[cub]

I wouldn't label people mentaly ill just because they're obese. I would say they're likely to be unhappy and turn to food as a comfort, but I think we should be careful not to compare anorexia with obesity and suggest that they are different ends of the same thing.

[Livia]

Originally Posted by cub

I wouldn't label people mentaly ill just because they're obese. I would say they're likely to be unhappy and turn to food as a comfort, but I think we should be careful not to compare anorexia with obesity and suggest that they are different ends of the same thing.

The National Centre for Eating Disorders disagrees. People who have a destructive relationship with food suffer in many ways. The fact that some of them look like little waifs garners them more sympathy.

[cub]

Originally Posted by Livia

The National Centre for Eating Disorders disagrees. People who have a destructive relationship with food suffer in many ways. The fact that some of them look like little waifs garners them more sympathy.

That's not what I'm saying. I said we shouldn't slap a label of 'mental illness' on people who are obese, or suggest that people that turn to food as a comfort is the other side of the coin - and therefore the same - as anorexia.

Weight gain is often based on being unhappy and the use of food as a happiness-booster. Anorexia, as I understand it, is more of a control issue.

Obesity is food-led. Anorexia is body shape-led.

Most overweight people feel unhappy when they look in the mirror. Anorexics want to be thin. Obese people do not want to be fat.

[Benjamin]

Originally Posted by cub

That's not what I'm saying. I said we shouldn't slap a label of 'mental illness' on people who are obese, or suggest that people that turn to food as a comfort is the other side of the coin - and therefore the same - as anorexia.

Weight gain is often based on being unhappy and the use of food as a happiness-booster. Anorexia, as I understand it, is more of a control issue.

Obesity is food-led. Anorexia is body shape-led.

Most overweight people feel unhappy when they look in the mirror. Anorexics want to be thin. Obese people do not want to be fat.

A very intelligent point, one that I happen to agree with you on.

[Ammi]

Originally Posted by cub

That's not what I'm saying. I said we shouldn't slap a label of 'mental illness' on people who are obese, or suggest that people that turn to food as a comfort is the other side of the coin - and therefore the same - as anorexia.

Weight gain is often based on being unhappy and the use of food as a happiness-booster. Anorexia, as I understand it, is more of a control issue.

Obesity is food-led. Anorexia is body shape-led.

Most overweight people feel unhappy when they look in the mirror. Anorexics want to be thin. Obese people do not want to be fat.

Not all anorexia is body shaped led. As I said in my previous post, the person I know who suffered from anorexia wanted to have control over something that was really important to her life - food. She couldn't bear to look in the mirror because she didn't want to face what she was doing to herself. She wasn't searching for a certain body shape - that didn't even come into it. I'm not saying this is always the case, because I'm sure in some cases the quest for the size zero does sometimes trigger off the illness. I'm sure that obese people also hate to look in the mirror, for the same reasons, they hate what they are doing to themselves. I think one displays an extreme lack of control and the other an extreme control to the point of deprivation. They are both obsessive but at opposite sides of the spectrum and both stem from emotional problems. I do agree that the obese is not viewed in as much a sympathetic way as the anorexic and yet they are both equally unhealthy and both deserve the same understanding

[Pyramid*]

Originally Posted by cub

That's not what I'm saying. I said we shouldn't slap a label of 'mental illness' on people who are obese, or suggest that people that turn to food as a comfort is the other side of the coin - and therefore the same - as anorexia.

Weight gain is often based on being unhappy and the use of food as a happiness-booster. Anorexia, as I understand it, is more of a control issue.

Obesity is food-led. Anorexia is body shape-led.

Most overweight people feel unhappy when they look in the mirror. Anorexics want to be thin. Obese people do not want to be fat.

Excellent post cub - explained in easy to understand language but essentially, in a way that really gives credence to why anorexia / anorexics are indeed taken more seriously with regards to the problem.

Originally Posted by Beastie

When it's only them to blame.

Anorexia is also a self loathing illness. If an anorexic dies they only have themselves to blame.

