1. Eating Disorders Psychodynamic explanation –Psychological disorders are a manifestation of repressed emotional problems –The symptoms of eating disorders symbolise repressed conflicts and motives in the unconscious mind www.psychlotron.org.uk

2. Anorexia Nervosa Conscious Unconscious Refusal to eat Desire to be thin A prepubescent body Lack of menstruation Traumatic sexual experience in childhood? Desire to remain a child Fear of sex & adult sexuality www.psychlotron.org.uk

3. Bulimia Nervosa Conscious Unconscious Uncontrollable desire to eat Weak and fragile ego can only control the id temporarily Id’s desire for gratification (physical) Overly controlling parents Superego punishes the ego for not controlling the id Guilt and anxiety Purging behaviours Reduction of guilt and anxiety www.psychlotron.org.uk

4. Wonderlich et al (1996) Survey of 1099 American women –Sexual experiences during childhood –Eating disorder symptoms Women with a history of sexual abuse had elevated risk of ED symptoms Some issues surrounding retrospective data, but has been confirmed in other studies www.psychlotron.org.uk

5. Eating Disorders General criticisms: –Some support, mainly from studies of women abused in childhood –However, not all abuse survivors develop EDs, and not all ED sufferers have been abused –Many aspects difficult to test e.g. unconscious motives, repressed memories etc. www.psychlotron.org.uk