How long have eating disorders been around? What is their history?
There are descriptions of disorders very like what we now call anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa in ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics and Persian manuscripts. Scrolls originating in early Chinese dynasties also mention behaviors similar to the starving and stuffing of today’s eating disorders. Ancient Romans overindulged at lavish banquets and then relieved themselves in a vomitorium (lavatory chamber that accommodated vomiting) so they could return to the feast and continue eating.
There are descriptions of disorders very like what we now call anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa in ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics and Persian manuscripts. Scrolls originating in early Chinese dynasties also mention behaviors similar to the starving and stuffing of today’s eating disorders. Ancient Romans overindulged at lavish banquets and then vomited for relief so they could return to feasting and eating. African tribal lore contains stories of individuals who refused to eat during times of famine so that their children might have the little bit of food that was available. They were much admired by peers who could not exercise the same rigid self-denial. When the famine passed, a few of the voluntary restrictors continued to refuse to eat and were in danger of dying. Some were healed by shamans who induced trance states similar to what we now know as hypnotherapy. In Europe, the first formal description of anorexia nervosa in medical literature was made by Richard Morton in Londo