I've read some utter absurb and posts full of complete drivel on here - I regret to say Beastie: your post here beats every single one of them hands down on the 'what a lot of complete nonsense' front.

[Mystic Mock]

Originally Posted by cub

That's not what I'm saying. I said we shouldn't slap a label of 'mental illness' on people who are obese, or suggest that people that turn to food as a comfort is the other side of the coin - and therefore the same - as anorexia.

Weight gain is often based on being unhappy and the use of food as a happiness-booster. Anorexia, as I understand it, is more of a control issue.

Obesity is food-led. Anorexia is body shape-led.

Most overweight people feel unhappy when they look in the mirror. Anorexics want to be thin. Obese people do not want to be fat.

Not all Anorexics are mentally ill either,just look at some of the tv stars that only go Anorexic because the writers of these shows basically tell them they have to lose weight to get more roles.

I agree with Livia that Overweight people and Anorexics should be getting the same sympathy and should be treated as seriously.

[patsylimerick]

Originally Posted by jedward fever

Not all Anorexics are mentally ill either,just look at some of the tv stars that only go Anorexic because the writers of these shows basically tell them they have to lose weight to get more roles.

I agree with Livia that Overweight people and Anorexics should be getting the same sympathy and should be treated as seriously.

It's not that they 'go anorexic'; they lose a lot of weight. Stupidly. I don't think you can compare this malarkey of starving yourself for a role with what is a serious medical condition. It's no less alarming, but it's a different phenomenon.

[joeysteele]

Originally Posted by jedward fever

Not all Anorexics are mentally ill either,just look at some of the tv stars that only go Anorexic because the writers of these shows basically tell them they have to lose weight to get more roles.

I agree with Livia that Overweight people and Anorexics should be getting the same sympathy and should be treated as seriously.

I think you raise a point there jf,in that when not celebrities generally most(not all) people are likely happy with how they are and look, once in the public eye,often reviews and promoters etc comments can cause someone to look at themselves.

I recall reading and watching the story of Karen Carpenter (The Carpenters duo) who it seemed was fine until stardom came, I forget the wording but after a live show a reviewer praised the duo but described Karen as Richards plump ( or some other word) Sister.
After reading that she became obsessed with her weight and getting it off, so much so that naturally her health suffered greatly. It is believed the reason she died so young too was from effects and complications of her anorexia.

So you make a valid point, in that once in the spotlight,what others say carelessly can end up with someone adopting a very unhealthy lifestyle and develop life threatening eating disorders.

I know very little about this person as fact but read a bit about her and also after being called 'tubby' a singer who was a child star, Lena Zavaroni, also went down the drastically losing weight anorexic path and also I believe died very young.

[patsylimerick]

Originally Posted by joeysteele

I think you raise a point there jf,in that when not celebrities generally most(not all) people are likely happy with how they are and look, once in the public eye,often reviews and promoters etc comments can cause someone to look at themselves.

I recall reading and watching the story of Karen Carpenter (The Carpenters duo) who it seemed was fine until stardom came, I forget the wording but after a live show a reviewer praised the duo but described Karen as Richards plump ( or some other word) Sister.
After reading that she became obsessed with her weight and getting it off, so much so that naturally her health suffered greatly. It is believed the reason she died so young too was from effects and complications of her anorexia.

So you make a valid point, in that once in the spotlight,what others say carelessly can end up with someone adopting a very unhealthy lifestyle and develop life threatening eating disorders.

I know very little about this person as fact but read a bit about her and also after being called 'tubby' a singer who was a child star, Lena Zavaroni, also went down the drastically losing weight anorexic path and also I believe died very young.

That level of scrutiny can probably trigger a predisposition, but the predisposition would have to be there in the first place. I think gaining/losing ridiculous amounts of weight for a role is different, though; that's just vanity and stupidity.

[joeysteele]

Originally Posted by patsylimerick

That level of scrutiny can probably trigger a predisposition, but the predisposition would have to be there in the first place. I think gaining/losing ridiculous amounts of weight for a role is different, though; that's just vanity and stupidity.

That is true,it still happens though.