golden_ratio

It's interesting to read different people's take on this subject. Mostly I find it intriguing that so many of the post are written for your benefit. Having been anorexic, and I guess I really can't say "having been" since I'm sure I will always have this as part of my consciousness, I do understand your questioning. The only way I can think of to explain the "perfection feeling" is as feeling lonely. I eventually became so focused inward on myself, just being around other people irritated the hell out of me! Mostly because I felt like they were pushing their ideals on me of what I should look like, what I should or shouldn't be doing. Eventually I got to a point were I realized that if I didn't conform no one would help me get to the point were I am now, which is finishing medical school. Though at the time I felt like giving in and conforming was a weakness, now I understand, at least partially and I think it could have been the best decision I could have made. As for the physical aspects of the disease, they are numerous. The variety of which I felt I could handle. In actuality I was not performing with all the cognitive prowess and ability that I was capable of. My reaction time and IQ which I always prided myself on, was 25 points lower during my "purification" time then I'm tested at now. Funny thing is that I would not have even been aware of this since I was top of my class to begin with and would have just kept going without getting help. My point being that by choosing the path of a perfectionist you don't end up with "perfect" results. For one thing to be perfect other aspects can't.

Let me think a sec...

I think in some ways all humans feel empathics, otherwise you would be a sociopath! It's similar to the arguement that human beings are basically altruistic or selfish, scientists have found that witnessing pain in strangers triggers much of the same brain activity that goes on when we feel it directly. They found that watching the painful pictures stimulated activity in the anterior cingulate cortex and the insula, the two structures deep in the brain. These structures are those most consistently found from previous studies to be activated in connection with one’s own pain, although they don’t appear to be linked with the physical sensation of it. So I think this is possible for you to feel empathetic, but to such an extreme may be a sign of imbalance in brain activity. Possible these centers are more active or receptive.

Don't you think by the time Venus is able to sustain life, the sun will expand and strip the atmosphere?

Hi Guys! I'm Kate and my biggest science interests are physics and mathematics, though as a medic I don't to chat about much of either! Oh, if any one wants to chat about quantum entanglement I've got some great theories.