Mirasol Eating Disorder Recovery Centers
The 6 Myths Of
Anorexia Nervosa
Anorexia Nervosa
Anorexia Nervosa is very misunderstood in our society – the lack of education is causing millions of people to be overlooked or ignored in their time of need.
People with eating disorders have the highest mortality rate out of all psychiatric illnesses. On the following pages we will break down the top 6 myths that
surround this potentially deadly mental disorder.
Myth #1: “They are so vain, they chose to be anorexic.�
Anorexia is a mental illness; a suffering person’s thoughts and emotions are distorted by severe disturbances in their conduct around eating, exercising, or other related self-harm. Because anorexia not only affects the mind, but also most major organs in the body, it is hard to just
classify it solely as a mental illness.
Myth #2: “They’re just trying to get attention, they’ll grow out of it.” Anorexia is not just a phase. Often, people who suffer from this illness initiated the behavior as a mechanism to cope with painful experiences. It should never be seen as a normal behavior; people don’t develop it for attention nor do they “grow” out of it. Victims of anorexia require serious intervention and treatment.
Myth #3: “They can’t be anorexic. I’ve seen them eat junk food before.” Just because a person eats in front of other people doesn’t mean they aren’t anorexic. Some sufferers will eat for several days in a row and then fast for an extremely long time. Another misconception is that people with
anorexia don’t eat “bad” food, which is untrue – many with this illness rely on sugary foods to keep their energy up.
Myth #4: “They can’t be anorexic. They’re middle-aged men.”
There is this idea that the only people with anorexia are white, teenage girls – that
couldn’t be further from the truth. Anyone can be affected by anorexia nervosa, no matter the gender, age, culture,
or socio-economic background.
Myth #5: “Their parents are to blame.” There isn’t any evidence to suggest that a
particular parenting style can cause anorexia. There is research, however, that suggests that people whose parents have had eating disorders
are at higher risk – blaming the parents for a genetic illness isn’t fair. There are many mental and physical illnesses where genetics play a role (ex. schizophrenia and heart disease).
Myth #6: “They are so skinny; they are definitely anorexic.”
Being thin doesn’t mean a person has an eating disorder.
A person’s body composition is truly unique – people come in all different shapes and sizes. Some people are naturally very slender.
In Review Anorexia is a dangerous
and
potentially life threatening mental illness that can cause extreme harm to the body’s major organs.
Anyone can be affected by this illness and the best way to overcome it is to seek help.
Contact Us If you need more information, please call:
1-888-520-1700 Or visit: http://www.mirasol.net/ Located in Arizona, Mirasol Eating Disorder Recovery Center offers amazing alternative treatments for eating disorders. We have a knowledgeable staff of 50, including state-certified
therapists, psychiatrists, dietitians, psychologists, nutritionists, and nurses.
Image Attribution
Slide 2 - Photo courtesy of http://www.mirasol.net/
Summary
Anorexia Nervosa is very misunderstood in our society – the lack of education is causing millions of people to be overlooked or ignored in their time of need. We discuss the facts behind the top 6 myths that surround this potentially deadly mental disorder.