Prepare yourself, folks, because we are about to dive into the riveting world of anorexia nervosa. Hadley Freeman, author of the hilariously titled memoir “Good Girls: A Study and Story of Anorexia,” had no shortage of excuses for her severe anorexia nervosa. Doctors and therapists provided her with a mind-boggling 75 explanations for her condition, from her exposure to toxic substances as a baby to her desire to be Kate Moss. (Hey, who doesn’t want to be a supermodel?)
Now, it’s worth noting that Freeman got sick in the 1990s, but it seems like anorexia is making a comeback. Not only in America, where Freeman is from, but across the pond in jolly old England too. “During Covid, a lot of published data showed increases in eating disorders both inpatient and some outpatient as well,” says Joanna Steinglass, the director of research at Columbia University’s Eating Disorders Research Clinic. Yikes.
The real question on everyone’s minds is this: why? Why is anorexia coming back with a vengeance? Did the pandemic cause it? Is social media to blame? Are teenage girls just getting more anxious and depressed by the day? We need answers, people. And we need them now.
Anorexia has been around for a while, but it’s like a pesky little bug that just won’t go away. It’s back, and it’s badder than ever. But why are we seeing a spike in cases now? Is it because we’ve all been stuck at home for months on end, snacking our way through quarantine? Or is it because social media has made us all obsessed with looking perfect? Maybe teenage girls are just feeling more anxious and depressed than ever. Who knows?
What we do know is this: anorexia is making a comeback. Can we blame it on the pandemic? Possibly. Could it be due to social media? Sure, why not. Maybe teenage girls are just feeling the pressure to look a certain way. All we know for certain is that anorexia is on the rise, and that’s a problem. Let’s all take a deep breath and try to figure out what we can do about it.

Serious News: nytimes