Since our teen culture has been obsessed with vampires in recent past years, I thought I might compare them to eating disorders. For me, I understand things better when I can compare a new topic to an old, recognizable one. I build a bridge. For those of you who don’t know the official term, it’s called an analogy.
Let’s play a free-association game. When I say vampire, what do you think of? I bet you’ll say a dark, mysterious guy who has fangs and a cape. Or maybe you’ll say Edward Cullen, a totally normal-looking “high school student” who has supernatural powers and preys on a young lady (Bella). The latter answer is closer to what I’m looking for.
Vampires don’t have to look like the stereotypical Dracula. Let’s think about what actually makes a vampire a vampire. Have you ever realized that no matter how old the vampire is, you are somehow attracted or drawn to him? There’s something about bad boys that us good girls go for. Also, when the vampire conquers his victim, he grows stronger as his victim gets weaker. His victim, no matter how hurt, still wants him. He/she doesn’t see the destructive side of the relationship while he/she is in it. It’s only in hindsight that vision is 20/20.
So what comes of this ill-fated relationship? Body shame, seduction, temptation, and most importantly, danger. Eating disorders are very harmful, and actually kill more people than you would think. The mortality rate of an eating disorder is 20%. Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness. The mortality rate associated with anorexia nervosa is 12 times higher than the death rate of ALL causes of death for females 15 – 24 years old. Only 30 – 40% of sufferers ever fully recover.
Eating disorders have all the qualities of being a vampire. Eating disorders torment their victims until they finally give in and break down. Having used up everything that is vital in their victims, the eating disorders leave the sufferers to waste away and die. The eating disorder will move on to its next victim. The eating disorders don’t care if they ruin lives. They just care if they keep living forever. That’s their main goal.
When we get down to it, vampirism is really about exploitation. Vampires use other people to get what they want. They deny someone’s right to live in order to satisfy their overwhelming demands. They place their desires above the needs of someone else. All they care about is themselves. Anyone else in the world has a fate that matters less than theirs.
So how do you kill a vampire? There are two ways. First, we all know that vampires hate sunlight. Now, let’s translate this from the literal meaning and apply it to eating disorders. Sunlight is a symbol for knowledge. Eating disorders work so well because their victims don’t have knowledge about them. Neither does the entire society, and that’s why eating disorders continue to survive. What we need to do is educate people. Tell them the facts. The more that people know about eating disorders, the less likely they are to develop them.
The other way to kill a vampire is using fire. Vampires weren’t born with a special weakness to fire, like they were with sunlight, so it will be harder to kill them this way. But rest assured, it can be done. Vampires are strong. They are stronger than you can imagine. In this area, they definitely have an advantage over you. You have to become as strong, if not stronger, than the eating disorder in order to beat it. Fight fire with fire. The eating disorder will bring its ‘A’ game, so you have to bring your ‘A+’ game. Do whatever you have to in order to come out of the arena alive. This is a life-and death contest of will. Only one of you can survive. Beat the eating disorder at its own game.
I know that thinking of eating disorders as vampires has its flaws, but it works well enough for now. So girls, leave the dark side.
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