Overwhelming pressure to be perfect leads to increased risk of teenage eating disorders
By Roger Dobson and Rachel Shields
Published: 09 September 2007
Young women who strive for perfection, under pressure to excel in everything from school exams to looks and relationships, run an increased risk of suffering emotional problems and eating disorders, according to new research.
Scientists have found that girls as young as 13 are suffering from "Superwoman" syndrome – feelings of an overwhelming pressure to succeed – which can affect their mental and physical health. The results, published in the behavioural science journal Sex Roles, suggest that celebrities touted as an inspiration to young women may exacerbate their worries.
"What fuels disordered eating in some women is the desire to be the ultimate woman. Superwomen want the perfect life. No matter how well they are doing, they never feel quite good enough," explains Dr Janell Lynn Mensinger, who directed the study.
The personality traits associated with anorexia and other eating disorders – perfectionism, obsessiveness and approval-seeking – are also prevalent in high achievers and played out in the pursuit of success.
"The eating disorder is a coping mechanism to deal with the fulfilment of multiple demanding roles," explains Dr Mensinger.
According to the Royal College of Psychiatrists, anorexia is now the third most common chronic illness among adolescent girls, after obesity and asthma. Those between the ages of 13 and 19 are most at risk, with as many as one in every 150 15-year-old girls estimated to suffer from the disease, compared with one in 1,000 15-year-old boys.
its true...but why must we label this concept with a syndrome....
this description of women is so mainstream that it is the norm now...not a syndrome...i thnk they need to start to find a label for girls who arent this way....
i know quite a few good freudian theroies that can explain this syndrome in a really cool way...bt i dnt care to share, coz the theories are a little crude for this forum...
peace...
oh btw, brother, yes..we shud all be content...but we must understand that striving for the best and perfection is not a bad thing as long as u are not harming anyone...
i think the 'man' who wrote that forgot abt that aspect.
"'Cause I hear the whispered words
In your masterpiece beautiful
You speak the unspeakable through
I love you too"
we must understand that striving for the best and perfection is not a bad thing as long as u are not harming anyone...
Not an issue, If it doesn't come by following blindly the existing trends on account of fashion, makeup and jewellery, but if that be the case, then contentment is the prudent option
Not an issue, If it doesn't come by following blindly the existing trends on account of fashion, makeup and jewellery, but if that be the case, then contentment is the prudent option
lol...u created the thread...u know better than anyone here that the article was about more than make up and fashion...even still....if the such are ones fields of interest...i urge that superwoman syndrome be instilled...it is a wonderful motivator..and muslims women shud be the best in any feild they appeal to or that appeals to them...
"'Cause I hear the whispered words
In your masterpiece beautiful
You speak the unspeakable through
I love you too"
i duno bout the suffering emotional problems and eating disorders...bt d rest of it seemz tru 2 me :S im seein it in my pplz, i fink coz wer gurlz we jus fink we hav more fingz 2 prove :S
Become a size zero
Eat less than Gandhi
Take more aerobics and yoga classes than there are hours in the day
Take educational reading materials* into such classes
Obtain straight A's throughout school, including nursery or reception, even if this means resorting to writing with own blood
Go to university, preferably at age 10
Obtain a first class honours degree
Have regular, expensive hair styling appointments to continuously stay ahead of the Jones. Or the Beckhams.
Have regular, expensive shopping trips for the same reason - for bonus points, collect enough Jane Nor bags to provide the local homeless population with fashionable recepticles for all their alcoholic needs
Manage a small firm, preferably by age 16
Have three children after retirement, preferably by age 40
For best results, subject should contiuously tell herself that if she fails in any of the above endeavours, she will suffer immediate cardiac arrest.
*Materials include, but are not limited to, all university/school/college work, as well as that of friends, plus a lifetime's subscription to Heat magazine
This addressed was addressed more to female counterparts in that - due to a more emotional nature - they can end up with such problems in the majority of cases. Afaik, depression, eating disorders etc are mostly found in females and not males, for this reason itself.
How often do you see for example, an anorexic male?
Fight in the way of God, against those who fight against you, drive them out of the places they have drove you out, for persecution is worse than slaughter. Fight them, until persecution is no more, and Religion is for God. But if they stop, let there be no war.
This addressed was addressed more to female counterparts in that - due to a more emotional nature - they can end up with such problems in the majority of cases. Afaik, depression, eating disorders etc are mostly found in females and not males, for this reason itself.
How often do you see for example, an anorexic male?
anneorexia is actually very misunderstood,..
in wmen it is considered as the lack of eating thus, malnutrition etc,,,
in men it is understood as th eobsession with body building...when the bodies organs are being starined, and when the male is engaging in excessive exercise...
i dnt remember where i picked that up...or where i read it..but i know that it is true...
"'Cause I hear the whispered words
In your masterpiece beautiful
You speak the unspeakable through
I love you too"
i did a little research on my claim also..and i found nothing to back it up...it may have judt been an interesting interpretation that someone made...and it must have intruiged me...
there are connections..bt no raw sources...
peace bro...thanks for the enlightenment...
"Just make dua"...
"'Cause I hear the whispered words
In your masterpiece beautiful
You speak the unspeakable through
I love you too"
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