The Dancer Disorder Hungry - 1824 Words

Jacquelyn Maxwell Professor Hecksel Writing 150- 07 16 April 2015 The Dancer Disorder Hungry, but always fighting to eat. You look in the mirror and always think that you could lose just a little more weight and you are never happy with your body. This is how I felt in my freshman year of high school. I was intensely training to become a professional ballerina, dancing six days a week. This was also around the time when puberty started and I was beginning to fill out more in places I did not want to. I wanted to have the perfect â€Å"ballerina† body; a slender frame, firm muscle tone, long, elegant limbs, and a strong, supple back. I would constantly judge myself in the mirror and think that I could lose a few pounds. I started to obsessively†¦show more content†¦Anorexia nervosa, usually shortened to anorexia, is defined as an emotional disorder characterized by an obsessive desire to lose weight by refusing to eat (Mayo Clinic). Some of the factors of anorexia are a refusal to maintain a healthy body weight, an intense fear of gaining weight, and a distorted body image (Segal). People with anorexia place a high value on controlling their weight and shape, using extreme efforts that tend to significantly interfere with activities in their lives. Thoughts about dieting, food, and one’s body may take up most of the day, leaving little time for friends, family, and other activities they used to enjoy. Life turns into always trying to lose weight. The people living with anorexia have distorted minds. They have a phobia of gaining weight and will go to extreme circumstances to achieve their ideal body image. Anorexia is not just about the food, however. Usually anorexia is an unhealthy way to manage their underlying emotional problems. When one has anorexia, they often equate thinness to self-worth and happiness. Anorexia nervosa affects millions of people worldwide, but the prevalence of them in dancers, particularly ballet dancers, is said to be nearly 20 times higher than in non-dancers (Shoker). Neve rtheless, anorexia can damage health and even threaten lives. There are many symptoms that go along with the anorexia nervosa disorder. It might be hard to notice the signs at first because people living with the