Just goes to show that the genders are more equivalent than some are willing to admit.

I blame the fashion industry and their skinny jeans. How else are these kids expected to fit into their sisters jeans without anorexia?

The conclusions you draw are amazing.

you can twist the numbers all you want, it won't make you right.

Lock said that it was rare for people who come in for an assessment of anorexia to not have a 4.0 gpa.

That does NOT mean that all people with 4.0gpa are anorexic. Nor does it imply that all people without a 4.0gpa are fat.

All squares are rectangles, but not all rectangles are squares. You can't take that and suddenly say that anything that's not a square is not a rectangle.

Stick to the facts.

John, what the article is stating is anorexia is commonly associated with a certain type of personality. These people are in essence obsessed with having a certain look/status. a 4.0 gpa lends itself to a status too, so these people would also likely be obsessed with having a 4.0. It isn't that these people are necessarily smarter than anybody else. But their obsession causes them to forgo everything else in life so they can achieve their goal of the 4.0 or the "perfect thinness." The 4.0 is part of the disease, not an marker of them being smarter than anybody else. Near anybody can get straight A's in school if they dedicate their lives 100% to that goal and nothing else. It just happens that most of us aren't that dedicated.

@JohnSixty - how do you get from, all people with anorexia have a 4.0, to all people with a 1.0 are fat? First off, it didn't say all people with a 4.0 have anorexia, it said it is abnormal for someone with anorexia to seek treatment and not have straight A's. That doesn't even mean all with anorexia have straight A's. It simply means there is a certain personality type, those who deal in extremes and look for control, that are more prone to anorexia. The same can be said for a whole slew of other mental disorders, such as OCD, these are people who try to control every aspect of their lives, which includes their grades and their appearance. To fail at one of these is to lose control, which will inevitably send these people into a downward spiral, which is when things like anorexia take over.

JohnSixty,What a way to twist the story to be all about you, are you a politician? My experience with anorexia is that it is all about control hence the good grades and excelling in sports. These people just can give up. And my experience which obesity is that fat people tend to feel that they can’t control anything so they let themselves go, they give up. Either way there is one key element missing, and that is confidence.

JohnSixty -

All the article is saying is that anorexia is about control. People with this disorder feel the need to control everything in their life. And if they're in school, then that means grades. And if they play sports, they often will try to be the best and if they do poorly, they are very hard on themselves. It has nothing to do with what you call "weightism". Anorexics are about control, and all the article is saying is that the kinds of people that are more susceptible to becoming anorexic are perfectionists. You are taking the article completely out of context.

@JohnSixty: In what universe is "all anorexic people have a 4.0" equivalent to "all people with a 4.0 are anorexic"?

I AM 5' 8 1/2", and weigh enough

@JohnSixty: Perhaps if you were to take a deductive logic class you might understand the difference. However, "stupid" is harder to fix than "fat". Due to your overreaction and obvious sense of feeling insulted I assume you are both.

@JohnSixty......Im gonna defend you unlike everyone else here, but just for the simple fact that I actually almost fell out my chair laughing when I read your comment. At least you're a jolly fat guy with a great sense of humor.......You'll probably die young but hey at least you got that going for ya

I've been there. When I turned 50 I vowed to be in the best shape of my life. I was doing two high impact aerobic classes per day as well as running 10 k with 3 lb handweights. I was existing on one Slimfast shake and nutribar per day. I felt fantastic!!! I was 5'9 and hit 147 lbs. I could not see how old I looked nor did I care. I was addicted to and flying on opiates. Fortunately the "fad" wore off and when I saw pictures of myself later I couldn't believe it. I thought I looked great. I was so thin and had such little body fat I could hardly smile. My face felt like a mask. And believe it or not I still was conscious of barely visible "love handles". Fast forwarding to now, I see girls at my gym who are anoxeric and work out like mad. I think one of the principal "attractions" to anorexia is the opiate high.

It's not a disease it's a choice.

Yea, so bipolar disorder is a choice.

Autism is a choice.

Clinical depression is a choice.

Am I doing this right?

Fat doesn't survive in the wild? That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard....why do hibernating animals survive all winter? What do mammals naturally burn for energy?...and some people are just naturally large boned...it doesn't make them fat....unaturally skinny are the ones that don't survive the hard times in nature.

@JohnSixty, I think you missed the point.

1) People ARE starving themselves to death to be thin. That is the disease. This article is trying to bring awareness to this disease so that fewer people can get so far into it before getting help.

2) People who have a 4.0 GPA are much more likely to be perfectionists and people-pleasers. This is not saying that fat people can't be perfectionists or people-pleasers, or that fat people can't get a 4.0 GPA. Perfectionists of any weight are more likely to want to comply with social pressures to be thin/in shape, because in our appearance-based society, thin=pretty/handsome, and perfectionists want to be perfect. Dr. Lock was simply sharing his observation that there is a correlation between a high GPA and anorexia. He did not say anything about a similar correlation between a low GPA and obesity, and you are seriously jumping to conclusions by assuming so.

Weightism is as bad as sexism or racism, but that is not the point of this article. This article is trying to shed light on a very real mental disease, not to make fat people feel bad. I encourage you to read it again, without your apparent pre-existing bias, in order to truly understand the article.

Boy, there is a lot of ignorance and lack of compassion being posted here. EddySamson, you talk about what happened "in the wild" but what you don't understand that as we evolved as hunter-gatherers, the genes that helped us to retain fat WERE survival genes. The humans that were able to keep some fat on their bodies were more able to survive the famines, while other tribal members with no fat reserves died, and now we have a population with a lot of those fat-retaining genes but with food easy to find, those people aren't burning it off as easily. It is not a moral failing. And frankly, being hostile and judgmental is a lot worse of a moral failing than someone being heavier than you would like.

It's even worse being judgmental about anorexia, which is a life-threatening disease, not a conscious choice.

There is NEVER a good reason to "hate on" someone, and certainly not for their being too thin or too fat!

