Does Interpersonal Attraction to Thin Media Personalities Promote Eating Disorders - Case Study Example

Beauty and the Beast Body Image and its Essentials Order No: 180861 No: of Pages: 8 Premium -6530 Everyone would love to be the “Beauty on theCatwalk Ramp!” But at what cost? From time immemorial, Beauty has been an obsession, especially with women and it still remains one of the burning issues of today. It is not wrong to want to be beautiful, yet it is very important to keep your body healthy and fit at all times. When the topic of the causes for the growing prevalence of eating disorders in both men and women are brought to the forefront, always the finger of blame is pointed towards the media who has a significant role to play in it. The association between different body shapes and desired social status can be traced all the way back to the Rubenesque women of the seventeenth century. (Garner et. Al., 1980) Prominent eating disorder researchers recognize that the most beautiful and successful leading figures in the media are thin, and this leads viewers to associate thinness with self control and success (Harrison, et. al., 1997). This ideal shape evolved from a curved, voluptuous figure to an angular, lean figure (Garner et. al., 1980). If the increasing rates of occurrence are in fact accurate, then all the four factors such as biological, sociological, psychological and familial should be taken into consideration. Exposure to images of the thin female ideal in the mass media is just one aspect of the sociological category (Harrison, 1997). The “People Magazine” carried an article on “Searching for the Perfect Body” which also carried a poll for women. They were asked as to how many of them were influenced by the “unrealistic thin images of Hollywood women”. Around 80% of those who had given their poll said that the images of women in movies, TV and magazines had contributed to insecurities of their own body image. 93% of them have tried to lose weight, 34% of them said they would most probably go in for cosmetic surgery and another 34% said they would possibly try a diet even if it had some health risks involved. (People Magazine, August 25th 2000.) Anorexia: Anorexia is primarily a psychological disorder where a patient cannot stand the sight of food because he has a food disorder. They eat lesser and lesser each day and finally one day find themselves to be ever so skinny and weak. A person suffering from “Anorexia Nervosa” begins by going on a diet. As time passes the diet goes beyond what is necessary leaving the person extremely weak and painfully thin. In such a disorder, the person continues restrictive eating which finally leads to near starvation. Such a situation is extremely dangerous and would lead to other problems. Other symptoms of anorexia include obsessive exercising, counting of calorie and fat grams, extreme fascination and concern with food, health, and body image, use of laxatives, diuretics, and diet pills, and self induced vomiting (Jackson, et. al., 1999) This finally becomes an obsession which can be compared to taking the craving for alcohol or drugs. This condition manifests itself in early adolescence and occurs in upper middle class or affluent families. During a debate, Melanie Katzman, a consultant psychologist from New York stated that the “media actively marketed the thin ideal as being associated with success and treated the body as a commodity”. She also said that, “The pursuit of thinness has become a religion” (Melanie Katzman, BMJ 2001; 322: 1002 (21 April) Experts consider that people with professions such as modeling, athletics, dancing and acting are particularly at risk to contact Anorexia. According to Nunn, “the media has not produced anorexia but pandered to it” (Nunn, BMJ 2001;322:1002 ( 21 April ) Some of the following advertisements by the media, that were put forward in the debate were “Lose inner thigh, gain inner peace” and yet another that said, “Super models love our diet, It comes up as easily as it goes down”. Although no primary cause has been identified, yet researchers have found that peer pressure and family pressure to stay thin may be a cause. Another cause would be that the child becomes too dependent on the family that subconsciously they do not want to grow up and hence prefer to keep themselves small and thin and maintain the child- parent relationship. Yet another suggestion was that it was genetic (inherited) which would make them susceptible to Anorexia Nervosa. There are four basic criteria for diagnosing Anorexia – Refusal to maintain a normal or minimal body weight which is 85% of the expected body weight. Intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat. Grossly distorted self perception due to weight loss. Missing at least three consecutive menstrual cycles (amenorrhea) or getting their periods after a hormone is administered. Bulimia Nervosa: Bulimia Nervosa is yet another disorder in the spectrum of eating disorders. It is characterized by secretive and excessive “Binge Eating” followed by methods of weight control that are inappropriate. Such methods include self- induced vomiting (purging), excessive exercise, abuse of diuretics and laxatives etc. Like Anorexia it harms the person psychologically. People suffering from Bulimia experience weight fluctuations and their weight loss is not as significant as an Anorexic. Strauss believes that teenage white females are especially sensitive for poor body image due to an "increasing emphasis on thinness by television, advertising, and marketing campaigns" aimed at younger people. (Reuters 1999). Diagnosing and treating of Bulimia is much easier than that of Anorexia Nervosa. Depression or stress is what triggers Binge eating in Bulimia and this is followed by guilt pangs. During this time, the person goes on a starvation period or does excessive exercise to gain control over their body once again. Biological explanations for eating disorders can involve the brain chemical serotonin metabolite. Women who have experienced bulimia are found to have higher levels of serotonin metabolite in their brain and experience more negative moods and obsessions with perfection and exactness (Preboth and Wright, 1999). In research undertaken, it was found that the “thin ideal” that was laid down by family members, peer group and the media, were related to Bulimic symptoms. In women’s magazines, the number of articles on diets, fad foods and articles concerning body shape and