Anorexia and College Students: Asking the Tough Questions

“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.

If you’re interested in learning more about eating disorders and college students, read the full article at http://www.eatingdisorderhope.com/article_anorexia-and-college-students

Written by: Rachel Bailey