Giveitarest!: It is actually a disease with a highly complex mental component from my understanding. I understand it to be a disease of the variety which of course can be treated but needs the patien't's compliance and willingness to be helped...that is when choice enters the picture from what I gather. I would assume a bit like alcoholism or addiction. Addiction is most certainly a progressive and recognized medical disease with a genetic component. Treatment is available but not a cure and it does require patient willingness in order to recover. Its easy to blame those with disorders that contain a psychological component. That is the way society sadly still stigmatizes those with mental disorders which I would assume often causes them not to seek treatment in order to avoid stigmatization and namecalling. I would never blame someone with any sort of disorder, but rather encourage them with a positive attitude and a willing ear to seek help. I hope the article is helpful to anyone untreated who suffers from the disorder and they get the help that they need and ignore people like you Giveitarest who help keep them in the shadows and untreated with your lack of comprehension.

Clinical depression is a farce. It's brought on by lethargy, boredom, and unhealthy lifestyles.

No, it's not. It's brought about by a chemical imbalance in the brain where serotonin is reabsorbed too quickly, causing depressed mood, feelings of worthlessness, hopelessness, etc.

Of course, you never had a family member afflicted with it. That's obvious by your ignorant attitude.

Whoa there Give It A Rest. This is a disease and they do NOT get what they deserve. This is about having control. Sometimes in life when you feel like you have NO control over anything, you always have control of what goes in your mouth (like your foot) or doesn't go in your mouth. An anorexic will ALWAYS be an anorexic just as an Alcoholic will ALWAYS be an Alcoholic. They may have beat the disease but it is always with them on a daily basis and constant struggle to stay true. So until you know the facts about anorexia, Mr. give it a rest...i suggest you give it a rest.

D.Man: Where are you getting your professional information that clinical depression is a farce? My understanding is that clinical depression is clinical depression. People can become severly ill with the disorder from what I understand and even resort to the unthinkable towards themselves. I hope that anybody reading your posting who suffers from untreated clinical depression gets the help and support that they need and knows that their is nothing "farcical" about their suffering. There are willing and able professionals, family members and community members standing by to help I'm quite sure. I hope that anyone suffering from any disorder seeks help actively and quits listening to people who try and tell them "nothing is wrong".

That the medical description? Because if it is I might what to see a docter to check if that's what I got. It could be that or post trematic stress disorder.

I'm sorry I forgot where I was for a minute. Here in Liberal Land people don't make choices. They just make excuses.

Bringing politics into a thread about mental illness? Are you serious?

I thought us men were suppose to think we looked good even when we don't? Skinny, fat, bald, drunk, sober, hungover, out camping for a week without a shower.

Where did all of these girly boys come from?

Eddysamom, just... calm down. I think weightism is ridiculous logic too, but your debate points are horrible.

Weightism is not a trait protected under the law, because by and large it is a result of your lifestyle. There are medical and genetic factors in weight, and in cases like thyroid or glandular disfunctions, then those are considered illnesses and disabilities. A person who is healthy apart from being fat, and who is only fat because of poor diet and exercise is not considered protected.

Furthermore, the logic that it's rare for annorexic kids to have less than a 4.0 GPA means that obese kids have a 1.0 GPA is just flawed. Anorexic kids have a tendency to have high grade point averages because perfectionism and striving to be the best is usually what causes them to become anorexic. They strive to do their best and look their best.

Fat people are fat for a variety of reasons, and a large portion of obese Americans are fat because of their lifestyle, NOT a medical, genetic, or mental disorderl. Grades have nothing to do with it, and undoubtedly vary widely across the spectrum.

As someone who is a little bit overweight, but is working to lower my BMI before it gets out of hand and I cross the threshold to obesity, I think your arguments are silly, and unfounded by any sort of reason.

Giveitarest!: I truely don't think disorders have a political leaning towards the liberal or conservative. Your statement makes absolutely no sense and is completly unrelated to this article about indivuals in need of the help that they deserve. There is no political agenda or slant towards that. I trust anyone needing help whatever their political leanings gets it and is supported. Honestly liberalism/conservatism has absolutely zero to do with medical disorders.

woops, douple post. Computer spazzed out.l

OMG. Youre an IDIOT....give US a rest!

Weightism? That's an interesting term. In most cases, a person's weight doesn't affect anyone else, and people need to mind their own business in that matter.

I had a hs friend who worked out religiously and ate a strict balanced diet. She was fairly competitive in sports too. Yet she was fairly overweight, and I always used to wonder, "How could someone so active and health-conscious still carry so much weight?" Now she is still an active adult, but borderline obese. Pretty unfair. I have a fellow gym member who goes for a run every morning and she is also quite plump. I don't know how she eats, but I don't imagine someone who exercises that hard would waste it by indulging on food. I really think there is something to the concept of environmental obesogens. My grandma noted that her generation never saw this level of obesity, even among indulgers.

D.Man - I can't decide if you are serious or just trolling for a fight. So I will just say this, you're wrong. I absolutely love when people like you say things like clinical depression isn't real because you don't have to deal with it in your life. It's not something you just pick yourself up from and get better by being more active. Seriously, stop feeding from the Conservative menu and do some real education with real research.

Anorexia is a disease that consumes a person in the struggle for perfection. Imagine looking at the mirror in a fun house that distorts the vision of yourself. These are people who don't see what we do when we look in the mirror. There is often times a sense of powerlessness in these people's lives. Only through, their idea, of hard work and persistence can they be pleasing and that is the key word: pleasing. The obsession with perfection drives people to do things they normally wouldn't otherwise do. We hold such a high premium on the physical ideal and the mental ideal. What it comes down to is this, they are chasing perfection in a world where perfection doesn't exist.

Bringing politics into a thread about mental illness? Are you serious?

Actually I think he's brining mental illness into politics.

