Who is the most susceptible? -White, upper-middle class girls between ages of 14 and 25 -Personality types: perfectionist, hard-working, disciplined, lack of self-confidence, feel pressured to be perfect or thin, feel like they don’t have much control over their life -People with a genetic history of high anxiety, OCD, anorexia How does it happen? Stage 1: Boy or girl only wants to lose “a little weight.” This tailspins quickly as the boy or girl gets addicted to losing weight. Stage 2: Brain stops functioning normally. This malfunction feeds into OCD, perfectionism, and more weight loss. Stage 3: Extreme exercise speeds up weight loss. Girl or boy gains confidence and pride in athletic ability. Stage 4: Fat-phobia develops. Guilt and self-disgust during meals leads to the removal of starches and fats from the diet. Voice in head says he or she is fat and unworthy, and anything eaten will instantly become fat. Stage 5: Warped self-image. Boy or girl becomes psychologically controlled by eating disorder and becomes unable to see how he or she really looks in the mirror. Unable to acknowledge from others that he or she has a problem, the boy or girl withdraws socially and cannot eat with others. Boy or girl rationalizes food choice and makes up excuses, typically eating between 600 and 800 calories a day. Stage 6: Depression. Boy or girl becomes depressed, angry, and sometimes suicidal as body continues to starve itself.
