Did Loey lane have an eating disorder? (3 types of stigma in eating disorders)

In this blog post, we shall answer the question, “did Loey lane have an eating disorder?” and look at Loey lane’s life and struggles with an eating disorder. We shall also look at the stigma people recovering from eating disorders face. Finally, we shall look at anorexia nervosa, its symptoms and risk factors.

Did Loey lane have an eating disorder?

Yes, Loey lane was suffering from an eating disorder. She has been very vocal and open about her struggles with anorexia nervosa after being bullied when she was young. She was picked on when she was at school due to her body size and shape.

She has also faced a lot of criticism from her fans and followers with mean comments about her body size. Fortunately, she has a positive body image and is rarely affected by what people say about her body. Before we look at her struggles with anorexia, let us look at who Loey Lane is.

Who is Loey lane?

Loey Lane is a 29-year-old American YouTuber who makes commentaries on horror and make-up. She created her channel in 2013, where she discussed fashion, perfumes and beauty products. She loves Disney and made tutorials on how to have the makeup and hairstyles of several Disney princesses, such as Cinderella, Aurora, Belle and Ariel.

On the last day of 2013, she showed off her plus-size fashion collection and began her talks about plus-size clothing for women and women of her body type. She surpassed 80k subscribers in 2014 and talked about hairstyles and makeup.

In July 2017, Loey Lane changed her content to talking about horror and mystery and also about Disneyland being haunted. In between, she talked about her experiences with weight. Most of her videos now are horror-related i.e. haunted dolls, exploring abandoned places and documenting weird places.

Loey and her eating disorder

She was often bullied for her weight when growing up. Her classmates made fun of her and called her names, making her feel like she didn’t belong. These mean comments made her lose her self-confidence, and she started having disordered eating led to the development of anorexia nervosa. 

Loey struggled with anorexia for many months before deciding to embrace herself and love her body the way it was. She has now made peace with herself and made a conscious decision to embrace her life and not worry about what other people say about her.

In one of her videos where she shows plus-size swimwear, she encourages those facing stereotypes about their body weight and size. She says, “This is my body. This is the body of someone who has struggled with an eating disorder. This body is misunderstood. When people see it they assume I sit on the couch and eat McDonald’s all day when in reality I’ve never even seen a Big Mac in person.”

She addresses those having negative opinions about her body asking her to lose weight but when they see her at the gym, they giggle and laugh. Loey lane says, “I’m a joke, something to be put in a hole until I’m pretty by the standards of society.”

Loey Lane however complements her body by saying that it can run for miles, is strong, has curves, and is fueled by a healthy diet. “This is the body of a size 14, the average size of the American woman. And it should be represented the way it is: beautiful. This is the only body I will have for the rest of my life. It shows my struggles and it shows my progress. Why shouldn’t I be proud of it? Why shouldn’t it be celebrated? Why shouldn’t the path to health be every bit as beautiful as the finished result? I am thankful for what this body has done for me. I am thankful for the healthy path I have taken, both mentally and physically. I am proud of what I’ve overcome.”

We will now use Loey’s case to discuss what Anorexia Nervosa is.

What is anorexia nervosa?

It is a severe eating disorder characterized by abnormal body weight, distorted body image, and unwarranted fear of gaining weight. In order to prevent weight gain, anorexic people try to control their body weight by vomiting food, using laxatives, diet aids, and excessive exercise. Loey Lane anorexia disorder was triggered by bullying due to her body size.

Her classmates used to call her manes and this affected her self-esteem. She started disordered eating which eventually led to the development of anorexia nervosa.

Symptoms of anorexia 

The symptoms of anorexia nervosa include:

• Thin appearance 
• Extremely low body weight
• Dizziness
• Insomnia
• Fatigue
• dry skin
• hair that easily falls off
• preoccupation with food
• skipping meals
• refusing to eat
• denying hunger
• complaints of being overweight
• measuring weight often
• lying about the quantity of food taken.
• Excessive exercising
• Social withdrawal
• Irritability
• Insomnia
• Reduced interest in sex
• Dehydration
• Swelling of arms and legs
• Dry or yellowish skin
• Low blood pressure
• Irregular heart rhythm
• Abnormal blood count
• Absence of menstruation
• Bluish colouring on finger 
• Constipation
• Eroded teeth

Causes include; biological factors such as genes, psychological factors such as temperaments and environmental factors such as societal demands. The societal demands include bullying like what Loey Lane went through being a chubby girl growing up.

It usually begins during the teenage and early adulthood years. It is more common in women than in men.

Anorexia is the most deadly mental illness. One study found that people with anorexia are 56 times more likely to commit suicide than people without an eating disorder. (Eating Disorders Coalition, 2016).