I was in treatment for anorexia in the 90's, and one of my best friends (initially) in the program was a guy anorexic. Unfortunately for me, he got into a relationship with one of the other girls in the program; and there went our friendship... I was married, so we truly only had a friendship-but you really need friends when you are working through stuff like that, whether male or female. I had both during all phases of my recovery.

I'm also not surprised by this story, as I was looking through a magazine recently to select a hairstyle at the beauty salon-and I noticed that all the male models were incredibly thin. They were literally skeletal, like female models used to be not long ago. They were not muscular or full of "six packs" at all like I would normally expect to see, just thin and waif-like and pale. I was horrified.

Blackbird, your body does not produce opiates. It releases endorphins, same as everyone experiences in response to pain, excitement, sex, starvation-- any extreme physical conditions. It has been nicknamed natural morphine or opium because it can cause a sense of well-being and calm.

Ha, good thing for John he's not in the wild because I hear stupid doesn't do well out there.

Dr. Hagman is correct in her assessment. The more children are taught to eat this and not that and that thin and skinny are healthy the more children will suffer from ED.

However I am finding and seeing more and children suffering from such who do not get straight A's nor do they have massive control issues (which are really feeling of being out of control), for I see the increasing amount of kids suffering from Eating Disorders as a Social Issue too.

Although well-intended and good programs, many of the new programs geared toward eliminating child obesity have given rise to many younger children becoming overly concerned with their weight and if they are or look fat. The media projects a message that fat is bad, skinny is good! Unfortunately too many children are too young to understand the middle ground and that it is always best to accept yourself/ or a person for who you/they are rather than what you/they look like.

You are right, I should not have even mentioned politics. I'm sorry.

@ Rossi

I'm not a conservative, I just dont believe everything that is spoon fed to me on a daily basis by drug companies that literally have millions of Americans spending billions of dollars on their products.

While I agree that some people do indeed suffer from depression, the root cause is not a chemical imbalance. The chemical imbalance is an effect of the cause. The cause, IMO, is very wide ranging, from lifestyle choices (diet, exercise, sleep) to careers, to personality.

Disease branding is a fairly common practice nowdays in the pharma industry. To brand a disease is to shape its public perception in order to make it more palatable to potential patients. Panic disorder, reflux disease, erectile dysfunction, restless legs syndrome, bipolar disorder, overactive bladder, social anxiety disorder, ADHD, even clinical depression: All these conditions were once regarded as rare until a marketing campaign transformed the brand.

Once the disorder is "created", then a "solution" is the next step in the marketing campaign. The "solution" doesnt treat the cause, it treats the effects. It will never treat the cause, as they will run out of patients.

High Blood pressure? Don't lose the weight, take this pill.

Heartburn? Don't change your diet/lifestyle, take this pill.

Can't get an erection? Don't lose the weight and strenghten your cardiovascular system, take this pill

Feeling "down"? Dont change x,y,z - take this pill

Depression medicine still not working? now take this other pill that is supposed to "boost" your original prescription.

There used to be these creatures called men.

Oh! They were wonderful, exciting, delicious creatures. I'm so glad I lived before they became extinct.

I find this article to be insulting to fat people in two ways:

Um, Johnsixty, you REALLY want to talk about insults based on someone's weight? Yeah, try being a thin kid or teen growing up in your average, fat-majority town in America. There were plenty of obese kids in school who didn't hear insults from thin kids. Now, the fat kids were the first ones to insult my weight. America IS a fat nation (for the most part). When someone (famous or not) is of normal weight (that being your ideal body weight based on your height), the obese people around seem to be filled with jealous hate and start throwing insults like "skinny, sticks, boney etc."

Please don't give me this "whoa is me, the thin people have it made." Our fat society is more than sympathetic to overweight folks (look at Oprah, the View or any one of those lame tv talk shows), yet calls anyone who doesn't have an overweight problem "too thin." Well, my fat friends, if being thin is so bad (not speaking of these extreme, rare cases), why are there so many diet plans and so very few weight gain plans? YES, because being overweight IS a bad thing that our society has to stop encouraging.

Hmmm. 6'2" and 150 pounds and can't gain padding. How about I give you my metabolism that gives my 5'7" body the 35 pounds of blubber I can't get rid of?

Think that would work?

Okay like 90 percent of you have no idea what you are talking about. how many of you have actually suffered from an eating disorder? well let me say this...

I AM ANOREXIC.

i didnt suffer from it because i thought i was fat. in fact, i have never been fat. i have come along way and am doing much better. (im 5"3 and in my early twenties and i went from being in the low 80's to being almost 110lbs now) its not about wanting to look like a super model or a celebrity. its about life in general. life is hard and things have happened to me that put my body under so much stress that it could eat. it doesnt matter if you are a man or a woman it can happen to anyone. i didnt want to be this way but by the time i realized it, it was to late. its like a drug addiction. you have to hit rock bottom before you realize you have a problem. it takes years to bounce back from it but it then becomes a part of you. you are always known as "that girl who is anorexic". it sucks but i am a much stronger person now because of it. it was a battle that i am proud to say i conquered. and to some of you all that are running your mouths like you know what your talking about, unless you have been there and experianced it, SHUT UP!

@rbjk0174s: While I agree with you on how there are more overweight and obese people in America compared to thin or skinny people, these extreme cases are not rare. I know many people aroung me that need help but won't get it because they say they don't have a problem and they fit in. It is sad when people say this disorder is rare when it really isn't.

Wow, I never thought I would see the day when we had anorexic men. After all men are much more likely to be self-conscious about being too skinny than too fat. In fact most of my life I was self-conscious about being too thin and tried just about everything to gain weight. Now that I’ve uncovered the childhood incident, when I was 3, which was responsible for my life long low self-esteem I no longer worry in the least about it though.

Well at least this might finally put an end to the notion that magazines and skinny models are solely responsible for anorexia. The fact is, even if fashion magazines and models did not exist there would still be plenty of people with anorexia. Sorry nay-sayers but thats a scientific fact.

Fattie & Skinny laying in bed ... Fattie rolled over and Skinny was dead.

