Figure skating is a beautiful sport, but unfortunately, it’s plagued with an ugly problem.

Figure skating’s cold reality

Some professional figure skaters combat eating disorders.

For example, Akiko Suzuki, a Japanese professional figure skater, was diagnosed with anorexia nervosa after she attempted to lose weight to enhance her performance.

Suzuki’s battle with the mental illness started when her coach suggested she could lose one kilogram (about 2.2 pounds) to help her achieve better jumps. Unfortunately, Suzuki lost a third of her body weight.

“There were all these younger skaters coming along with good proportions, and I started wishing for longer legs. I got a real complex,” says Suzuki.

“But since there was no way I could grow, the only thing I could do something about was my weight.”

This isn’t a new issue

It’s not too surprising that eating disorders have always plagued professional figure skating. Often times, figure skaters feel pressure to size-down to make performing easier, and to appear more “aesthetically” pleasing. However, the issue seems to be peaking just in time for the 2018 Olympic Games.

According to the Independent, U.S. skater Gracie Gold says she’s taking a break to address psychological issues and an eating disorder. And Yulia Lipnitskaya, 19-year-old Sochi Olympics team gold medalist, quit skating after receiving treatment for anorexia.

“Anorexia is a disease of the 21st century,” says Lipnitskaya. “It is quite common. Unfortunately, not everyone is able to cope with it.”

Anyone can suffer from an eating disorder

Obviously, anyone can suffer from an eating disorder. We’ve covered these varied mental illnesses in the past, but feel the need to reiterate the following advice.

“Treatment for eating disorders is highly specialized and it is important to go to a trained professional,” says Dana Harron, clinical psychologist at Monarch Wellness & Psychotherapy.

“It is best to have a team comprised of a psychotherapist, a dietitian, a primary care doctor and perhaps a psychiatrist.”

Harron adds that websites, such as ED Referral and National Eating Disorders list professionals who specialize in eating disorder treatment.

“[And] If you already have a primary care doctor, they may be able to help you to find somebody who can work with you to establish healthier ways of relating to food and your body,” says Harron.

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Netflix’s new film, “To the Bone”, is creating a lot of buzz.

“To the Bone” follows Ellen, a 20-year-old artist and anorexic, and her emotional and psychological ups and downs at an unconventional eating disorder treatment center. Anorexia is a dangerous and often deadly eating disorder.

The film — and how it discusses eating disorders — is receiving praise from some people, and a lot of valid criticism from others.

The good

No one person’s eating disorder experience is the same, and “To the Bone” drives that point home. The film highlights various patients’ stories. The audience gets a taste of how bulimics hide their vomit, see that some people routinely binge without purging, and that some patients mitigate their weight with excessive exercise. The film’s characters also are diverse. We see patients with different genders, sexualities, and ethnicities. There’s even a  pregnant woman at the facility.

“To the Bone” also shows how people with eating disorders can count a meal’s calories in a moment, and that numbers, especially one’s weight, are the enemy. The film effectively shows that the life of an anorexic is exhausting — not sexy.

These representations are important because life with an eating disorder is not a life that is chosen, nor a life that should be envied, Michael McDonough, director of communications, Walden Behavioral Care, says. “The journey to recovery can be a long, tiring and extremely emotional journey for all involved.”

The bad

Unfortunately, the bad in “To the Bone” outweighs its positive aspects.

The first issue that many viewers have with the movie is that Lilly Collins, the star of the movie, is herself an anorexic in recovery. And knowing that Collins chose to loose a significant amount of weight for the film is disturbing. No person with an eating disorder is ever cured. Living with this mental illness is similar to living with an addiction. Recovery is never over and a person has to take one day at a time.

And although the film doesn’t try to make Collins’ body look appealing or sexy, some of the shots of her ribs, collar bones, and back are questionable. Even if the filmmaker’s intent is to horrify the audience into feeling bad for a mentally ill woman, many of the movie’s shots of Collins seem like overkill.

The movie also fails to explain why eating disorders manifest and why they are hard to kick. The film makes it seem like Ellen’s problems are because of her family’s issues. But eating disorders don’t just pop up because someone’s parents don’t get along. And similarly, an eating disorder doesn’t disappear because a person’s family starts to get along.

This plot failure is most damaging because it’s the “thing” that provides the movie’s nice, tidy ending.

The last act of “To the Bone” shows Ellen hitting rock bottom. It’s almost like the film is saying that a person has to hit “bottom” to “choose” recovery.

“Recovery is not a choice – in anorexia or in any illness,” Patricia Gazzola, psychiatric nurse practitioner at the Eating Disorder Program at Atlantic Health System, says.

“Unfortunately, for an illness with the highest mortality of any mental illness – from both suicide as well as medical complications – bottom is being dead.”

What to remember

It’s impossible for artistic endeavors to represent how someone with an eating disorder feels, but “To the Bone” tries.

After all, says Gazzola, any artistic expression that brings awareness to anorexia is a wonderful thing.

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Eating disorders aren’t funny, a fad, a phase, or motivation to lose weight – they are deadly and incredibly hard to treat.

Eating disorder awareness week happens every year from February 22-28; but similar to all “awareness” weeks, months, etc., this illnesses needs to be in the spotlight year-round.

Eating disorders run the gambit. You’re probably more familiar with Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa, but there is at least a handful (if not more) other types of eating disorders (Binge Eating Disorder, Orthorexia) affecting men and women, and boys and girls of all ethnicities and ages.

Many different things can trigger disordered eating: emotional, sexual, or physical trauma, and bullying are just a few examples. But other factors can cause disordered thoughts, feelings, and actions.

One of the “fueling” factors that is getting attention lately is the use of Photoshop and filters on models, actors, and actresses.

No one is saying that altered images cause eating disorders – that’s a load of crap. But when people are bombarded with absolutely bananas images of women with insanely small waists, and wrinkle-free faces, and men with impossible abs, it sure doesn’t help.

No one is perfect. Thin women have cellulite, young girls have smile lines, and men who work out on the regular don’t always have defined muscles.

Case in point: About a week or so ago, some unretouched images of Cindy Crawford and Beyoncé were “leaked” to the public. We think it’s terrible that leaking these photos has even caused a stir, but the fact that they surprised fans is of note. Yes, even celebrities aren’t perfect – we all have smile lines, excess skin, and facial puffiness.

Another “Photoshop” bombshell that was reported on earlier this week was David Lopera’s enlarged images of notable women. Changing these women’s bodies isn’t positive – making them larger doesn’t equate to creating an overall positive body image – he’s still merely creating fantasies.

Real women have, and don’t have curves, and real men are strong, and weak. People come in different shapes and sizes – period.

However, we know that even if all bodies and sizes are accepted, eating disorders would not cease to exist. Disordered eating is a bitch to overcome and will always be a real issue that should be taken seriously. Hell, I’ve been in recovery for about six years, and I still – still – see myself in a distorted way when I look in the mirror.

It’s going to take a lot of education and time to get to the point where everyone believes that disordered eating is a real problem, but time and advocacy (like those who do condemn the overuse of Photoshop) can help us all recognize that these disorders are illnesses and not fads.

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Image: Laura Lewis

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