I had a thought recently (insert joke about blondes, et cetera, if you wish…)

I’ve always been particularly interested in the middle ages, and it occurred to me that there was quite a bit of self-mutilation during that period.  Most was done in the name of religion, though blood letting was a common “medical” practice.

Nuns, monks, monarchs, aristrocrats and laypersons would fast, would self-flagellate, would make themselves endure physical and mental “challenges”.  And when they did, they were honored for their fortitude, not treated as psychologically warped humans.  The middle ages was truly a time when someone who had what we would today treat as a kind of mental disorder (e.g., eating disorder, depression) would be revered. 

So that led me to wonder whether humans as a race of beings are somehow pre-programmed to hurt themselves?  It seems that many members of every generation have had the inclination to harm itself in some way.  (Think about the women who wore corsets for centuries despite the known health hazards!)  Could the desire to control one’s eating simply be part and parcel of a genetic need to commit a self-hazardous act? 

Of course, I’m not suggesting that we currently revere those who harm themselves… or am I?

Consider the stars who become sticks and are treated like gods and goddesses…  And how about the rock legends who wow audiences with their stories of sex, drugs and rock ‘n roll? 

What in the world will future generations say about us?  And will our grandchildren and their grandchildren continues this cycle?

One of the “themes” running through most eating disorders is a general dislike of and disdain for one’s body. Certainly, this stems from psychological issues; eating disorders are not the fault of the body. However, the body ultimately pays the price.

Therefore, I suppose it shouldn’t be too surprising that plenty of women and men with eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia and binge eating turn to self-mutilation.

Don’t believe me? Just head to any pro-ana or pro-mia discussion board. (Or don’t - I wouldn’t want them to trigger any latent EDs.) The subject of “cutting” appears far more frequently than you might imagine.

I’ve tried to uncover figures to see how many anorexics, bulimics and binge eaters tend to “cut” or perform another self-injurious action. Here’s what I’ve found thus far:

• At CaringOnline the authors report that “…A study by Favazza and Conterio (1989) states that episodic and repetitive self-mutilation are frequently seen in conjunction with, or as a replacement for, eating disorders. In a study of 290 self-mutilating women, they found that 22% of the subjects suffered from only bulimia nervosa, 15% from anorexia nervosa and 13% from both disorders, for a total of 50%.”

• At MentalHelp.net, Allan Schwartz, Ph.D. states “…It is not unusual for some people suffering from eating disorders to engage in direct bodily self-harm in an attempt to reduce the emotional pain and suffering. The self-harm can occur in the form of cutting and self-mutilation with a razor, knife or any sharp instrument.”
• TroubledTeen101 claims “…because teens who self-injure or self-mutilate often do not know how to ask for help, it is important to watch for some of these signs that a teen may be harming him or herself, or is at risk for doing so:… Unexplained injuries, such as cuts, scratches, burns, bruises, etc.;… A history of eating disorders…”

When I was at my worst, I never cut, but I would sometimes hit my thighs as hard as I could just to FEEL something besides the agony of loneliness and depression.

Does this whole connection between eating disorders and self-harm resonate with you?

A few months ago, I blogged about the bracelets that pro-ana and pro-mia followers sometimes wear.  However, it would seem that either 1) I was misinformed or 2) the bracelet colors have changed.

Thanks to a few very honest visitors who educated me, I’m here to tell you that the “proper” hues for the bracelets are:

Red - pro-ana

Purple (not blue) - pro-mia

Black & Blue - self-mutilation (such as cutting)

Of course, I’m not advocating the wearing of such jewelry.  But I think awareness of the silent signals that pro-anas and pro-mias use to identify each other could be useful to parents.