Medium People Rule! Just check your world leaders...almost all medium sized.

Eat a chesseburger beotches...but not 10 at once!

Emy M, I just want to say thank you for sharing your story with those of us here that actually do care. I applaud you, I am struggling with an addiction myself and stories like yours are inspiring to me. Just ignore the hateful attention hogs, they are most likely just very sad and lonely people that thrive on attention bad or good.

Dman: So youre saying the pharmaceutical companies created disorders such as panic disorder, bipolar disorder and to a large degree depression. You do say "some" depression exists and seem to have alot of theoretical information about it. Thus these psychological disorders you state were created and defined as a marketing scheme, then promoted and the doctors who prescribe these medications to people seeking counselling....to what is it you said people responding to television ads are in cahoots with the pharmaceutical companies to perpetuate these supposedly corporate created disorders? What are your sources for this information? Anybody in need of help please don't listen to this kind of thing and seek professional assistance. Do you have credentials to present anyone who is suffering Dman? You are making very bold statements.

D.Man- While your assumption has some truth to it, as a nurse, I can tell you that you are absolutely wrong. Though I do see patients who could benefit from lifestyle changes, to say that lifestyle changes fix the problems is dangerously wrong! I see people who are in excellent shape who need blood pressure medication or are diabetic. I see patients that don't fit your broad brush of over zealous pharmaceutical advertisement condemnation. There are good, with sound scientific methods, studies showing that there is a decrease in chemicals in people who are clinically depressed. Someone who has true anorexia is not "attention seeking" or otherwise going to be "ok" with simple lifestyle changes.

Moreover, what you purpose is not only dangerous it's completely and totally wrong. People die because pervasive attitudes like yours keep people from getting a good diagnosis and treatment. Tell a mother that her child died of heart failure and weighed 75lbs that if he would have just gotten out of the house and made a lifestyle change this could have been prevented. Because when you come down to it, that's what you are saying. Tell the wife of a dead man who was a runner and ate right that his died of a heart attack and that had he made a better life choice he would still be alive. There may be some who could change their diagnosis with lifestyle change, but your opinion (and others like yours) means that people are too embarrassed to seek treatment.

Justathought - What Dman is saying is actually correct for the most part. He is not saying however (hopefully not) that anorexia is not a real illness. It is true though that psychiatry is more about making up names for various manifestations of mental illness (over 1500 to date) than about actually curing those illnesses. It is also true that they have pretty much abandoned actually trying to get to the root of mental illness and have instead become modern day drug pushers. And they are constantly trying to find new conditions that they can prescribe existing drugs for in order to make more money. Best case scenario, anti-depressants offer a band-aide effect, masking symptoms. Worst case they can lead to both homicidal and suicidal behavior. The one thing they are not is a cure. In any case drugs will not help anorexics. The only way to really cure anorexia is to get to the root of the problem. Unfortunately psychiatrist and psychologists don’t really do this but rather they teach patients how to deal with and hopefully control the illness. This is not ideal but sometimes it can definitely help.

Well I hope someone can get the skinny on this and report back??

I actually sense a lot of sexism in these comments. Not to say anorexia is okay. But why is it that a guy not wanting to be a disgusting fat blob, and actually care about being good looking is girly? No
offense to those who are over-weight. I’m against weightism, but I was just
trying to make a point. (Though I do think those who are overweight should
usually take personal responsibility unless they have health issues).

@ Peggy J

I was going to say something about what Eddy said, but I
think you summed it up nicely.

KenF---you should probably reference your support of Dmans general analysis in being correct back to rossj who is a nurse and not me and rossj firmly refutes his analysis and in fact as a professional nurse states that dmans statements are potentially dangerous to be making. I'm not nor do I purport to be a professional and simply beleive that those individuals who are having symptoms manifest would be best in consulting a physician and without any shame or hesitation and not taking advice from random people making comments at the end of an internet article. My comments were speaking in a more immediate reference to those with symptoms who should seek professional help and not in general theortics. I would not want to feel guilty for keeping anyone from seeking professional advice when they may need it. I would encourage them to do so rather than being symptomatic and staying at home with no help. This was my point. If one is symptomatic about anything....I would hope they seek professional advice and not rely on internet commentary and theory.

@JakeIAm I'm also 6'2" 150 lbs at 40 years old and i eat normally 3 meals a day plus dessert before bed and when i tried to gain much weight as i could over eating my record was 163 lbs no more no matter how much i ate i couldn't pass 163 lbs and i had a belly from gaining those 13 lbs and i didn't like the belly so now i am back to eating normal 3 times a day back to 150 lbs where my stomach is almost flat. I gave up trying to gain weight and i accept the fact that i have a fast metabolism and i accept the fact i will always be slim which is not bad.

To the boys or men who is anorexia from my experiences with women and relationships i can tell you all the ex girlfriends and one ex wife, now I'm divorced all the women in my life wanted me to gain weight cause at 150 lbs even at 163 lbs they all said i am too slim or skinny and all the women tell me you will look better with more weight on. So that tells me women are more attracted to guys that look big and strong weighing between 190lbs and 230lbs. Its true most women want a big heavy strong guy to make them feel safe and secure and that's what they are attracted too. Most women want bears for men.

So all you anorexia guys I'm telling you right now most women are not attracted to skinny, slim guys except for maybe a really over weight woman over 230 lbs might cause they wish they was skinny and slim but most slim or average weight women are not attracted to slim, skinny guys. Even if your a good looking guy like me with a cute face at 150 lbs won't attract a woman unless your average weight or heavier. So start eating normally guys the women love big heavy guys between 180 lbs to 230 lbs.

Jake you never said what your age is being 150 lbs, how old are you ?

