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History of Anorexia



The history of anorexia is not a long history, but the effects of this disease on society is immense. The disease anorexia nervosa was first documented in 1873 by Charles Lasgue when he wrote L'anorexie Hysterique. His book chronicled the stages of this disease in young French girls. He said that the disorder typically began between the ages of 15 to 20 and had three distinct stages. Most of what Lasegue found holds true to researcher's findings today. But even after a few published studies, the public rarely spoke of the diseases affects on young girls.



This eating disorder is considered a relatively recent disorder. Until the death of Karen Carpenter, a famous singer, in 1983, anorexia nervosa was not commonly talked about by the media. Following Carpenter's death, the history of anorexia and the disease in current culture came into public discourse. Suddenly other actresses and public figures spoke out about their battles to be thin. They sought professional help, and made young girls battling the disorder know it was okay for them to do the same.



Sadly, the idea of women dying to be thin is not a new phenomenon. This history of anorexia reaches into Victorian times. Girls felt cultural pressure to be thin just as they do now in the 21st century. During the Victorian era, mothers and daughters avoided food to avoid giving off the impression that their physical appetite linked to their appetite for sex. During those times, it was commonly thought that should a woman eat more, she in turn had a greater sexual appetite.



The first published photo of a girl suffering from this disorder appeared in a 1932 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. Prior to the common usage of the word "anorexia nervosa," the disease was talked about as long-term fasting or self starvation. The history of anorexia shows that cultural and economic influences greatly affect the presence of this disorder in a society. Anorexia or self starvation was common during the Roman Empire, but seems to disappear during the medieval period when female stamina and procreative capability became all important.



"Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised" (Proverbs 31:30). The Bible teaches that Christians should not dwell on vanity, which is exactly what a disorder like anorexia nervosa induces. The history of this disease contains stories of long, intense, and painful battles that often end in death. This illness can have very devastating affects and may be hard to conquer, but faith in God and determination will allow anyone to succeed.

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