The stigma around eating disorders

It is common for people with mental disorders to be stigmatized, especially those with eating disorders. Stigma happens everywhere, including in workplaces, at school, at home, in social gatherings and in public. Loey lane’s story exposes what stigma does to people who have low self-esteem and those who have body shapes that others don’t find ideal.

This makes people suffering from eating disorders not speak out or seek help and isolate themselves from other people. This affects their physical and mental health and may lead to suicide. Research has shown that people with eating disorders receive more criticism than those with other mental illnesses. 

Just like Loey Lane, the lack of awareness of eating disorders makes people believe that it is the fault of the individual. Research conducted showed that 70% of people with eating disorders believe that they should be able to hold it together and feel they are responsible for their condition. Other studies showed that most of them feel judged, socially marginalized, and dismissed. They also see their illness as flaws and weaknesses.

The types of stigma experienced include;

Self-stigmatization

The stigma-induced secrecy compromises the individual by lowering their self-esteem and increasing the symptoms and the duration of the disorder. They conceal their illness due to shame or from fear of being judged and ridiculed. Loey lane developed low self-esteem due to being bullied and this contributed to her eating disorder.

Stigma in the healthcare context

Research done showed most eating disorder patients feel misunderstood by healthcare workers. They felt like their issues were not taken seriously and did not take their severe distress with the emergency required. There was also evidence to show that some received poor quality healthcare.

Stigma in families

Not only does society judge people with eating disorders, but also their own families. This could be caused by a lack of understanding of the illness. They also feel like a disappointment and shame to the family and fear judgement from them. 

This causes relationship strains, causes tension and conflicts and affects the well-being of all family members.

The social stigma of obesity

This is biased, and discriminatory behaviour targeted at overweight and obese people. Loey Lane experienced this for being a size 14. This social stigma can start at a young age and lasts into adulthood.

Loey Lane was stigmatized since she was in school and this affected her mental state. Individuals who are overweight or obese experience more stigma than their thin counterparts. They also get fewer educational and career opportunities and tend to marry less.

Fatphobia is the irrational fear or aversion of or discrimination against obesity, or people with obesity and is not a matter of interpersonal bias. Just like Loey Lane, weight stigma affects the psychological and physical health of an individual and increases the mortality rate and disease burden.

The mental effects of weight stigma have been correlated with:

• Suicidal ideating
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Eating disorders

Research shows that fatphobia is the last culturally accepted form of bias. Fat characters on screen are usually mocked and their narratives are used to show that they are lazy and unintelligent. Fat jokes are still a standby for comedians and it is acceptable for them to be mocked publicly. 

People justify the behaviour “because obese individuals are personally responsible for their weight and that shame could motivate them into altering their lifestyle.”

But embarrassing people into losing weight does not help. It increases weight and leads to disordered eating. Fight against weight bias by: 

• Questioning your own bias
• Calling out weight bias
• Watch your language
• Tweak your media habits

Loey Lane was able to develop self-love and compassion and positivity over time and loved her body the way she was.  She said, “…it should be represented the way it is: beautiful. This is the only body I will have for the rest of my life. It shows my struggles and it shows my progress. Why shouldn’t I be proud of it? … I am thankful for what this body has done for me. I am thankful for the healthy path I have taken, both mentally and physically. I am proud of what I’ve overcome.”

Conclusion

We have discussed Loey Lane and her struggle with weight and eating disorders. We have also looked at how she encourages those going through stigmatization for their weight. We have also looked at anorexia and its symptoms. Finally, we have discussed stigma in eating disorders, fatphobia and how w can stop it.

If you have any comments or questions, please let us know in the comment section below.

Frequently asked questions: Did Loey lane have an eating disorder?

What are five signs that someone may have an eating disorder?

some common warning signs to watch out for include:

● Alterations in Weight

● Preoccupation With Body Image

● Disruptions in Eating Patterns

● Preoccupation With Nutritional Content

● Changes in Exercise Patterns

● Mood Fluctuations

What are 3 warning signs of bulimia?

● Episodes of binge eating.

● Self-induced vomiting.

● Smelling like vomit.

What are the three forms of treatment for anorexia?

Treatment for anorexia nervosa includes;

● Cognitive behavioural therapy

● Dialectical behavioural therapy

● Acceptance and commitment to therapy

Citations

American Psychiatric Association, (2013). Eating disorders in Diagnostic and statistical manual for mental disorders (5th edition). American Psychiatric Association.

Single care team. (February, 15, 2022). Eating disorder statistics 2022. The check up by single care. Retrieved from https://www.singlecare.com/blog/news/eating-disorder-statistics/

Weir. K. (April, 2016). New insight on eating disorders. American Psychological

Association (vol 47 no.4 page 36). Retrieved from

https://www.apa.org/monitor/2016/04/eating-disorders