size etc. were very much higher than in men’s magazines. What is indicated by the results of this study is that women are exposed to gender specific messages in magazines and other advertisements. While encouraged to stay in shape and be thin, women are also exposed to many food and cooking ads (Silverstein, et. al., 1986). Role of the Media: We can’t deny the fact of the media’s influence on eating disorders. We often wonder about the waif like or child like images of women often portrayed or exhibited which has obviously contributed to women craving to be exceptionally thin or skinny. The media has a great influence on eating disorders but obviously it doesn’t cause psychological disorders such as Anorexia, Bulimia or Compulsive eating Disorders. Though the media does contribute size discrimination and dieting, yet it is not fair to blame the media for it because it is more complex than that. “The media may peddle images of women that make them unhappy with their bodies, but they are not responsible for eating disorders”. (Kenneth Dunn, BMJ 2001; 322:1002 (21 April) Society too, teaches us, that looks matter a lot and so at a very young age children try to build an image of themselves that is not as natural as their true self. From a very early age, children are exposed to the television that constantly see images, telling us to be slim is beautiful, or to lose weight, or to buy a lot of stuff so people would respect us more and so many other such things. Very rarely do we see men and women with average body types or wearing clothes that are disheveled giving advice. The message is always brought to us by slim and beautiful people who speak so convincingly to the extent that it distorts the real picture we have in our minds. Fat characters are always portrayed as lazy and no good, the ones who do not have friends or literally “the bad guy”, where as the slim and trim men and women are depicted as the successful ones, sexy, intelligent and very popular. Magazines displaying slim or thin women do their best to convince us that we are not alright, we have to slim down in order to be beautiful and accepted. Our society is engulfed by advertisements of the mass media through Television, radio, magazines, the internet, movies, cable, books, music, newspapers and advertisements that somehow convince women that they have to be thin if they want to be beautiful. Men too, are exposed to these messages and hence get the wrong picture as to what is really beautiful and healthy, thereby deepening these messages further. “The overriding message is that we need to change something about ourselves in order to be loved or successful. In particular, if we have thin, fit bodies, our lives will be perfect" (Yarborough, 1999) Treatment: The road to treating Anorexia and Bulimia is a long and arduous one but one that would finally prove successful. People who suffer from this dysfunction often dream of being free of their obsessions one day. Their dreams could be a reality if they do some hard work. All the energy they spend on planning their meals could be channelised to recovery by taking their problem to a professional. The very first step is for them to learn to love and respect themselves for what they are because at this point of time they have bouts of anxiety and low self worth or self esteem. Another important thing is they should keep in mind that no matter how many times they go back to it, they would definitely be cured of it one day. If they hope and keep at it, the period when they go back to it would become lesser and lesser and finally cease altogether. People around them such as family friends and colleagues must lend them support at all times. The person should constantly be in touch with a therapist and follow the guidance given to them. One – on – one therapy, group therapy, residential therapy and medical centers and support groups are very helpful to get rid of this condition. Group therapy is quite effective, because in the group you get to meet people who are suffering or who have overcome the problem. Speaking to these people would help to encourage the person to a quicker and better recovery. Conclusion: In the light of such a situation, it is very difficult to advise our children that what really matters is the inside and not what’s on the outside. In other words if we eat right, we are going to lead a healthy life. Anorexia is a psychological disorder that is mostly found in women who suffer from an eating disorder and so women, who go through all the trouble to do so, should be advised on the side affects they would have to deal with. The media cannot be totally blamed for eating disorders in both men and women and the corresponding diseases attached to it, but the media definitely plays both a direct as well as indirect role where these disorders are concerned. One of the very active organizations called EDAP (Eating Disorder Awareness and Prevention) are lending full support to anyone faced with this problem. This standard may not be promoted only in the media and it may not even originate in the media, but given the popularity of television, movies, and magazines, and the instances when styles adopted by media figures begin popular fads, the media are likely to be among the most influential promoters of such thin standards" (Silverstein, 1986). References: Anorexia, Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis……. www.medicinenet.com/anorexia_nervosa/article.htm Issues in Mass Communication The Effect of the Media on Eating Disorders Katie Smith Anorexia & the Mass Media www.mysite.verizon.net/dearnadine/id27.html Eating Disorders and the Media www.something-fishy.org/cultural/themedia.php Conquering Anorexia/ Book/ The Route to Recovery http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/322/7292/1001/a Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media. Harrison, Kristen. (1997) "Does Interpersonal Attraction to Thin Media Personalities Promote Eating Disorders? Volume 41. Broadcast Education Association. National Depressive & Manic-Depressive Association. (1998) Understanding Eating Disorders. http://www.ndmda.org/eating.htm   Yarborough, Kathryn Putnam. (1999) Understanding Body Image. http://www.eatingdisorder.org/news.htm   Reuters, Health. (1999) Half of Normal-Weight Girls Think They Are Fat. http://www.allhealth.com/conditions/mental/news/0,4800,296_127572,00.html Suite 101 Searching for the Perfect Body (Heather Mudgett) Is Recovery Possible?   Read More