The student newspaper of Bucks County Community College

The Centurion

The student newspaper of Bucks County Community College

The Centurion

The student newspaper of Bucks County Community College

The Centurion

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Bucks Holds Lecture to Discuss Eating Disorders

On Wed. March 1, in the Gallagher Room, The Renfrew Foundation which helps to prevent and treat those who suffer from eating disorders presented a lecture attended mainly by nutrition students curious about the growing obsession to stay thin and how the age of those who are affected, mostly teen girls, is becoming increasingly younger. Part of this issue is due to the major role which media plays in our society as young girls who spend excessive periods of time on social media may develop a distorted image of what their bodies their supposed to look like.
This event was organized by Dekia Smith, a counseling director at Bucks. Speaker Wendy Cramer, MEd is currently a Senior Profesional Relations Representative who has presented locally and nationally to spread awareness of eating disorders. She received her Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from Temple University and has been in the healthcare industry for over 25 years.
Cramer begins by explaining anorexia, the eating disorder which she referred to as most often affecting “overachievers and perfectionists” who develop a false sense of control as they starve themselves to achieve their ideal image. Cramer points out the dangers of this disorder, stressing that “20 percent of those diagnosed with anorexia will die” and also warning against the dangers of menstrual irregularities which can occur due to to lack of nutrition and in some cases can lead to infertility.
Cramer continues on the subject of an equally harmful form of eating disorder known as binge eating. Binge eating is a compulsive consumption and later purging of food, which leaves many women “feeling out of control” and cause cause major damage to teeth, and in fact Cramer has seen “some patients that have no teeth” as the enamel is worn away by stomach acid. Cramer warns against another form of purging including excessive laxative intake, as she recalls seeing some woman take as many as “80-100 laxatives a day” which can lead to serious internal damage.
While Cramer reminds that all cases are different, she does see trends among those who suffer from binge-eating disorders as being “social, compulsive, exhibiting reckless behaviors and often resorting to drug use.”
Some women have described their purges as “punishment”, beating themselves up for not appearing the way the think they should. Others describe it as a release, expressing that it is the only thing in their lives they feel they have control over. Overexercising is also used to rid the body of excess body fat, as there are cases where women have become so obsessed with exercise that it surpasses the healthy amount of weight loss.
Many associate eating disorders with drug addictions, and while Cramer is hesitant to categorize the two together it is understandable to see the relation between the two as they are both obsessions which many people feel they cannot live without. The similarity between the two goes deeper as many women abuse diet pills to lose weight. Cramer looks down on the dieting culture, pointing out that this “$66 billion industry” exposes women to dangerous risks as they use often addictive pills to help women lose weight when “95 to 97 percent gain the weight back later.”
It is important to raise awareness of this disorder and the different methods of starvation and purging as it continues to grow among our society, especially because of younger children and teen girls who are pressured by social media which can distort the way we think we are supposed to look. It is becoming common to promote being thin and staying fit in today’s society, which is something that needs to be considered as young girls are beginning to judge themselves based upon the things they hear in the outside world.
Social media is a major contributing factor the rise of narcissism in our society, which can lead those who are impressionable and naive, such as teen girls, to becoming confused about why they don’t look a certain way, and convincing themselves that physical appearance is more important than personality. It is important that we find a better way to educate and warn young teens about the dangers of using eating disorders as a way to control the way we look and the misconception behind the “ideal proportions” which qualify a woman as attractive.
Eating disorders are difficult to confront, but if you have reason to believe someone is putting themselves in danger, it is necessary to intervene one on one to get them the help they need. Interventions do not work for people with eating disorders as a method of treatment and need to be handled with caution and in a private manner. Sometimes you have to leave your comfort zone even if the person is uncomfortable in order to protect them from harming their bodies.