The World Book Encyclopedia defines anorexia as, "one who avoids food for psychological reasons". Most "experts" believe that those who suffer from anorexia are starving themselves to avoid growing into adults. It is also common knowledge among these experts that anorexics "want to gain attention and a sense of being special". People say that anorexia doesn't stop at affecting the victim at hand; instead, it surpasses the anorexic. Which means that anorexia affects the personality of the person; that it branches off to affect other parts of that anorexics life. Body image obsession, self-devotion, attention grabbing, selfishness, are all attributes which keenly describe anorexia in the eyes of the media and most hospital institutions. It is that view point which affect modern societies view eating disorders, and anorexia in particular. Examples can be found in the recent attention paid towards anorexia, most of this well deserved attention, however, is not positive. Sketches on television viewed by the programming of such shows as Saturday Night Live, poke fun at anorexics by making them into exactly what the media prefers them to be, and shows that all the attributes are true. Others like radio legend Howard Stern has games like Guess The Bulimic. It is things like these that make it very difficult for one suffering from an eating disorder to come out and seek help in fear of being hurt. Imagine, if you will, being in lonely, miserable cell. You have the ability to leave at anytime, and there at the door are your family and friends, encouraging you to escape. However, there is a drill bit in your back and every time you try to move, it pushes into your back. You're restrained, restricted from freedom. That is a sketchy portrayal of the eternal pain the anorexic mind suffers from. It's hardly a child trying to get attention, much less a child making a dangerous attempt to gain social acceptance. Those who treat anorexia in m...