Chammy H, thank you for reading my comment and im glad that i am able to inspire you. i am so sorry to hear that you also have an addiction but take it from someone who has struggled for years with this, it may not seem like it but there is a way out. at first i didnt think it would and i was judged by alot of people but it will get better. be positive. when people say to me "Hey you were anorexic" I say "Yep but im doing much better now" and i go on with my day. dont look at it as a long road to recovery. look at it as "Tomorrow, i will do better" and before you know it, it is better. your recovery is about you and only you. I know you can do it and get better and once you get to that place where it is better, it is the most amazing feeling and nobody would be more proud of you then yourself. good luck.

Way to go Emy! I'm so happy to hear that you are on the happy road to recovery and I find it fantastic that your article touched Chammy H and they found it inspiring. I find that both encouraging and inspiring. One day at a time as they say. All the best.

@ Ronson

Problem is, women you’re referring to are probably in their 30’s or older. These days, skinny guys are considered more attractive by the modern generation (To see what I’m talking about, type in punk or emo). These are teenage guys probably trying to appeal to teenage girls who have grown fond of the new ideals. Though I'm personally not fond of these new ideals, I have to say I loathed the whole "big tough guy protects helpless damsel" even more so.

6'1" - 190lbs, not big not small, have an average metabolism. When I was in high school I was 5'7" 5'8" 125? Never felt healthier being taller and heavier. I will probably never understand what sounds to me like a trend. Stop putting emphasis on weight and start getting healthier. Numbers don't matter. Yeah you can do a thousand sit-ups a night? Well I eat a steak every once and a while. Get help, get better and live longer...

.

@ eddysamson:

who the hell are you to say that fat is unnatural? according to an article I read on how to boost testosterone the NATURAL way, men (anyone, really) who consume a certain level of "animal fats" (fatty meat, etc.) typically have higher testosterone levels than those most people.

I'd like to see your answer to that.

I get a 4.0 GPA and i am 6' and weigh 180 Lbs. so GPA has nothing to do with weight. Also, some of the smartest people I know are fat so stop saying that this is dissing on fat people and that just because one gets a 4.0 GPA means their anorexic.

Anorexia is a mental illness if I am not mistaken. An anorexic looks in the mirror and sees a person who is fat looking back at him or her.

Anorexia has been around a very long time just like many other mental illnesses like depression, bipolar, schizophrenia etc. It is only in the past several years that it has made it into the mainstream conversation due to the focus on models who have died from the disease.

But there are regular folks i.e. folks not in the fashion industry, in the population all over the world who do suffer with this disease. It is not simply about lifestyle choices or whatever. If it was simply about lifestyle choices, then the cure would have been to simply help the person change their lifestyle to a better one.

It can be that there is/was something that acts as a triggers and that may make no sense to others but once started the onslaught of this illness is one of the most difficult and frustrating of the mental illnesses/diseases to treat.

One may say we see what we see in our mind's eye......which may not be the reality of the thing. So while an anorexic sees a fat person when in actuality they are simply skin and bones, others in reality sees the skin and bones.

Unfortunately in this country the cost of treatment is expensive and which may include inpatient medical and mental healthcare (hospitalization) as well as continued/ongoing outpatient treatment/therapy etc.

A person doing 1000 situp and weighing 78 lbs perhaps should have been hospitalized... getting help both mental and medical imo.

Peace.....

Weightisum! HAHAHAHAHAHA I have heard it all now. You and I are fat for a reason, we eat to damn much and do not exercise enough to burn off the excess calories, plain and simple. All this Politically Correctness has corrupted our society to the extent that it is bordering on the absurd! The article was not about GPA's it was pointing out a trend that was noted by someone. Learn how to read! Don't like people calling you fat, then do something about it. Unless you have a physical abnormality that makes you fat, which is rare by the way the thing that is making you fat is your hand putting to much into your mouth.

Anorexia in boys and young men is a growing problem, it is not just a girls problem anymore.

D.Man,

I appreciate your trying to clarify your statement about clinical depression ("clinical depression is a farce. It's brought on by lethargy......"). I also agree that the medical profession is too quick, in many cases, to prescribe medications.

I wish sometimes that people like yourself who are so quick to judge those who suffer from depression as lazy, lethargic, unmotivated, too eager to medicate, all of the theories that are out there, could just for one day experience clinical depression. I'm not talking about the blues, an off-day, or even an off-week, feeling a little down, or blah.

I'm talking about a feeling of bleakness, sadness, hopelessness that is there when you wake up in the morning and when you go to bed at night. It is truly a nightmare. When people tell you to just straighten up, or think positive thoughts, it's very difficult and adds to the sense of failure.

As you've probably guessed, I do have depression. It's been 11 years since I've had a bad bout of it, so I know I'm one of the more fortunate ones. I have been on an antidepressant for the past 10 years. It's saving my life, it truly is. If I slack off on taking it (not often, usually due to the flu, or something) I feel myself starting to slide. Needless to say, I stop skipping doses. I also see a therapist about once a month or every 6 weeks. Sometimes longer intervals if things are really stable. I think that is key, seeing someone, in addition to medication.

I was about 5 when I first became depressed. I had a wonderful home life. I had siblings, a dog, a comfortable life, friends, and most importantly, very loving parents. My sisters and I have always said there was never any doubt we were loved very much. We knew our parents would do anything for us to ensure our safety and happiness.

I just remember around the age of 5, of feeling very sad, and I didn't know why. I just remember at night, I would wish so hard that I wouldn't wake up in the morning. I never even hinted to my parents anything about this. I was always a quiet kid, so I hid it quite well. I thought sometimes maybe everyone felt that way. After awhile I knew they didn't, but I didn't know what to do.

I'm not wallowing in self-pity. On the contrary, I think it made me a stronger person, and definitely more empathetic. I wish I didn't have depression, but I try to use it as positively as possible.

I don't want sympathy. I'm trying to describe what it's like. I'm beginning to realize, if you don't have clinical depression, it's very hard to understand. But, rather than judging someone because you don't understand, couldn't you give them the benefit of the doubt, look at it as something you don't get, but acknowledge it must be horrible? Because it is, and believe me, no one would choose to have depression. It's time to cut people a little slack and treat them as you would want to be treated in tough times. At the very least, don't assume we've brought this on ourselves. You couldn't be more mistaken.

