I came across this new term, “bridorexia,” while reading this article about a bride who almost died when her obsession to loose weight before her wedding turned into anorexia. Charlotte Buckley, 22, from Lancaster, said, “I knew I was pushing myself, but as each pound slid off it became like a drug, with compliments on my wedding day being the final reward.”
Charlotte bought a wedding dress two sizes too small to encourage herself to diet for the big day. She then limited herself to 500 calories a day, finding encouragement on pro-anorexia websites.
She was finally persuaded by her parents to seek help and spent six months recovering in a hospital eating disorder unit. Although she was able to save her health, her marriage was destroyed, and the couple is now filing for divorce.
Unfortunately, the term “bridorexia” has been coined to describe the growing number of girls who develop this obsessive desire to lose weight for their wedding day. One spokesperson for an eating disorder charity called it a “worrying trend among young women.” Be careful that this doesn’t happen to you or a friend of yours. No one wants to see a sickly-looking bride like Charlotte, who’s “hip bones and rib cage jutted out” of a dress that was now too big and had to be pinned into place. The inner beauty and confidence that comes when you appreciate your health and well-being will make any gown look perfect.