Eating Disorders: A MAN’S Problem?

Eating disorders can be one of the most harmful and troubling things that occur in a person's lifetime. The combination of the stress that they feel and oftentimes depression that leads to them, coupled with the harmful effects that eating disorders create in a person's physical life, make him a true nightmare indeed. For most of the time that eating disorders have been a condition that people have been aware of, it has been associated almost primarily with women.

In their search for beauty and attractiveness, eating disorders are a somewhat common experience in many women's lives. The media’s constant portrayal of “skinny is beautiful” leads many women to starve themselves in the hopes that they will be thought of in this way as well. As of late, however, the increasing trend of men becoming victims of eating disorders has been recognized as well.

In this age of beauty and fitness based on the eyes of movies, TV, and magazines, men are becoming increasingly stricken with the pressures and stress of being thin and in shape. It is becoming more and more common for men to suffer with eating disorders and because of it still being a relative rarity, many people never take notice that someone they know is actually suffering.

Once eating disorders get to later stages, it can be incredibly hard to treat the patient. Their psyche becomes completely consumed by the eating disorder and the types of activities involved including intense exercise and dieting and they can see their weight plummet to dangerously low levels. Because men are so rarely stricken with the disorder, those around them tend to ignore the symptoms until often it is too late. It might be that someone that they know begins exercising much more than usual or even skipping meals in an effort to lose weight and get in shape. Even if this person begins to take on the appearance of someone who was too thin, it is not unusual for those around him to either not notice or simply disregard the possibility that an eating disorder exists. This is making it extremely difficult to treat the ever increasing number of men who are suffering from harmful eating disorders.

It is vitally important that if you ever suspect someone that you know might have an eating disorder, whether or not they are man or woman, you should seek the advice of a health professional immediately. It is oftentimes a mistake to confront the person personally because they themselves may not think they have a problem or if they do, they may be extremely negative toward you because of your accusations. Once someone pushes away from you, it can be extremely hard to regain their trust in order to help them to the best of your ability. Eating disorders are incredibly harmful and can often lead to death in the worse case scenarios. Don't assume that just because someone is a man that they are immune from these life threatening, horrifying conditions.