ABSTRACT
Bruch (1979) described anorexia as a “disorder of the self,” reflecting a deficiency in self-formation and self-structure. Bruch pointed to a significant anorexic paradox. Even though anorexia involves destructive behaviors, it actually reflects an attempt at self-construction. This led to a debate in psychoanalytic literature about whether anorexia helps self-construction or leads to self-destruction. Psychoanalytic perspective perceives anorexia as a paradoxical disorder that attempts self-construction but ultimately leads to self-destruction. Nevertheless, it does not explain how the anorexic constructs her identity. According to Dewey (1922), bodily habits play a significant role in self-construction. Dewey believed that habits are formed in reciprocal relationships between individuals and their environments. Many anorexics belong to an online community that strengthens their habits. Accordingly, Dewey's theory can be used to understand the anorexic's self-constructive mechanisms. According to Dewey (1980), artwork is a fertile ground for self-exploration and self-construction. There is a widespread practice of literary writing among anorexics, as well as writing on web platforms. Literary and web writing genres will be analyzed in this chapter. There will be a discussion of whether anorexic writings contribute to self-construction or destruction.
