Reader Question: Does the media cause eating disorders?
Today I’m sharing my first real VLOG in a new series in which I respond to reader questions. I thought it was appropriate to start with one of the questions that I get most often: Does the media cause eating disorders? Check out my thoughts and don’t forget to share you own in the comments below!
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Do you have a burning question you would like answered on NTS? Email me confidentially at nourishingthesoulblog@gmail.com and I might answer it on the blog. Just as a reminder, the opinions expressed on this site do not constitute advice to or treatment of any individual. If you are in crisis or in need of assistance with a serious mental health issue, please be sure to contact a health professional in your area.
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[...] from the Hive Health Media member blogs.Dr. Solomon from Nourishing the Soul answers the question: Does the media cause eating disorders?Sahar from Fat Fighter TV ask you to Change ONE Thing: How you cook…Evelyn shows us 10 Ways [...]
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The expression often used by Mr. Herbert Spencer of the Survival of the Fittest is more accurate, and is sometimes equally convenient….
The struggle for existence….
Lori Lieberman
752 days ago
Great job! What a different experience seeing you and hearing your voice versus reading. I must say, I do enjoy them both!
Lori Lieberman recently posted..Eating a Vegetarian Diet Not As Healthy As You May Believe
how to better your self esteem
746 days ago
Good quality info on the topic!
Marsha @ Green Mountain at Fox Run
751 days ago
Thanks for this, Ashley. Good question to answer and great format to do it in. Will look forward to more of your vlogs…and blogs!
Margarita @ Weightless
751 days ago
Ashley, great response! I’m excited to see more videos from you! :)
I’ve also written about this topic on Weightless, because I think there’s a lot of misunderstanding about what causes eating disorders in the first place. I totally agree with you that the media has a responsibility to its consumers. And I also think any research has shown a causal link. Like you said, EDs are incredibly complex and occur because of many contributing factors.
Unfortunately, I think the media can contribute to EDs in making someone who’s already genetically vulnerable more susceptible to the disorder. It can certainly serve as an environmental trigger. And, sadly, it can also throw a wrench into recovery. That’s why I’m so glad that you cover media literacy on NTS!
Margarita @ Weightless recently posted..Body Image Booster- What Does Self-Love Mean To You
Dana Udall-Weiner
748 days ago
It’s great to see you in action, and to hear–as opposed to read–your wise words. I have read several vitriolic posts about this topic recently, and I think what you’ve said is both practical and accurate. It does seem as though it’s the long term, chronic exposure to images that can impact self-esteem and body image, and I think it’s important to point out–as you did–the role of genetic vulnerabilities and family dynamics in the etiology of EDs, too. It’s very easy to look at a study and misinterpret a correlation as a causation, but doing so can lead us astray and provide an overly simplistic explanation to a multi-layered and complex problem.