As humans, we naturally get sick from time to time. We get colds, flu, injured muscles, headaches, tummy bugs etc. Our bodies usually fight them off, or we try different remedies like hot soaks, chicken soup, and hydrating; but we take medication when the symptoms get worse. Sometimes people say "get well soon", which basically means "we hope your body does what it is meant to do quickly", so we rest to speed up that process. However, treating a mental illness is very different because some parts of you don't want to get better; some parts of you have found comfort in all the pain!

Having an eating disorder can be extremely confusing. You don't know if you have one, or you don't want to admit it when you do. You convince yourself that you don't have one so that you can continue doing what you're doing. After doing multiple surveys on EDs (eating disorders), Jennifer Rollin states, "The figures may actually be quite a bit higher, some experts believe, since many people are reluctant to acknowledge having or having had an eating disorder.".

You are not alone. At least 9% of people worldwide struggle with an eating disorder.

What are they? EDs are mental illnesses associated with an obsession with food or body shape. They can affect anyone but are primarily seen in young women; 13% of youth may experience at least one eating disorder by 20. There are many eating disorders, including OSFED (Other specified feeding eating disorder), ARFID (Avoidant restrictive food intake disorder), Rumination, Pica, Bingeing, Bulimia and Anorexia Nervosa. They usually include food binges, food restrictions and purging behaviours, but they are all different. However, how do they start?

Some people argue that social media drives EDs. What image pops into your head when you think of a beautiful person? Do they look like you? Social media is fake. We only see the best images and video clips. No one shares the "behind the scenes" if they are ugly. No one talks about the 100 photos in the trash or the hours of editing because social media is the light to the phrase,
"Fake it till you make it!". Statistics show that teenagers on social media for even 30 minutes have increased feelings of anxiety, depression, poor self-image, and loneliness. These feelings can lead to self-hatred, which is connected to eating disorders. Teens on social media are more likely to have an ED as they start to develop disordered behaviours like the restriction of food. When you have poor thoughts, you're not going to take care of yourself, let alone your nutrition!

Another thing which could promote EDs is celebrities and influencers. Since stars and the fashion industry are praised for their thinness, some may feel ashamed about their bodies when they are not thin. When only one body type is called beautiful, people think that their body is Inferior.
You end up on another fake side of social media, and you follow celebrities and influencers who promote diets or give nutrition tips. You learn that diet culture is correct, and you are pressured into trying new diets and choosing the option with the lower calories because that means it's better for you, right? Claudia McNeilly says, "Orthorexia is defined as an unhealthy obsession with healthy food.". This disorder is often overlooked, but it can lead to a malnourished and miserable life when individuals become very restrictive and obsessed. Just like thin models being praised, healthy people get honoured too, which encourages you! If it is healthy, why do EDs have the second-highest risk of death from any other mental illness? It is still killing you, even if you are dying slowly.

On the other hand, eating disorders could be genetic. Research shows that some people have genetics making it harder to break down sugar and fat. If your metabolism is slow and your body cannot break down sugar and fats due to your genes, it would be challenging to maintain a thin body when eating those foods. Even if you exercise, your body will store these foods as fat, and it may make someone feel insecure and start to restrict their food. Furthermore, according to Sari Shepphrid, "they both described anorexia as a "nervous" disease characterized by self-starvation", meaning Anorexia is a "nervous" disease because you are starving yourself by choice or because your brain tells you to. Anorexia is partly voluntary because there are elements of it which are choices. The nervous system is connected to the brain. It is the Centre of all your boy's commands, and it controls almost everything you do. If you are starving yourself, that is done by your nervous system, which means it is genetic, as your brain is wired differently, just like any other mental illness, or you created new neuropathy on your own. Also, Obesity, rather than weight loss, some opponents argue, should be the principal target of concern in the United States as more people are obese and struggling with Obesity. Is it a brilliant idea to ignore a problem becoming more and more common?

Yes, some eating disorders may be genetic, but what about the ones which aren't? EDs are becoming more and more common from younger ages. They can create many mental and physical difficulties in the future if they are not treated.

There are many causes of eating disorders. We cannot narrow down the causes as there are thousands of reasons people develop eating disorders and choose to stay with them, but they are extremely dangerous. When you eat too much or too little, it can have severe and negative effects on your body. Binge eating is when you overeat food and continue eating even after being full, possibly leading to Obesity. When people argue that there should be more focus on Obesity rather than eating disorders, they argue against themselves. Anorexia is not the only eating disorder, and if the people struggling with BED get the help they need, obesity rates may go down. When there are studies about eating disorders, and people say there are more obese people than those with eating disorders, it is hard to believe those results. Many people with an ED deny having one. When eating disorders and Obesity are compared, you cannot see the actual numbers, so you cannot say eating disorders should be discarded. Both problems are critical and need to be talked about more before they keep killing people! Eating disorders do not have a "look", and every ED is valid, meaning you deserve to recover and get the help you need!