Paradigm Shift

by Meredith Villano

In honor of Feb. 21-27, 2010 Paradigm Shift is seeking blog, graphic art, and video submissions related to eating disorder recovery.  Please let us know how you would like to be credited (by name or anonymous)- deadline, Friday March 5th.

Email submissions to: blog@paradigmshiftnyc.com

Since the early 1980s, and especially in the last 5-10 years, much has been written about the personal experience of EDs, societal/cultural pressures to be thin, negative media images, and the cult of the emaciated celebrity, while the experience of the recovery process hardly gets mentioned- which is to the detriment of those effected.  EDs are also far more complex than the mass media would have you believe. According to the there is a biological basis for EDs, “unlike a neurological disorder, which generally can be pinpointed to a specific lesion on the brain, an eating disorder likely involves abnormal activity distributed across brain systems. With increased recognition that mental disorders are brain disorders, more researchers are using tools from both modern neuroscience and modern psychology to better understand eating disorders”.  Studies have identified links between a specific gene variation as well as other biological predispositions for EDs.  On the other hand, some think that EDs stem only from a culturally based internalization of sexism.  Most will agree that it’s a combination of biological, environmental, emotional and behavioral factors.  A metaphor that has been used while thinking about how one develops an eating disorder (and best relates to my personal insight and observations):  biological factors (such as brain chemistry/genetic pre-dispositions) are like a gun, personality traits are the bullets, and environmental factors pull the metaphorical trigger.  ED recovery is a complex process that involves more than promoting and creating healthy media images and role models, and this process deserves more attention in order to save the lives, and better the lives of those effected.

We welcome your thoughts on the recovery process and treatment, in order in give hope to others and to better understand what has worked.

Ideas for submissions focusing on recovery:

• your experience of recovery and/or treatment- what keeps you healthy
• your professional experience of working in the field of EDs
• struggles with recovery, claiming the terms “in recovery” or “recovered”
• health insurance coverage
• how you have supported a friend, family member, partner or loved one
• feminism and ED recovery

Books on Feminism and EDs from a variety of perspectives: