Anorexia Nervosa Causes
Mystery Of A Male Eating Disorder?

Anorexia nervosa causes (also known as "triggers") are sometimes difficult to pinpoint, especially when it comes to a male eating disorder. Some people believe that media influence on body image is the reason that men suffer from anorexia, but there could also be more traumatic things going on.

Anorexia Nervosa Causes In Men

Some would agree that males sometimes feel similar pressures as women with regards to the advertising and promotion of the so-called "perfect body".

There's a lot of pressure to meet some impossibly high and unrealistic standards.

However, an important note is that men don't necessarily think in terms of "thin is good" the way that women do.

They tend to view obesity (or fat) as a sign of weakness and will work obsessively so that they don't "become weak".

Anorexia Nervosa Causes - Male Sexual Abuse

Does male sexual abuse have anything to do with causes of anorexia nervosa in men? I recall a time back in high school when a friend of mine told me that she would get so angry at her brother because all he ever cared about was fitness, exercise, sports and getting to the gym.

She explained that her brother began using drugs (anabolic steroids) in order to reach his targets in muscle mass and physical strength.

He was becoming more irritable with each passing day and would often fly into fits of rage.

Eventually he asked for help to deal with his emotions and to try to understand his obsession with body building.

When he was asked why he always insisted on being the biggest and the strongest, his answer was, "So nobody can hurt me".

For the first time, he revealed that he had been sexually abused by a friend of his father.

He felt intimidated by other men who were of larger size and build. With that, he was determined to become the biggest and strongest.

He needed to be in control.

Study of the male eating disorder is ongoing. In a lot of ways it can be even more complex than treating women.

This is mainly due to the fact that current treatment programs are largely geared to the female population and the female psyche.

Still, we cannot ignore the serious physical effects of anorexia nervosa in men.

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