“It’s complicated,” or so we often hear
in answer to the question “what causes an eating disorder?” In understanding
the complex causes of eating disorders, the question should be narrowed: what factors contribute to which types of eating disorders in which individuals? It would be naive to
attribute the origins of eating disorders to any one life event, yet the
majority of eating disorders develop during late adolescent or in the early
twenties, according to the Diagnostic and
Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fourth Edition. This begs the
question, why? Well, “it’s complicated,” but one significant factor in the
onset and development of disordered eating is college and college life. Being a
college student myself, I’m no stranger to the pressure to “diet and date.”
Neither am I unfamiliar with the inevitable presence of food and drink at most
social events on college campuses. The desire to both starve and binge
dominates the lives of many college students. It’s a classic “have her cake and
eat it to” dilemma. The pressures of college life are overwhelming, and the
attitudes they promote are alarming. In a poll of 1,000 women between the ages
of eighteen and twenty-five, which ran in the 1994 publication of Esquire, 54 percent stated that they
would rather be “run over by a truck” than “obese” (Esquire, Feb 1994). It’s
not that women are killed more by trucks than obesity, but that women are more
afraid of fat than death. I ask again: why?
I’ve
already mentioned pressure as one factor. Piggybacked on pressure is simple
stress. Life itself is certainly stressful; but college is stress on steroids.
The college life is plagued with personal, physical, psychological, social, and
cognitive stress, among others. This stress, whether “positive” (i.e., academic
diligence) or “negative” (i.e., gossip and rumors) has to be dealt with...
somehow. Many students handle stress well; many do not. In addition to stress
and pressure, college is often seen and promoted egocentrically. Though college
is not strictly selfish, it is often focused on and encourages self-exploration
and experimentation. Living on their own for the first time, students become
aware of pathological patterns in their family of origin: college freshman are
not only realizing who they are, but
who they were. Often, they don’t know
how to deal with these questions of identity, responsibility, freedom, and
management. College students may feel stuck between a rock and a hard place:
they want to display independence, but struggle with unanswered questions. When
confusion is internalized, the need for control only grows stronger stimulating
one’s tendency for stricter food and weight standards.
We
could talk about the “why” of eating disorders forever and not even make a
dent. More relevant for discussion at this point is the “what” of treatment.
What makes the difference for someone on the edge of an eating disorder? What
can we do to diminish the suffocating pressure? What can we emphasize to
promote a healthy body image? Even with all the “right” ingredients for
success, the chance of someone developing an eating disorder is not always
removed. Concurrently, positive strategies buffer individuals against potential
stressors and combat unhealthy coping mechanisms. One way to fight the lies of
college culture, and American culture in general, is to surround oneself with
positive media. Several blogs (including this one!) devote themselves to
creating awareness of and help for individuals struggling with eating
disorders. Get plugged in! Find a support group via Facebook, set up an
accountability partner who can text you at meal times with encouragement, and
engage in media that promotes a positive body image and healthy lifestyle.
Media and online support is just one way to surround oneself with positive
influences. Physical support, as opposed to online resources, is also useful in
promoting positive coping mechanisms and personal accountability. Surrounding
yourself with people who love you, who will both support and confront you, is
vital in navigating college life and battling an eating disorder. In fact, many
college campuses hold group meetings and discussion forums to help students
connect with other students dealing with similar issues. Along with social
support and positive media, it is important to surround yourself with creative
and therapeutic outlets, such as drawing, painting, music, or dancing. In all
of these activities, you’re giving purpose to your body, which promotes
positive body image and checks self-loathing.
Whatever
you do, make it personal; make it doable. The good news is, support can come
from multiple sources, and healing can reach you in the deepest of holes.