Thanks for letting me ramble.

The issue is very obvious. These boys are all gay and have decided to live a life style that is full of challenges and health issues as well as many other adverse issues.

@ Katherine,

I believe your story and truly feel for you. To further clarify my opinion on this topic, I think that the modern medical community prescribes these drugs way too cavalierly without telling people what the true implications are for taking these drugs.

My ex-girlfriend in college complained to her doctor about feeling depressed during her period and he gave her a sample pack of Zoloft! Our old secretary at work was going through a divorce and she ended up getting so messed up on psychosomantic drugs she couldnt even have a conversation. The list goes on and on in what I've seen people become, first hand.

I'm willing to bet the people that truly have chronic depression versus the people that are prescribed a pill to help them deal with life are vastly outnumbered.

10% of Americans are on one or more psychiatric drugs right now. Im willing to bet 8 out of 10 of these people would be better off in the long term without.

Davefromdanapoint- Are you serious? You are joking right? I mean, a rational human being doesn't make a statement like you made. So, you were joking, right? Equating a disease like anorexia to being gay? I'm trying to chuckle nervously here that you are kidding and don't really mean something that is so incredibly stupid and obviously meant to say that gay people are mentally ill or mental illness comes from being gay. Please restore my faith in humanity and come clean that this was indeed a badly placed joke and that no one is as emotionally and scientifically stupid as this.

Sadly rossj503 I think many of the posts are serious not just "Dave's". I've lost a great deal of faith via the realities of the world, yet I do find it here and there with people like you and Emy and Chammy and those anonymous suppporters of such individuals. All I do is actually say something where and when I can if I see something like you did. Thank you for your comment. We can sadly only comment when we see things like that, yet its sort of an obligation when we do catch it. All the best.

"Just goes to show that the genders are more equivalent than some are willing to admit."

NOPE, wrong. And, I think you mean "sexes", since "gender" is a social construct. Women are still not considered fully human. Did you know that women have NO guarantee of equal rights under the US Constitution?

The Equal Rights Amendment was written in 1923 by Alice Paul, a leader of the woman suffrage movement and a lawyer. It was introduced in Congress in the same year and subsequently reintroduced in every Congressional session for half a century.

On March 22, 1972, the ERA finally passed the Senate and the House of Representatives by the required two-thirds majority and was sent to the states for ratification. An original seven-year deadline was later extended by Congress to June 30, 1982. When this deadline expired, only 35 of the necessary 38 states (the constitutionally required three-fourths) had ratified the ERA. It is therefore not yet included in the U.S. Constitution.

http://www.equalrightsamendment.org/

Also, did you know that the MAJORITY of people with eating disorders are female? Stats for you:

•Women are much more likely than men to develop an eating disorder. Only an estimated 5 to 15 percent of people with anorexia or bulimia are male.

•An estimated 0.5 to 3.7 percent of women suffer from anorexia nervosa in their lifetime.

Research suggests that about 1 percent of female adolescents have anorexia.
•An estimated 1.1 to 4.2 percent of women have bulimia nervosa in their lifetime.
•An estimated 2 to 5 percent of Americans experience binge-eating disorder in a 6-month period.
•About 50 percent of people who have had anorexia develop bulimia or bulimic patterns.
•20% of people suffering from anorexia will prematurely die from complications related to their eating disorder, including suicide and heart problems.

There you go. You seem like you've got a mind... wrap it around those facts.

Son, you need to head down to Texas. I promise ya, when you get through with our Texas style sweet potato pie, corn on the cob and 5 pounds of the legendary mesquite BBq - all a little under $10.99; you wont be lookin like that...

You need a steady dose of the Texas dishes to gain all that weight back. I am not sure what they feedin y'all out there, but a man cant be eatin salads everyday, in Texas we call that cruel and unsual punishment...you need an IV line of Texas bbq sauce, a little bud light on the side couldnt hurt either!

DocHoliday

Sis and I have seen how you Texans eat and act. Too much talk and too much fat hangin-you guys are all Hat.

Guys so prissy about appearances that they'd risk death to lose a few pounds deserve to check themselves out of the gene pool :D

I think you guys have totally missed the point here. This isn't about someone wanting to lose weight. This is an insidious disease that robs a person of themselves. It's a form of obsessive compulsive behavior that robs the person of rational thought and vision. Of course, I think a few people could do with a little more compassion and a little less testosterone. But hey, just my two cents.

That's the whole point, it is crazy. It's a mental illness. And according to JohnSixty, so is being obese. Of course, if we all just worked the damn fields all day instead of sitting in front of computers and any number of other electronic devices, or watching celebrity reality shows and wishing we were them, we'd all be just fine. Yes, I'm oversimplifying. The problem is we have problems, caused by who and what we are now. We need to find them, fix them, and try not to let them happen again.

Seen Wall E?

That is America in another couple of generations if things don't change. About 50% of us are already there riding around in the handi capable carts in the stores just because we are too overweight. Soon we won't walk and will just rely on our little devices to get us there.

Yeah, piece of cake (no pun intended.) Please excuse the sarcasm, but as one who has suffered from both anorexia and bulimia, if it were that easy, we would have gotten well the first time someone suggested it to us. The illnesses are much more complicated than just knowing what to do-it's not REALLY about the food. The food is a symbol of something else. In my case, the food symbolized love and needs. Denying food meant that I was denying that I had needs and that I needed love because it was too risky to have needs or to need love-having needs meant you could get hurt. With bulimia, I allowed myself to have needs met-in fact I binged on them-but I had to be punished because I wasn't worthy. So I purged. I had been greatly hurt in the past, and I was unconsciously trying to protect myself and numb myself from being hurt again-and I was using food to do that. Anorexia is very distracting and numbing, and nothing numbs like bulimia.

Now that I know all that and I have found other ways to deal with these things, I am doing much, much better.

