HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1987-09-30, Page 1616A — THE HURON EXPOSITOR, SEPTEMBER 30,1967 ••••—•
Happy #? Birthday Society mile change before eating disorders can
MOM POLAND
O a 4 By Shelley McPbee-flaist
CLINTON - The lean figure of a girl,
slender, small, . almost "boyish" in. ap-
pearance. The figure of a pre -adolescent
female, small breasts, small hips, flat ab-
domen, few curves - such is the notion of a
beautiful woman's figure today4.
Gone are the times when the full figured
woman was thought to be sensuous and
physically attractive. No longer are large
breasts, rounded 'hips or shapely legs seen
as signs of physical beauty in the trendy
world of women's fashions. •
The age of the well rounded; well endowed
Renaissance woman is now considered
obsolete.
Today women strive for a look that calls
for a thin, angular body of a young girl. It's
a "tubular shaped" body, according to Dr.
Kathy Berg and wornen's preoccupation to
have such a figure is a major factor related
to eating disorders. 2
Dr, Berg, a London psychologist, was the
guest speaker at the annual meeting of the
Huron -Perth Centres for Children and
' )(oath. The September 23 meeting attracted
• a large audience who came to hear her
speak on the 'topical subject of eating
disorders, in particular Anorexia and
Bulimia,
DxL Berg ig_widely_known as:a sp.ecialikin_
the research and, treatment of eating
disorders. She has concentrated her studies
on .eating disorders for some five years and
works as a clinical psychologist at the
University of Western Ontario, as well as
maintains a private practiceln London.
• , Cultural stress in the '80s • •
Dr. Berg says that eating disorders,in
part; are magnified by cultural stress. Over
' the past 20 years there has been a shift to the
revering of a thin body. It is promoted and
glorified in magazines, in fashion, in films,
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DR. KATHY BERG -- (left) a clinical psychologist from London web the guest speaker at
the Huron -Perth Centres for Children and Youth annual meeting. She spoke on eating
disorders. A large'crowd heard her topical discussion on anorexia and butimia, Meeting •
for further discussion were Pat Lane of theCommunity Psychiatric service in Wingham,
Dr, Lesley Rourke of Goderich and Dr. Mario Cauchi Of.Gocierich. Shelley McPtiee.
.
Heist photo.
•
•
-
on television
• Great emphasis is placed on being thin, on
being fit. Thinness is associated with being a
more successful woman, a more attractive
woman, more popular, more intelligent.
Thin women are admired for their sell -
control, for their ability to, govern their
bodies, both with. diet restrictions and
through physical fitness.
They are seen as perfectionists, as strong
individuals with a keen sense of discipline
and responsibility.
Such is the mystic of a thin; beautiful
woman.
1'1
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September 30
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Dr. Berg says, "The glorification of youth
and the beautiful body does not fit in with
the aging female, particularly those who
have had children," •
Despite, the dictates of fashion trends,
most women have a difficult task making
their bodies • conform to the rigid re-
quirements of "beauty" in the 1980s.
"It's hard to find a woman that is satisfied
with'her body," Dr. Berg says.
Over the last 20 years, she notes, the
average female under the age of 30 has gain-
ed more weight because of better nutrition.
The fat phobia
Most women think they are too fat. Most
women diet. Most women face the torments
of a society that has 'a prejudice against
obesity.
"There's a stigma about being
overweight, There's a fat phobia in our
society, says Dr. Berg. .
To be overweight is considered to be less
successful, less intelligent, less attractive.
Still; inspite of the prejudices and exag-
geration placed on physical beauty and thin-
ness, only a mien percentage of the popula-
tion fits the mold. Only three tofive per cent
of the population falls into the ideal range of
body image.
The rest of us struggle.
Eating disorders cut across all age and
socio -cultural boundaries. It affects young
people, it affects old people, from teenaged
girls to octogenarians.
Eating disorders most. commonly trouble
females to the tune of 90 to 95. per cent.
Eating disorders become a way of life, an
obsession.' Thinness becomes a major
source of self-esteem and fills an area of
personal inadequacy. '
Women with eating disorders live with the
notion that thinness will make their lives
happier.
"She losses five pounds and her life is no
different; She tries tolose another five
pounds, and on, and on," Dr. Bergs
explains.
There are assumptions associated with
anorexia, notions that thinness will bring
greater admiration from others, more
power and control over their lives, greater
self-confidence and lessened feelings of
pressure.
They believe that while overweight people
are second class citizens, a thin person has
more rights, greater, choices. Dr. Berg ex-
plains, "It gives me the right to choose men,
to choose clothes, to be in sports, to choose
foods.".
