, which has infused our feeds with not only the nostalgia of Lana Del Rey’s “Born to Die” but also the romanticization of mental illness and, specifically, eating disorders, that was widespread at the time.
These trends have many asking: Are eating disorders an individual issue, or is our social landscape responsible for creating the conditions that encourage them? Although there are biological markers associated with certain mental illnesses, these conditions are largely identified by behavior that harms an individual’s ability to conform to societal norms. Overall, we see mental illness as an individual’s issue and, in our capitalist society, prescribe individual solutions. For example, if you have depression, you take medication or go to therapy to better contribute to our society.
But whereas most mental illnesses are seen as transgressions of normal social functioning, some mental illnesses — namely, eating disorders — indicate an individual’s social success and desirability. As a result, individuals with eating disorders are often socially rewarded as they move closer to the goal post of the ideal body, which also happens to be a very sick one.
We recognize on some level that eating disorders are dangerous, yet they have persisted over the years and even flourished in response to social messaging.
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Source: Reuters - 🏆 2. / 97 Read more »