with emotional problems of an individual; people with this disorder always equate their body size with their self-worth (Saukko, 2008). It’s always a hard situation to ignore but with proper treatment, one can gain sense of who he or she is, get back to healthy eating habits and reverse some serious effects of the disorder. Anorexia relationship to female images in the media Most of the patients with Anorexia usually turn and feel hostile towards the media due to their images because the media helps in keeping and maintaining the disorders in one way or the other. The relationship between anorexia and female images in media can best be summarized in several sections; media’s role in the provision of social context with which eating disorders grow, media’s role in the etiology of anorexia symptoms, different ways that the media help the patients in maintaining and fighting the condition and the role that the media can play in helping in the prevention and the treatment of the condition (Robert-McComb, Norman & Zumwalt, n.d.). Media’s role in the provision of social context with which eating disorders grow Earlier investigations on the role played by the media in the disorders associated with eating mostly focused on the losing of body weight over time of the models, media actresses and beauty contestants who were concerned about the ideals of beauty. Several studies have put to records the trend of adding body thinness in Miss America contestants, fashion models between 1950s and the 1990s and Playboy centerfolds. The same period was characterized by a significant weight increase by the Canadian and the American women that led to the ever-increasing discrepancy between the media ideal and the body size of the North American women. Both print and electronic media have played a big role in contributing to the satisfaction of the body and also disordered the eating habits of both young girls and women. Some scholars found an additional rate of advertisement for foods and diet products between the years 1973-1991 (Robert-McComb, Norman & Zumwalt, n.d.). In general, studies have indicated that the commercials on food diets and products on diets have been increasing and the body sizes in various public shows have led to the decline of the female actresses and their appearances in the media. The general weight of the North American women has also increased (Cromby, n.d.). The media plays a significant role to glorify slender women and take a lot of time in emphasizing the importance of being slender and the appearance, in general. The beauty industry depends a lot on a definite emphasis on the price of appearances and women beauty. It leads to a consumption based on culture that the answer can only be obtained and achieved by buying the advertised products to improve the image of the women in the media (Wykes & Gunter, 2005). The Media’s Role in the Eating Disorders Etiology The widespread notion of womens drive to becoming thin, dissatisfaction with the body and unsafe methods of weight control among many women have led to a lot of philosophers to believe in the existence of mechanisms that enable them to reach a large number of ladies. One of these mechanisms is the media that has an ever-increasing influence to reach a lot of women across North America and the whole world at large (Griffin, 2012). Studies have been done to examine the relationship between mass media usage and body satisfaction and the adverse effects of eating disorder. Most of these studies have shown that there is a relationship in how the media expose pathology of eating, dissatisfaction of the body and its negative effects. The power of the relationship has varied between and within media exposure and the studies (Robert-McComb, Norman & Zumwalt, n.d.). Many researchers have had their studies in examining the role of media in its contribution to promoting the disorder through the exposure of young women to the images of slim models in magazines of fashion, the measurement of body satisfaction, urge for slimming, pathology of eating, attitude, and self- esteem some time before and after the exposure. These studies have shown that, females exposed to thin media images always experience an increased body dissatisfaction and emotional distress with others finding no effect at all (Wykes & Gunter, 2005). Some of the studies also hold to prove the theory that mass media plays a role in promoting and maintaining the discontent that women always experience their bodies. There is also evidence that ladies exposure to slim images of ladies and the pressure that comes from the media for women to lose weight affects womens body image and their emotional well-being (Cromby, n.d.). It shows that the negative effects of that comes from the media are more effective to particularly vulnerable people. Social comparisons are also said to mediate media and body dissatisfaction relationship and the eating pathology. Therefore, the effect of media is linked to personal traits of the ladies exposed to it (Griffin, 2012). The contribution of Media in the Eating Disorder Maintenance Just as most of the young ladies with excess weight and body shape preoccupation, dissatisfaction with their own bodies, the thin ideal internalization, and social comparison tendencies, most of them are influenced by the media and most of them are likely to use the media. Most women with anorexia usually engage themselves in heavy media usage on magazines related to fashion thus making them become media addicts. These suggestions are supported by the demonstrations that the linkages were all consisted with some models used in the explanation of the compulsive and also addictive processes (Robert-McComb, Norman & Zumwalt, n.d.). The Media’s purpose in the Eating Disorders Prevention and Treatment A lot of stories on media roles in addressing eating disorder have been focused on media activism, literacy, and advocacy. Training by media involves teaching people on how to think critically about different media forms, increasing the awareness of the use of media, and precisely analyzing the contents and the intentions of the media producers. Through the teachings, young girls learn different ways to discuss and have the visual images and the messages in the media. They have the chance to learn that all media images are constructed and whatever they see is usually not reality but media creation. It stresses in different forms of media images created for very deliberate and processes that are well researched made purposely for making profit. Although, there has been limited or no success in using the media to educate the ladies and restore their self-esteem and their body images. Scientists have been focusing on different ways to curb the factor risk that make some people to be exposed to the demerits of the media. Suggestions have been made about treatment programs for orders associated with eating should be incorporated in media literacy with strategies to help the patients to restore their self-esteem and social skills. Conclusion To conclude, mass media gives equips us with the thin ideal images for most of our ladies. The ideal has become extremely thin since the 1950s and hence more unrealistic for most of the girls and women in the society. Most of the media messages and their images about the appearance and the thinness for the ladies have an impact on the satisfaction of the body, preoccupation with their weight, eating habits and their emotional wellbeing in their culture. It is through the media that maintenance and eating disorders is passed to the society. Media literacy, advocacy and activism should be used adequately in seeking the solution to this disorder. The media should take the forefront of advocating for more positive change and self-esteem building message to be passed to the ladies through both print and electronic media. References Cromby, J. Psychology, mental health, and distress. Griffin, E. (2012). A first look at communication theory. New York: McGraw-Hill. Robert-McComb, J., Norman, R., & Zumwalt, M. The active female. Saukko, P. (2008). The anorexic self. Albany: State University of New York Press. Wykes, M., & Gunter, B. (2005). The media and body image. London: SAGE. Read More