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''Anorexia mirabilis'' literally means "miraculous lack of appetite". It refers almost exclusively to women and girls of the Middle Ages who would starve themselves, sometimes to the point of death, in the name of God. The phenomenon is also known by the name inedia prodigiosa ("prodigious fasting").〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=''Anorexia Mirabilis'' (idea) )〕 == Comparing ''anorexia mirabilis'' and "anorexia nervosa" == ''Anorexia mirabilis'' has in many ways, both similarities to and clear distinctions from the more modern, well-known "anorexia nervosa". In anorexia nervosa, people usually starve themselves to attain a level of thinness, as the disease is associated with body image distortion. In contrast, ''anorexia mirabilis'' was frequently coupled with other ascetic practices, such as lifelong virginity, flagellant behavior, the donning of hairshirts, sleeping on beds of thorns, and other assorted penitential practices. It was largely a practice of Catholic women, who were often known as "miraculous maids". The anorexia nervosa of the 20th century has historical correlates in the religiously inspired cases of ''anorexia mirabilis'' in female saints, such as Catherine of Siena (1347–1380) in whom fasting denoted female holiness or humility and underscored purity. The investigation of anorexia nervosa in the 20th century has focused on the psychological, physiological, and various other factors. For Caroline Walker Bynum, (''Holy Feast Holy Fast'') ''anorexia mirabilis'', rather than misdiagnosed anorexia, was a legitimate form of self-expression with motives set in contrast to the modern disease paradigm. She considers cases such as that of Julian of Norwich and other Christian anchorites, as using fasting as a legitimate means for communing with Christ. Joan Jacobs Brumberg, (''Fasting Girls: The History of Anorexia Nervosa'') suggests that ''anorexia mirabilis'' no longer exists not because the motives of those who starve themselves have changed, but because the paradigms for coding these behaviors have shifted. If a young woman were to make the decision to self-starve as a means to communicate with Christ, healthcare professionals would code her as anorexia nervosa regardless of her motives.〔 Whether or not there is historical continuity between ''anorexia mirabilis'' and anorexia nervosa is a subject of debate with both medieval historiographers and the psychiatric community. Some have argued that there is historical continuity between the two conditions, while others maintain that ''anorexia mirabilis'' should be comprehended as a distinct medieval form of female religious piety within the historical context of such societies. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Anorexia mirabilis」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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