Seen too much,

That is great to hear that you have overcome the illness and things are looking better. I think however analystgirl was just stating exercise and foods in moderation make for a wonderful way to live life. I know not all people can do that, but it is a good model to try and live by.

I'm sure you are right, Think about it. It's just that we hear SO many people say, "Just eat a cheeseburger," or whatever. Or they give all this advice like it's so simple, and it's not that easy. My appologies to Analystgirl for jumping on you. Everyone thinks that when you are anorexic all you have to do is "just eat" and everything will be great, but it's not like we haven't thought about that or like a million people haven't told us that or like ten nutritionists haven't given us great meal plans. It's just that with me, at least, I literally felt like I would die if I gained any weight-I know it doesn't make sense, but that's how I felt. Anorexics are not thinking rationally, so just handing them a rational solution is not going to fix the problem. You might as well try to reason with a schizophrenic. You have to get to the bottom of the REAL issue, which is NOT the food.

You have to get to the bottom of the REAL issue, which is NOT the food.

When you "get to the bottom of the real issue" you'll discover that knowing what's wrong isn't the same as knowing how to fix it.

Happiness is a choice and misery is a habit. Analyst girl has it right. Stop obsessing about your "issues," get out of the house and get out of your head. Eat good food when you're hungry and think about something besides yourself all the time. What you're doing is just as self-indulgent as people who sit on their butts and eat bon-bons all day.

Go find someone with real problems--maybe an elderly person whose house or yard needs work or a quadriplegic who is house-bound or an immigrant who needs help learning English so they can get a decent job. Think about someone else for a change. It will do you a lot more good than spending all your time focused on yourself and your "issues."

Seen too much

thank you for sharing your story. I myself have not suffered from bulimia or anorexia but other addictions. But two of my best friends have suffered from ED's, one bulimia and the other was an anorexic. Both have gone to treatment but I find that life outside of treatment is what is more difficult. For my one friend who is bulimic, when people at lunch try to force her to eat, it almost makes it more difficult. I have to pick my battles but most of the time I end of defending her from her boyfriend and other friends who try to force her to eat. Most people would never understand how painful it is for someone with an ED but although she is trying and I try to protect her, not many people understand that the problem isnt the food.

It's so frustrating when people who have never had to deal with something speak as an authority on it as if they had. Getting out and "getting some fresh air" wont fix the problem. It would be nice if the professionals were allowed to do their jobs and this arm chair psychiatry and doctoring would go away.

It's exciting to me to see someone taking male eating/body image issues seriously at last! I am a 46 year old male who has suffered relentlessly with an eating disorder since I was a child. My life has taken directions that were dictated by my ED and not by me. I've been to more counselors in my life than I can count and they all were a little dumbfounded and at a loss for what to do with me. The perfectionist attitude has kept me at my high school weight (with less bodyfat) at almost 50. Some day I look forward to finally reaching an age when it will be all right to stop training and dieting and just let myself be the fat happy old man I hope to be. I wish I could offer some wisdom about my recovery but I'm still doing the same old S$#@ and getting the same. I have two small kids now that I pray I don't pass it on to.

Cassie, did you hear nothing of what Seen Too Much said? Don't be so certain you have all the answers, and please, stop thinking of what you want to say next and listen.

Stop obsessing about your "issues," Go find someone with a real problem

Because an eating disorder isn't a real problem? You do realize that for most, eating disorders have absolutely nothing to do with food or weight but actually stem from some other real problem or issue and the eating disorder is simply something that can be controlled right? Thankfully, I have never suffered from an eating disorder, but I have a cousin who struggles with anorexia. She was first admitted to the hospital at 15 because she was having heart palpitations. At this point it came out that her uncle had been molesting her for the past 3 years. Her ED had nothing to do with food and everything to do with having lost control over a significant part of her life, the ED substitituted control.

For you to suggest they simply get out of their own head and get some fresh air shows how truly ignorant and self-important you yourself are.

That's very interesting. I have always had an interest in eating disorders - not in a sick way, just in trying to understand how your brain/body get you to that point. And I know eating disorders are predominantly considered a girls problem, primarily due to societal pressures on women to be thin vs for men to be strong, so I never really understood how a boy/man would develop this disease. So Thanks for some insight

Interesting, I have the opposite problem, noah-4078447. I see myself "okay" in a mirror, but in pictures, I see myself as huge. I lost weight a few years ago, but in the pictures, I still see myself looking the same way I was when at my heaviest. Weird, huh? People don't understand why I run away from cameras.

Body dysmorphic disorder. It sucks.

Is it a form of body dysmorphic disorder?

Just saw the comment above mine :).

Society has created this disease. Back in the 50's Marilyn Monroe was considered the "Perfect" woman body wise. She wore a size 14.

Now Models wearing a size 4 are considered Fat.

Our illusion that THIN is healthy and the ONLY way to be is what causes situations like this. Kids, male and female taking drugs to keep from eating and making themselves as thin as they possibly can. In todays society a size zero is considered sexy.

We need to get out of this fantasyland and come to accept that we all come in different shapes and sizes. To teach our children that to BE healthy we must eat healthy, and exercise. Starving yourself is never a good way to diet.

I do wish that these "health" curriculums would emphasize a more balanced approach to eating and incorporate that it's OKAY to have fat or junk in your diet, but just NOT everyday and all day long!

my son came home after a health class in 5th grade, suddenly being VERY conscious of fat in his diet and super aware of the childhood obesity epidemic in the US. he is now in the 7th grade and STILL VERY conscious of fat and "unhealthy" food. He is on the skinny side, interested in girls, afraid to take his shirt off b/c he doesn't have a 6pack, and uses food as a control...like he won't eat if he's mad or trying to make a statement about something even though he's hungry...

He's NOT a perfectionist but I could see where these "health" classes can put too much emphasis on obesity and making kids feel guilty and horrible if they do eat fast food or have some junk in their diet. I am a diabetes nurse educator and ALWAYS tell my patients that moderation for everything is BEST. Non of us is perfect and a little bit of junk won't kill you. Instead of focusing the entire class on bad foods and their negative effects, I tend to spend more time on how good the healthy foods are to eat and what they do for your body. Perhaps the "health" class can be taught by a professional or at least put in a professionally produced video that emphasizes the right messages.

