In the hypermodern era, the ideal to be achieved sometimes seems to be the perfect performance of the “brain without a body" (or better the brain without the limitations of the body). Individuals distance themselves not only from their own mortal body, but also from their emotions, which are experienced within the body: emotions in general are discouraged in our society. Being emotional has become synonymous with being unstable and unbalanced and perhaps it is not by chance that alexithymia is also widespread today. In this regard one must take into account that alexithymia has been indicated as a risk factor for the development of chronic physical problems and somatizations. Theories about alexithymia and its origins are presented, and clinical cases and contemporary scientific studies are analyzed in depth. The question of how these topics are correlated is raised.

The individual of our times is often characterized by a tendency toward narcissism and depression. What is the dynamic underlying these phenomena? How do these aspects correlate to the body image concept? Today we can also note that dynamics of counter-power inhabit the social system and trigger some processes: in the contemporary approach to the body, where frequently there is no “healthy distance,” there are difficulties in harmonizing sexual performance and tenderness, because people are often treated like things, or simply like soulless bodies (which is the point of view associated with pornography). The experience of falling in love also tends to assume the typical connotations of mercantile exchange in respect of particularly desirable personal and social characteristics, reflecting a more or less unconscious drive to obtain the best and most convenient things that concrete reality can offer. Contemporary psychological and anthropological perspectives on these topics are presented.

What is nervous anorexia? How widespread is it today? What are the family and cultural phenomena to which it relates? How does it relate to body image? In this chapter diverse aspects of this disorder and of the relationship context in which it develops are analyzed and some social dynamics related to this disease are presented. For example, the way in which some popular social media platforms have begun to admit the risks inherent in exposure to certain types of photos is discussed, such as Instagram’s ban on the hashtag "proanorexia,” which was deemed to actively promote self-harm. Considerable attention is paid to the topic of nervous anorexia given the significant increase in cases of this eating disorder in recent decades that coincides with the concurrent excessive focus on food in some contemporary cultures and along with the positive value attached to being thin. The number of scientific studies focusing on eating disorders has also dramatically increased in response to such phenomena and particularly in relation to Westernized societies where the emphasis on thinness is particularly pronounced. Indeed, it is increasingly the case that many adolescent girls experience distress on account of their physical appearance and, fearing weight gain, deprive themselves of food leading to dangerously excessive weight loss. The clinical features of anorexia as well as theories, clinical cases, and scientific studies on the topic are presented.

This chapter considers the myth of the perfect body image and the critical role played by the mass media in influencing people's self-image and informing ideals of what is considered beautiful or attractive. The way in which body image is affected by psychosocial factors is analyzed. Many theories and much scientific research about this topic are introduced, followed by an overview of body dysmorphic disorder, and a broad summary of vigorexia (bigorexia), a new and increasingly common disorder, along with several theories and scientific research. Finally, the way in which these two diseases correlate with the myth of the perfect body image is analyzed.

The neoclassical model of consumer behavior can no longer completely explain today’s spending and consumption processes, which reveal a preponderance of irrational elements that are mostly linked to the individual affective sphere. This behavior can also be applied to food purchase; indeed, in recent years, consumption is no longer experienced as a private and personal act, but increasingly as a social event. It can therefore represent an opportunity to experience a set of intense emotions that encourage the creation and development of specific social groups. This dynamic can explain the appearance of so-called food tribes on which this chapter provides an overview. In parallel, the chapter focuses on some contemporary paradoxes. For example, on the one hand, TV programs and other media simultaneously encourage us to invest in fitness courses, slimming diets, and miraculous products for weight loss, while inundating us with adverts and books focusing on tasty or sumptuous food items which encourage us to eat and experiment with new recipes and try an ever greater variety of delicious foods. Thus, the imperative to lose weight meets the temptation to overeat, inviting many people to oscillate metaphorically between anorexic and bulimic tendencies. Which are the consequences of such conflicting messages? How does the food tribe phenomenon correlate with such paradoxes? Theories and scientific studies about this topic are presented.

In this chapter the body concept evolution is introduced, and its anthropological and psychological implications analyzed in depth. The concept is explored using a theoretical excursus beginning with Plato, the Hippocratic school, and Aristotle, and on to the assumptions of Nietzsche and then the biopower theory of Foucault and Deleuze’s pragmatics of the body, before arriving at current theorizing about the body. Some interesting perspectives on the body are presented which reveal that the human body still occupies a central role in contemporary society. For example, in today’s society the female body tends to become an object of lust, sexual gratification, and seduction, and is used widely on social media by companies, and in advertising campaigns to sell products. Furthermore, today human bodies are often compared to machines, with concerning consequences.

The manner of expression of human malaise has changed and evolved a lot over time. With regard to the specific relationship with the body, we can also observe that it has evolved over time in response to some contradictory hypermodern drives. It is therefore appropriate to investigate how people sometimes feel drawn into a social climate that is full of confusing and contradictory messages and dynamics that are often difficult to elaborate, and what the effects of this context are. Human symbolization and mentalization processes therefore seem rooted in the body and relationships, which in turn are rooted in a specific social context that is changing, adding further complexity and transforming the concept of the human body in turn.

This chapter provides an overview of orthorexia, a relatively new disease included within the broader category of eating disorders. The term orthorexia derives from the combination of two Greek words: orthos, meaning "healthy/correct" and oreksis, meaning "appetite." It is used to describe an unhealthy obsession with eating only healthy and natural food. A series of worries are related to this phenomenon: some preoccupations are expressly rooted in cultural and social contexts that reinforce the importance of healthy eating. For example, certain food items may be invested with alleged curative power and almost miraculous properties in some environments. Such views can discourage individuals from having a spontaneous and direct relationship with food because foods may be chosen only for their supposed healing properties rather than their taste. Theories, clinical cases, and scientific studies about this topic are presented.

This chapter attempts to answer some specific questions: Which is the cause of obesity? How does it relate to body image? How does obesity impact on personal identity? How does the situation vary according to gender? How does this condition vary in relation to age range? How does the family dynamic affect this condition? During this excursus many other interesting facts emerge, such as the statistic that only 10% of obese or overweight people are actually dieting, whereas nearly 20% of the rest of the population are trying to lose weight, even if they do not really need to. It is one of the paradoxes of the current era and one that affects mainly industrialized countries. Specific theories, scientific studies, and clinical examples are presented.

It is only in the last few years that some factors, such as the spread of eating disorders, closely related to bodily experience, have prompted researchers to a greater systematization of theory: in summary it is a scientific process which has led to the inclusion of all the perceptual, affective, and cognitive representations of the human body in two basic, intertwining concepts: body schema and body image. The body image is also generated and reorganized because of external stimuli. This process takes place on various levels: emotional, imaginary, sensory, and creative. The analysis of body image is therefore not a neurological issue, but a psychological one. In recent decades, scientific research has attached increasing importance to the interactive and relational components of the subject's psychological experience: it is not only intimate relationships that can affect human perceptions but also the wider social environment, such as the mass media, which reinforce beauty ideals or elicit changes in the way people perceive their own appearance and influence perceived norms.

This chapter explores how the idea of “liquid and changeable” fits a new anthropological and psychological theory of body, individual, and relationships, which puts relational complexity in focus. Contemporary theories on relationship are illustrated; these perspectives are particularly helpful for individuals today and for hypermodern families who ask for help.