Hektoen International

A Journal of Medical Humanities

Tag: Eating disorders

  • The Barbie doll syndrome

    Howard Fischer Uppsala, Sweden   1959 first edition Barbie doll. Barbie copyright held by Mattel. Barbieologin on Wikipedia, CC BY 3.0. Fair use. “In all the years I’ve been a therapist, I’ve yet to meet a girl who likes her body.”1 – Mary Pipher, PhD, clinical psychologist   In 1959, the Mattel toy company introduced…

  • Shadow self

    Anna Byrd Los Angeles, California, United States   Rice Bowl. Photo by Anna Byrd, 2017. When was I was twenty-three years old and weighed ninety-eight pounds, I thought I was fat. I wanted to look like a model, except my hair was falling out, I was bleeding from my nose and ears in my sleep,…