LAURIESARNO,,

you spoke loud and clearly--thank you for you did hit the nail!

Your son is still young enough to:

Teach him about moderation and that if he wants a piece of cake or some cookies it is OK and he is not a bad person for such, or even if he has a double burger fries and all those fixings too,. Also teach him about the goodness of homemade foods in moderation--exercise too----it is not about 60 minutes of rigorous daily but more about doing something fun and active--something he likes that does not need to be forced.

AND LOVE HIM--Give him some space and then love him more!

Now Models wearing a size 4 are considered Fat.

Actually, for women you have to be size 8 to be considered a "Plus sized" model. "Normal" models for photos, from what I understand, are usually size 0 or 2. Sizes 4 and 6 are no-man's-land, I guess-or they don't exist in the modelling world. There are also certain height requirements as well, taller for runway models than for models in photo spreads. (We knew someone who looked into this a few years ago who was considering modelling.) We've known a few young guys who have done modelling (they definitely weren't gay), but this was at least four years ago and I don't know what the requirements were.

@Janine-1645002: Society did not create this disorder in the way that you are thinking of it. Recently in health class, we watched a health association (I can't remember which one but I think there were two or three) funded video on the effect, symptoms, and causes of this disorder. In the video they talked about how society has create this disorder in the way that practically stick thin models became the most successful models (started back in the late seventies or early eighties I believe), and that America is finally recognizing the flaws in that logic and trying to fix the mistakes that were made. And for the record, unless the person is small or petite, a size zero makes a person look sick.

Also, if you want to eat a lot, you should also work it off a lot too. I mean look at Epic Meal Time, they cook the most fattening food ever and eat it, but they never seem to gain a lot of weight in later videos. Why? They work it off with exercise.

It's because he was Under Pressure, Wanting to be Your Dog !

I agree, there's a lot of information and education out there for females, but not for males. There needs to be an increase in the information that is put out so men who suffer this don't suffer in silence, recognize their symptoms, and won't feel afraid to speak up and get the help they need.

It's also rampant in figure skating and gymnastics. Once you know how to lose the weight, it's easy to keep going. Of course, once your body discovers that it's starving it goes into self-protect mode and you have to consume even less calories to continue the weight loss. Either that or you work out more. It becomes a vicious circle.

A friend knew a wrestler in high school who engaged in very dangerous methods of weight control that I would consider bulimic-diuretics, sweating it off in a hot tub, and the like. He likely became very dehydrated prior to competing so that he could make his weights. I'm not saying that the OP did these things, but I'll bet that others did; and I have to wonder how many continued after they stopped competing. Yes, the use of diuretics is considered bulimic, just as the use of laxatives is.

continued feminizing of america. sad, but true. the culture has effectively destroyed the development of boys into men.

It has nothing to do with gender roles. Its a mental disorder and should be treated as such, just like ur ignorance...

actually if you read the OP, you'll see mention of one guy growing up with all females and no males and he got this "disorder" or one guy obsessed with a 6 pack and he got this "disorder" obviously he thinks women are impressed by that. So what does that imply? That consciously or sub-consiously people are making a decision to change thier bodies to "fit in"

I was conversing with this one fellow a while ago about "skinny, feminine men" and he said, girls like them cause they are easier to control. Which a lot of you will flat out refuse to process, but society is making guys less men and more "metro-sexual".

Lucky for me i consider myself a protector, i believe protecting my loved ones is one of the most important things a man should worry about. Not this superficial crap. Anyways not that all this typing will have made any difference what so ever, i dont see any of this changing any time soon.

mike-1529578

It has nothing to do with gender roles. Its a mental disorder and should be treated as such, just like ur ignorance...

Did you mean "your ignorance"?

Sorry if my observation struck a little too close to home for you, queenie. Sounds like you need a spa day.

You are being extremely small minded about a very sensitive subject. I agree it has absolutely nothing to do with gender roles.

No it did not hit close to home, I do not suffer from the disorder. Never been to a spa in my life (not that it really matters). What does bother me, however, is your egregiously misguided statements. Your machismo attitude is not only wrong, but incredibly counter-productive to helping these people. Most psychologists and psychiatrists believe that there is a scientific explanation for eating disorders and it has nothing to do with the feminization of men.

Here's more if you feel like actually being informed:

http://www.apa.org/monitor/mar02/genetic.aspx

http://www.apa.org/monitor/apr04/anorexia.aspx

http://www.caringonline.com/eatdis/topics/males.htm

I'm a male who suffered from anorexia for 18 months beginning at age 13. I did not get straight As in school, contrary to the report on the Nightly News. I was sexually molested by my father when I was a child, and the trauma led to anorexia, and me physically hurting myself. Then I started drinking alcohol to replace the physical abuse I was causing myself. I crossed the line and became addicted to alcohol. I got sober Sept. 2, 1996. There are many reasons for what causes an eating disorder like anorexia. I hope that the report on the Nightly News tonight does not exclude those children and young adults who do not fit the profile that was portrayed on the Nightly News this evening.

Thanks for your honesty and for sharing your story. I wish you continued success in your recovery and in all you have overcome. You're an inspiration.

Can't say I'm terribly surprised. Seems more and more the trend is that males are supposed to be effeminate waifs. Skinny jean-wearing, delicate, “masculinity” has become a bad word. This seems right in line.

Ruken

I don't know where you got these medieval notions that the diseases you mention were a choice and not a medical complication. But you need to review the Inquisition manual your are reading or throw it away because you are living in a period that has past. This is 2012 and i certainly don't hope you become ill because your caretakers may have to resort to leeches and spells per your request.

@ SashaG1021....love your comment!! Right on! As human beings, we should always try to evolve in wanting more knowledge.