ABSTRACT
Understanding the causes of eating disorders is important to determine the best course of action with eating-disordered exercisers. If eating disorders were a biological illness, or an addiction, it would be imperative to involve qualified and specialized medical personnel. If they were mainly the result of free choice, this would mean that, at least in principle, negotiation with the sufferer is possible. Little negotiation, if any, instead, is possible with someone affected by a neurological or genetic disorder. If an Alzheimer’s patient is carelessly crossing a busy road with incoming traffic while in a confused state, there is limited scope for dialogue with the sufferer. She cannot help it. Where self-harm cannot be explained exclusively in terms of determining biological factors, this indicates that the person retains the power to choose, on some level at least, that this is the behavior s/he will adopt.
