Who's Right?

When things go wrong, what do we do first? Do we try to fix them, or do we try and blame someone else for our mistakes? Although the answer may depend on the situation, it's probably more likely that we will try and blame someone else. Basically our human nature is pressuring us to sometimes admit our mistakes, but at the same time we all have an explanation or someone to blame. From my recent rants about eating disorders, I've merely been blaming the media. I'm not saying that I'm the cause of anorexia, but instead of looking at other opinions, I've stuck strictly to my own. A certain post on Isnare.com caught my attention and helped me think in another direction.

If you choose to do it. If it’s choice, it’s not a disease. It’s not like cancer, where a cell goes wrong, or AIDS, where the body’s immune system breaks down. Starving yourself of the food you need is not a disease, but a compulsion.

Anorexia Not Disease -- Isnare.com Ezine Articles

So maybe anorexia is not a disease. Maybe it's something more. Either way I'm certain that it needs to be stopped. We can't allow young teens (or adults) to hurt their bodies! It's unjust and extremely unsafe.  The current mortality rate, due to eating disorders is VERY depressing:

# A study by the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders reported that 5 – 10% of anorexics die within 10 years after contracting the disease; 18-20% of anorexics will be dead after 20 years and only 30 – 40% ever fully recover

Eating Disorder Statistics