Negotiating the Binge/Purge Risk

This critical reflection will explore topics I have encountered during my studies of social futures in relation to eating disorders, specifically bulimia. Bulimia, also known as ‘binge purge’, is a disorder which was recognized in 1980, and is a disorder which predominantly affects young females, though some men are affected too. This disorder on an individual basis is arguably due to the pressures of media, the increased emphasis on the individual, excess of choice in consumerism and rising pressure on young people, particularly women – all of which lead to higher amounts of self‐surveillance. The following will argue that bulimia is not only something which individuals in Westernised societies are at risk of, but that it is a suitable analogy for modern society as a whole.