The Silent Body

This chapter aims to draw attention to metaphorical and discursive understandings of Anorexia Nervosa (AN) and the anorexic body. Instead of offering new explanations or discussing the causations of the disorder, my interest lies in exploring some of the ways myths and beliefs inform readings of anorexic bodies, anorexics, and their self-understanding. Moreover, I aim to highlight how a strict focus on the visuality of the anorexic body, rather than the lived body, contributes to the discourse. Drawing on my PhD research “Lyrics, Voices and the Stories They Tell” (2024), my personal experience, diary notes, lyrics, and poems, I aim to shed light on how anorexic narratives come to be, how they can offer valuable insights, and how they can contradict some existing beliefs and myths. Thus, I hope to contribute something new to the conversation about AN and the anorexic silence.