Problematic and disordered eating are outgrowths of a culture preoccupied with and confused about female appetite and intake. They are also ways of coping with difficult emotions and circumstances. Restriction blunts the emotional system and creates an illusory sense of control. Bingeing and purging discharge feelings that are not yet understood or directly communicated to others. People are more prone to disturbed eating during times of stress and uncertainty.
College is a time a massive transition, a bridge from adolescence to adulthood.
It is often the first major separation from home, a time to form new friendships, re-define relationships with family, and explore and clarify one's identity and aspirations. For many, college can be a period of doubt and pressure as well as excitement and maturation. Vegetarians and vegans can have perfectly healthy relationships with food. These are beliefs systems as well as ways of eating. Anorexia Nervosa is a disorder characterized by self-imposed starvation.