By Afifa Jarin
As I look in the mirror, my eyes stare at the fat surrounding my body. My stomach feels like a bottomless pit of guilt and shame, each curve and bulge a reminder of my lack of control. I tell myself just to take a few more bites and I won’t eat at all tomorrow it will all be fine. No, it is just a never-ending cycle of starving and bingeing. This is a peek inside a teenage girl’s mind when they want to lose “some” weight—scrolling through Tumblr and looking at posts of thin girls with thigh gaps, tiny waists, and poking ribs. To girls, this is considered the ideal skinny body type they want to achieve to be “beautiful” when in reality it is just sick.
The media’s portrayal of thinness as the ultimate beauty standard affects teenage girls with eating disorders deeply. Constant exposure to airbrushed images of slim models creates a toxic comparison game, where girls feel their worth is tied to their weight. Teenage girls battling eating disorders often feel trapped in a relentless war with their bodies. They are skipping meals, eating under 400 calories, exercising for long periods, and losing themselves completely all to reach their unhealthy goal weight.
The media influences teens in many ways that can lead them to do harmful things portrayed in the media. They might watch movies that spread awareness of eating disorders but the detailed portrayal of harmful behaviors could give them ideas on how to lose weight faster just as was shown in the movie. For example, the article “Netflix ‘To the Bone’. Is it Triggering or Inspiring?” delves into the movie “To the Bone” where the main character Ellen has anorexia and we see her restricting her food intake severely, and engaging in excessive exercise as a means to lose weight. Girls might view Ellen’s body as a goal for them to achieve which can be very deadly. “People with eating disorders are NOT motivated by fear. They aren’t motivated by someone telling them how bad they look or by scary images of skinny bodies. Many will see those images and feel shame because they aren’t THAT skinny.” This quote speaks to the minds of these girls glamorizing sick bodies and not seeing how this disorder affects their ways of thinking.
The silent comparison game that plays in the minds of teens can destroy one’s self-image. A thought that would most likely go through a teen’s mind would be, “Josie is naturally skinny she can eat whatever she wants while I look so much bigger next to her I’ll just go on a diet and lose a few pounds.” Soon that “diet” will be the only thing on the teen’s mind and will lead to a dangerous cycle of obsession. The thought of needing to be as thin as Josie can consume a teen’s mind, leading to strict diets and unhealthy habits. Skipping meals, counting every calorie, and constantly comparing themselves to others become the norm. However, what starts as a desire to “lose a few pounds” can quickly spiral into a full-blown eating disorder. This fixation on weight and appearance can have devastating effects on a teen’s physical and mental health. Teens need to know that everyone’s body is different and that their worth is not tied to their weight. The article “It’s Not All about Control: Challenging Mainstream Framing of Eating Disorders” discusses how teens find power in themselves while having an eating disorder, the feeling of being able to control your weight by what goes in and out of your body makes the person have a sense of control over themselves which will soon turn into an addiction. With all the worries teens might have, having something to control gives them full power and they go through a “honeymoon phase” that will make them rapidly lose weight.
Raising awareness about eating disorders is not just about understanding the struggles of those affected; it’s about challenging harmful societal norms and offering support. These disorders are serious and require proper treatment. By learning, caring, and promoting healthy attitudes toward food and body image, we can create a more understanding and supportive world for those with eating disorders. Let’s break the stigma and help each other towards healing and recovery.
Intended publication: https://www.theteenmagazine.com/
