Eating disorder event raises awareness
Mark Patel
Issue date: 11/7/08 Section: News
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Millions of men and women every year suffer from deadly eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia and compulsive overeating. The diseases are especially common among young people.
On Tuesday in the Milo Bail Student Center Nebraska Room, the Women's Resource Center hosted "Dying to be Thin," an event to inform the public about eating disorders and to offer suggestions for getting help.
"Eating disorders arise from a variety of physical, emotional, social and familial issues - all of which need to be addressed," said Lori Young, director of the Women's Resource Center.
Through cultural influences such as fashion models and magazines, America has developed an unrealistic ideal for beauty, Young said.
"I think we have this unattainable goal that we cannot reach in body image and sometimes we resort to eating disorders to try and reach it," Young said.
Rachel Tomlinson Dick was diagnosed with anorexia nervosa and spoke about her ongoing struggle with the disease to an audience of approximately 60 students and faculty.
Tomlinson Dick said she grew up in a tense family environment and developed self-worth and body image issues.
"What really pushed it over the edge into a severe eating disorder [was] when I was 18, I was sexually raped," she said.
Eating disorders commonly occur alongside other emotional traumas.
"I've met so many young women who have had eating disorders and have been a victim of sexual rape or assault," Tomlinson Dick said. "I think the two things are very correlated."
Eating disorder problems are not just for women, though.
"Males who are preoccupied with shape and weight can also develop eating disorders, as well as dangerous shape control practices like steroid use," Young said.
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