Anorexia — Not Just a Women’s Issue
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Anorexia — Not Just a Women’s Issue
Barbara J. Tener, Ph.D., is a licensed psychologist and therapist in Palo Alto, CA, where she specializes in providing anorexia nervosa disorder treatment. For more information about Barbara’s practice and how professional counseling and psychotherapy can help you, visit http://www.positivebodynow.com.
Anorexia is widely thought of as a condition that affects only teen girls and women. In fact, WomensHealth.gov estimates that 85-90% of all those suffering from anorexia are female. So, while anorexia may disproportionately affect females, somewhere between 10-15% of all people with anorexia are male.
While male anorexia is not a new phenomena — the first recorded male suffering from anorexia nervosa dates as far back as the late 17th Century — the number of reported cases of males with anorexia has been rising in recent decades, especially among adolescents and teens. Not to mention, many health professionals believe that anorexia in general, and male anorexia in particular, is both under-diagnosed and under-reported.
Therefore, due to the secretive nature of this disease, it’s likely that many more teens and young adult males suffer from anorexia than the million or so that is currently assumed.
What Causes Anorexia in Men?
Anorexia, or anorexia nervosa, causes both men and women to experience an intense fear of gaining weight. People with anorexia obsess over food but eat as little as possible in order to lose weight and/or remain thin. Those suffering from anorexia often feel fat and will do anything to get (or stay) thin, even if they are already dangerously underweight.
As with females, anorexia usually begins in boys during adolescence and the teen years — commonly between the ages of 14 and 17.
Although boys and girls who develop anorexia are usually quite smart and talented, they never seem to feel good about themselves and they often have trouble with their self-image. They often put an undue amount of pressure on themselves to be perfect, and the self-control they practice to achieve this perfection can quickly become unhealthy and obsessive.
Additionally, sufferers of anorexia (both males and females) often report feeling as if they were overly criticized as children and desperately needed to do everything perfectly or else risk rejection.
Painful experiences such as the death of a close friend or relative, bullying, or abuse may also increase the risk of developing anorexia.
Research studies undertaken in the 1990s indicated that many people (both men and women) suffering from eating disorders exhibit extreme personality traits, such as antisocial and obsessive-compulsive behaviors.
While many factors such as these can lead both boys and girls to be at risk for developing anorexia, ultimately, and regardless of gender, anorexia is way of exerting control over life for those who feel powerless in other respects.
Are Some Men More at Risk than Others?
Aside from the factors discussed above, it does seem that some men appear to be at greater risk for developing anorexia due to athletic and occupational pursuits.
As with female sufferers of anorexia, some athletic activities have been recognized as increasing the likelihood of boys and men developing anorexia and other eating disorders. Some of these activities include: gymnastics, long-distance running (particularly running marathons), ballet dancing, and horse jockeying.
Additionally, some recent research has indicated that a large proportion of males suffering from anorexia are those working in fields in which particular emphasis is placed on appearance or in jobs traditionally identified as being held by females. Some examples of such forms of employment can include: acting, modeling, fashion design, and the food service and catering industries.
It is not uncommon for males with anorexia to state that their jobs have been a significant factor in triggering and/or maintaining their eating disorder.
Does Anorexia Affect Men Differently?
Apart from some obvious differences — such as the fact that anorexia is unlikely to affect a man’s menstruation cycle — the signs, symptoms, and effects of anorexia are pretty consistent between men and women:
* An intense fear of gaining weight
* Negatively comparing oneself to others
* An inability to maintain a minimum healthy weight
* Regular use of laxatives
* Skipping meals
* Exercising excessively
* Constantly weighing oneself
* Substance abuse
* Mood swings, depression, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive behaviors
The only noticeable differences that have been identified between the way anorexia manifests in men and women is that sexual identity concerns seem to play less of a role in male anorexia than it does in female anorexia, and that men appear more likely to use excessive exercise as a control mechanism as opposed to women who more frequently use serious purging methods such as laxative abuse, diet pills, diuretics, and emetics.
Treatment Options
Anorexia is a complex illness that can be difficult to treat, and the course and outcome of anorexia varies from one individual to the next.
However, given anorexia’s fatality rate — somewhere in the neighborhood of 10%, which is higher than that of many childhood cancers — the sooner someone with anorexia seeks help the faster the healing process and the greater the likelihood of a positive outcome.
The anorexia treatment options available for men are largely no different than those available to women, and they typically involve some form of professional counseling or psychotherapy.
Unfortunately, due to anorexia’s disproportionate effect on females as a whole, many treatment options (such as residential treatment centers and group therapy) are geared specifically to young girls and women. At the very least, this means some men may feel isolated in treatment due to the fact that they may seem to be the only male suffering this problem. Of course, given the statistics mentioned previously, any man suffering from anorexia is obviously far from alone.
If you believe you or someone you know is struggling with anorexia, professional help should be sought immediately. Regardless of the hurdles that will have to be faced and overcome, anorexia can be treated effectively. And the sooner you seek help, the better!
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