Anorexia Nervosa and Nosological Instability: Integrative Biopsychosocial Approaches in the Age of Media Hegemony

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Since it first appeared in the legal sphere in 1992, the condition of AnorexiaNervosa (AN) has faced considerable nosological turbulence, provingtroublesome for medical practitioners and judicial figures alike. This hasbeen somewhat compounded by the 'conflict of governance' between theMental Capacity Act (MCA) and Mental Health Act (MHA), which bothpertain to interrelated clinical populations. AN treatment can be sanctionedunder both pieces of legislation notwithstanding their competing aims ofempowerment on one side, and compelled care on the other. Resultantly,it is apparent that the law can make an anorexic eat, but whether or not itshould and how this is authorized will be the focus of this research.The recent discovery of AN's genetic underpinnings will provide a basisfrom which to suggest that MCA application is most suitable in the contextof AN, with aberrations in the brain circuitry of anorexics rooting thecondition in the sphere of biology. It is therefore arguable that the lawshould reflect this to provide greater consistency and Parity of Esteem.Additionally, the utility of upstream intervention at the level of mediaregulation will be investigated, in light of the detrimental effects of the'Empire of Images'. Disrupting this media hegemony will therefore limit thesociocultural facets of the condition and may prevent downstreaminstances of AN. Resultantly, through a multifaceted approach to legislativeintervention it is hoped that this will more aptly account for the multifariousreality of AN and benefit all who suffer from it.