Alanis Morissette Reveals Personal Struggle With Eating Disorder

Canadian pop singer Alanis Morissette has revealed in a recent blog post, that she has struggled with an eating disorder. While she does not specifically discuss which eating disorder she suffered from, she does offer readers a unique and personal glimpse into the thoughts and feelings experienced by those with eating disorders, and the distortions perpetuated by a society obsessed with thinness.

Morissette, who has dual Canadian and US citizenship, was writing for the website iVillage.com. Her blog post titled “Alanis Morissette: My Relationship with Food and Fat” touches on the imbalances prevalent in society regarding food and body image.

Morissette notes that contradictory messages are everywhere, and thinness is glorified to the point where women are encouraged to starve themselves and adopt extremely unhealthy eating behaviors. She also sees the high levels of obesity in American society, as indicative of a gross misunderstanding of the complexities of disordered eating.

Morissette focuses on the hurtful implications behind the inappropriate messages women are receiving, and the damages caused to self-esteem and people’s feelings. She also discusses the myths behind eating disorders, such as the assumption that overweight individuals are undisciplined and self-indulgent. She notes that there are many variables that can contribute to disordered eating, and includes the plight of men suffering from eating disorders in her commentary.

Morissette goes on to talk about the need for self-acceptance and notes that there are many reasons behind controlling food intake, such as trauma and abuse that make people susceptible to eating disorders. She encourages compassion towards oneself and others, and suggests that people think twice before labelling and stereotyping.

As a teenager, Morissette experienced success as a pop singer in Canada, later achieving international success in 1995 with her album “Jagged Little Pill”.

Source: Canada.com

Photo credit: Andrew Ward. Wikimedia Commons. No endorsement implied.

Alanis Morissette’s Blog posting available on iVillage.com