I truly believe that the media plays a role in causing eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. However, I don't believe the media is the sole cause of all eating disorders. There are many factors that contribute to an individual developing an eating disorder, the media can have an influence, but in most cases it is not the only cause. Overall, the media emphasizes what makes an individual attractive and teaches individuals about the ideal body (National Eating Disroders Association [NEDA]). According to the National Eating Disorders Association on the causes of eating disorders, “…the media actually contributes to and media exposure and pressure increases body dissatisfaction and disordered eating” (NEDA). This seems to be very accurate, because people turn to eating disorders because they are dissatisfied with their bodies and want to change their appearance in hopes of gaining satisfaction. Many of these individuals strive to look like men and women in the media and social media, this alone can lead to people wanting to take extreme measures to achieve a certain body type. So, yes, I believe the media can cause eating disorders, but I don't think they are alone in doing so. Advertisements featuring the “ideal body type,” including women in bikinis and men with abs, can have a huge effect on someone's self-esteem. Furthermore, films typically only have attractive males and females as lead roles. It's interesting to think that these things could have a negative effect on an individual's self-image. Magazines also portray men and women in certain ways, including working out, following low-carb or other strict diets, wearing makeup, a… middle of paper… women should look and act. This is why I believe women experience higher rates of eating disorders. Personally, I believe that many things contribute to the cause of anorexia nervosa, bulimia, and other eating disorders. More specifically, societies influence that what is beautiful and attractive is what is thin. This leads many people to want to be perceived as thin and can cause such individuals to take extreme measures to be perceived as such. Whether or not it is the development of an eating disorder, an individual's desire to be thin affects their mental, physical, social, and emotional state. This extreme desire to achieve this body type has led to the cause of many eating disorders. I believe the factors I discussed above also contribute to the cause of eating disorders and fuel the cravings of certain individuals.