It’s all about the looks. As society progresses, we all have been more and more critical about the external appearances of others. Say two people with the same qualifications vying for a job which involves mingling around with clients and such, the person who is better looking would usually get the upper hand. The first thing we judge about a person, even before we get to know more about them or their character, we judge them based on their appearances. 

Don’t we all remember these situations?

“You know that short girl with the specs? Yea, she….!”

“So round, I bet she failed her physical fitness test!”

Much as we don’t want to judge people based on their appearances, we somehow or the other would do so. We are humans, and we rely alot on exterior appearances and appeal, but in my opinion, even though it is hard to stop judging and commenting on people’s looks and build, it is definitely not impossible to look past their exterior features and look at them based on their character or inner beauty. 

There is definitely a reason why mental and eating disorders have been rampant as we progress into the 20th century. Girls and women alike strive to look “perfect”; to fit society’s perception of having the “perfect” body shape, “perfect” body size and they will do whatever to achieve that look. And that usually ends up in obsessive behavior which is destructive to their bodies and may even result in fatality. 

I have seen many girls fall prey to this particular disorder- Anorexia Nervosa. Many of us may know that this disorder exists, but many are still ill informed about the seriousness of this disorder and how it affects the victim physically and mentally. It is definitely not something we can trifle with. Anorexia is an eating disorder characterized by excessive food restriction and the irrational fear of gaining weight, whereby one would constantly strive to lose more and more weight even when severely underweight. They cannot see how thin they are, how emaciated they have became, and it is because they have a distorted body image. It is a really complex disorder which does not only deal with the physical aspect of the person during treatment, but it is the mental aspect which is the challenging factor in the treatment and recovery of this disorder. Sufferers usually have many problems and troubles which they do not express or share with others, and thus they use food as a form of control of their lives. Even when one is already back to the healthy weight, it doesn’t classify that person to be healed yet, it is the matter of the mind which needs time to slowly heal through constant visits to the doctor and the psychiatrist. 

Now even girls as young as the age of 6-7 have fell prey to this demon that is residing in their head and are batting with it everyday. I feel for the sufferers and thus hope to shed some light onto this topic which is not really delved into. And please, do not say that they brought it upon themselves for the state that they are in, as for most of them, it is not their choice to want to have this disorder, having someone in your head which constantly tells you that you are worthless, that you cannot eat that piece of chocolate, that you are fat enough when it is NOT true, is not fun. Those pro-ana people advocating the anorexia lifestyle have no idea about the complications that can manifest and the severity of contracting Anorexia.
 

“I’m Starving Myself to Death”

Update/: The woman in the video has since passed away a few months ago, on May 23 2012, at a weight of 54 pounds (24.5kg).