|
Celebrities with Eating Disorders
We hear about celebrities with eating disorders on a
regular basis, it makes for sensational news coverage of celebrities. Mary-Kate
Olsen is just one of the recent celebrities admitting to anorexia, just one form
of eating disorders. She has now successfully completed a program to help her
deal with her eating disorder and has returned to classes at NYU.
Paula Abdul, singer, and celebrity judge on “American
Idol,’ is yet another of the celebrities that admits to suffering from eating
disorders. In her case, MS. Abdul has publicly stated that she has for years
battled with both the anorexic and bulimic forms of eating disorders. She even
chairs a national eating disorders clearinghouse for the educating and treating
of those suffering from eating disorders.
The list of celebrities who are now battling or who have
battled with eating disorders in the past is long and new members are added
continually.
Tracey Gold, who as a child actress played, daughter:
“Carol” on the series “Growing Pains” suffered from anorexic during her
time on the show. Though cast members may have speculated that she was battling
from an eating disorder, the truth of it didn’t come out until the actress was
an emancipated 65lbs, and very close to losing her life.
Wynona Judd, Country Music Songstress, was recently
interviewed by Larry King
and shared with him and the listening audience that she suffers from a form of
eating disorder that gets ‘little’ attention in the media compared to other
eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia. Wynona shared that she is ‘addicted’
to food the same as an alcoholic is addicted to alcohol. “Compulsive
Over-Eating” is an eating disorder that can be just as damaging to one’s health
and spirit as any other forms of eating disorders are. To gain a perspective on
her disease, MS. Judd, underwent a drastic program of treatment in which she was
completely isolated from other people and outside influences. Her treatment
included a painful withdrawal from all sugars, which she reported was an
extremely difficult and painful experience the first few weeks of the program.
Wynona bravely shared her story in the hopes of helping others who suffer alone,
and filled with shame because of their eating disorders.
Hollywood is ‘obsessed’ with beauty, and the culture that
exists promotes that to be the most beautiful, and thereby, most popular, one
must be a size 1 or smaller. This kind of culture pressures many celebrities
into starving themselves, or taking dangerous drugs, or other equally dangerous
methods of becoming the ‘thinnest’ celebrity to walk the red carpet. The
pressure to be so ‘thin’ is how full-blown eating disorders begin for many
celebrities.
Of course, most celebrities don’t readily admit to
suffering from an eating disorder. Most try to “deny” reports that a recent
photograph of them is proof they have an eating disorder. Many have tried to
explain-away their apparent super-human, thinness by claims of the ‘flu’ or
other illnesses that caused then to lose large amounts of weight. It is
understandable that some celebrities are hesitant to talk about the eating
disorders they battle, as “shame’ is a common emotion that sufferers of eating
disorders report feeling.
But more celebrities need to come forward and begin talking
about the eating disorders that plague Hollywood. This is a very crucial step
to reversing the message that has been sent to young girls telling them that
‘dying to get thin’ is okay. Telling them that being able to wear a size 1
outfit is more important than having human compassion for others. That “thin” is
more important than loving yourself just as you are.
|
