Anorexia Nervosa: The Making of the First Eating Disorder

This chapter looks at the historical context of anorexia nervosa (AN) and the interlinking of religious, social, and medical perspectives on the fasting body. Sociological studies of anorexia nervosa highlight the multifaceted nature of the disorder and the importance of considering social, cultural, and structural factors in both understanding its causes and developing effective prevention and intervention strategies. The chapter considers the evolution of AN as a medical phenomenon, from the early professional battles over its naming and interpretation to its categorization as a psychiatric condition by the American Psychiatric Association. Current diagnostic categories and treatments for AN are then explored, and the risks and ethics of involuntary treatment are considered. The clinical features of AN have been thoroughly investigated, but AN must also be understood in relation to the neoliberal “tyranny of the body.” The chapter concludes with accounts from those with lived experience of anorexia, providing us with unique insights into the realities of undergoing treatment and what “being” and “doing” anorexia mean beyond its clinical description. The chapter concludes with arguments supporting the assertion that anorexia as a phenomenon is deeply embedded in the capitalist economy. Through examining the ways that meanings, identities, and behaviors are shaped by social interactions and cultural contexts, anorexia nervosa emerges, not as an individual pathology, but as a product of broader historical, medical, and cultural constructions.