Personal conflicts
People who have eating disorders often
suffer with great internal conflict and in-
securities. They often harbor fears of rejec-
tion, and fears about sexuality. They talk
about the fight for independence In their
lives, and, on the contrary they also deal
with feats of becoming too powerful. They
fear rejection if they are seen as being
overweight, and they fear rejection if they
become too thin.
"People with eating disorders face a great
deal of conflict about what they should and
should not do."
Dr. Berg says that treatment is a slow and
delicate process. She works to have her
clients challenge the facts and correct their
misconceptions about dieting and weight.
She aims to promote a positive self-image.
She also spends a part of her treatment
time focussing on the family background of
her client. •
Family factors vary greatly in the per-
sona of a ,someone who Suffers_ from an
eating diSorder.
Debbie grew up in a family where only her
father was allowed to eat dessert,
Karen's brothers teased her about. being
overweight.
Jennifer's family went. on the Scarsdale
Diet for lengthy periods.
Sandra's mother was always on a diet,
Sandiaholp-ed-recurcrher-dally-f ood-charter
Gwen was a good gymhast at school. Her
parents controlled her food intake in an ef-
fort to keep their daughter's body' slim and
trim for her gymnastics.
Variety of influences
Dr. Berg sees a wide range of familial in-
fluences in her work with those people who'
suffer from eating disorders. •
Some come from closely knit families.
hcome Such individuals' have never really
ilies.
•
developed a support system outside the
family. They are primarily dependent on.
tefrom
am
Otherseirirnmdia
,families, where
the parents set firm rules of discipline that
are the same for their 10 year old child as.,
their 17 year old child. There is no room for
flexibility. Their children do not have the'
freedom to make their own choices or their
own mistakes.
There are overprotective families, where
parents become too greatly involved in their
children's lives, They become so preoc-
copied with their children, that the child
feels pressured to constantly seek parental
approval.
Others come from families that put em-
phasis on emotional constraints, where
children are not allowed tovent feelings of
anger, discouragement or depression.
Children learn to silence their feelings, to
keep emotions bottled inside,
The typical anorexia sufferer is "the good
little girl who is fighting for independence,"
Dr. Berg suggests.
Some anorexics see themselves as the
children who must work to make their
parents happy, to save the family. They feel
a great burden of guilt for all the things that
their parents have done for them over the
years.
Anorexics aim to be perfect.
Some aim to have control over their lives.
Dr, Berg says,."The desire for sel*controf is
central to anorexia. They have control over
what they eat.",
Early treatment
Early diagnosis and careful treatment of
eating disorders is'crucial to hopes of suc-
cessfully combating the problem, Dr. Berg.
says.
It is not an easy task.
"The family of an anorexic often vacillate
between two poles, by trying to get their
daughter to eat more or at other times giv-
ing up on her. This causes more anger, more
conflict: The whole family needs counsell-
ing. Sometimes the family also maintains
the disorder. Well meaning parents accuse
their daughter if they attempt to fore feed
an anorexic child."
Dr. Berg says that force feeding an
anorexic person should only be used as a
last resort, life saving measure for those
who are close to death.
"Force feeding under estimates a per-
son's self esteem. You take away their last ,
vestige of self control."
Dr. Berg stresses the 'early treatment of
eating disorders to prevent a chronic pro-
blem or before it becomes an addiction. She
stresses that families, teachers, doctors
should be made knowledgable of eating
disorders and should be able. to recognize
early. symptoms.
She notes, "It's the wrong attitude to think
that the child will grow out of the problem."
Dr. Berg says. that people with eating
disorders can be fully recovered, but in this
day and age, society pressure and ideals
will continue to be tough obstacles to
counteract. ,
"Yes there can be full recovery," she
says, "bht a female living in this culture will
always come up against food and weight
concerns as long as the culture remains the
same."
SDHS drama department
asking for local antecdotes
The Seaforth District High School drama
department is asking for public participa-
tion. It is interested in local anecdotes, pro-
se and recollections for an anthology focus-
ing on life in Huron County - past, present
s'tevens
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HAPPY 43rd BELATED
BIRTHDAY, MOM
Corot Carter, Sept, 23
and future.
Submissions from high school students,
community members and high school
teachers will be arnalgamated to be used in
a collective production to be performed at
the high school in the spring of 1988. Submis-
sions may not be used in their entirety, but if
used, will be credited in the program.
General themes include: Growing up in
Huron County; Farming, Then and Now;
The Wars; Sport; Mainstreet; Cour-
ting/Romance/Relationships; Huron Coun
ty Characters and Huron County Women.
Submissions should be made to G. Burrell,
Drama Department, Seaforth District High
School, by December 1, 1987. Submissions
will not be returned.
Happy Belated 40th
JOHN COLEMAN
Lenge: Janrine, Janke, Mitt,
Brod, Sir 0 & Dad
From your Twin, .10•• Clecive