10 million males in the United States will suffer from a clinically significant eating disorder at some time in their life. Source: National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA)
Most of the attention about eating disorders and body image focus on women — however, there is a significant amount of men who also struggle with eating disorders or body image issues. Just as the media can set unrealistic standards of beauty for women, it has also been setting up the same ridiculous standards for men. While women are encouraged to be skinny, men are encouraged to be “cut”, muscular, and lean (take a look at a recent Calvin Klein underwear ad). I’ve noticed a trend regarding actors in action movies – articles will mention how many pounds of muscle an actor put on to play a role, and his strict work out regimen to get a certain look (think Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, or Chris Hemsworth as Thor). Isn’t this just as damaging as focusing on how much weight an actress lost to get a role?
Here are some additional statistics about men and eating disorders:
STATISTICS FROM NEDA WEBSITE
And while prevalence of eating disorders in men is significantly high, there is still a stigma for many men around seeking professional help. Some men may even feel like eating disorders are “women’s issues,” and feel shame in talking about their struggles. The idea of how an eating disorder effects one’s masculinity is not to be overlooked. I hope that by talking about it more, and bringing this issue to light, more men will feel comfortable asking for the help they need. As a clinician who specializes in the treatment of eating disorders, I encourage men to reach out for the help they need and deserve.
Here’s a great article about what you need to know about men and eating disorders:
HUFFINGTON POST ARTICLE
Male athletes are also vulnerable to eating disorders. Most notably, wrestling has had a reputation for setting up young men for eating disorders. The pressures to “make weight” can push men to do unhealthy things to their bodies, and this can create habits that follow them long after they have left the sport. For college athletes, both men and women, can struggle after graduating because they are not prepared to adjust from a training routine to “the real world”. This can cause weight fluctuations, which in turn create stress around body image and can lead to eating disorders.
This is a great personal account about being a man with an eating disorder:
PATRICK’S PERSONAL STORY
At Positive Pathways, we believe that complete recovery from eating disorders is possible – and as a clinician who works with athletes and men with eating disorders, I offer wisdom and support for your recovery process.
Contact me at: Emily@PositivePathways.com
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Interested to learn more about MEN WITH EATING DISORDERS? Discover how our approach of Eating Disorder Intuitive Therapy (EDIT)™ can guide your recovery: http://positivepathways.com/men-with-eating-disorders/
Interested in a FREE consultation? Dr. Dorie would like to get to know you and give you feedback about how EDIT™ can help you achieve the results you desire. Call 720-606-3242 or learn more: http://positivepathways.com/free-consultation/
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