Where Did Anorexia Stereotypes Come From?

April 30, 2022. In this post I discuss how 19th century hysteria, a mysterious group of symptoms observed only in women, led to the misconception that anorexia nervosa is not a true illness.

Key Points:

• Anorexia was first considered a type of hysteria.

• Reformation in how we care for mental illness helped define anorexia as its own disorder.

• While many symptoms of anorexia don't have medical explanations yet, this doesn't mean they aren't real.

• Educating the public about medical explanations for anorexia could reduce its stigma.

Read the full article here: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-neuroscience-eating-disorders/202204/where-did-anorexia-stereotypes-come