Eating Disorders Rozie R. Sydenstricker Everest College Pharmacy Technician What is an Eating Disorder? What exactly is an eating disorder one may ask themselves? An eating disorder is an illness that disrupts your daily decision making on food choices by one of the following : 1) Overeating to the extreme or 2) Barely eating enough You must understand that this disorder is NOT about the food, rather something deeper; trauma, difficulty in relationships, depression or anxiety. An individual may not fully intend to get to an extreme level of this illness but by the time it’s discovered or they admit to it; it’s become an obsession and/or an addiction. Soon the individual finds themselves so caught up in portraying “the perfect image” that’s it is nearly impossible to stop. It was during the 70’s and 80’s that obesity in the US skyrocketed in this category of eating disorders; a form of a mental illness. This illness affects both children, adolescents, men and women alike. In 1970 studies show the average girl started dieting at age 14 and within 20 years by 1990 the average went down to age 8. That is a 6 year range of difference! 52 % of girls begin to form their dieting habits before the age of 14, with the rising number of these reports being females in the estimation of 10 million females! Males trailing behind significantly at 1 million (but still struggle) with a total of 70 million people worldwide that struggle with eating disorders. Many children especially in today’s society are becoming extremely focused on their weight and appearance due to “Hollywood” and what they are trying to portray to our younger generations. Other factors that play into the cycle of becoming caught up in this addictio... ... middle of paper ... ...ds support. I learned while researching on Eating Disorders that the age these disorders are starting out is younger than I would have ever imagined. As one who realized and thought she may have continued to struggle with eating, I was emotionally overtaken in tears by the reality that I continue to suffer with this mental illness. Not only that but the realization that it’s way deeper than just the food and it’s hard to face. What I didn’t know is that it has a 20% percent death rate and that is high!!! I know it’s a disease that many people battle; by the millions, but to the point of so many deaths. Resources 1)LIRN – go.galeogroup Eating Disorders 101 2)Natenshon, A. MA, LCSW, GCFP(2012) Battling an Eating Disorder: When Bulimia Becomes a True American Idol Sized Problem 3)Johnson et al. (1984) Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 13
The National Institute of Mental Health: Eating Disorders: Facts About Eating Disorders and the Search for Solutions. Pub No. 01-4901. Accessed Feb. 2002.
In conclusion, society’s influence sparks the initial thought that skinny is pleasurable and desirable. Adolescents will buy into this misconception that they get from the media and society. When this misconception is bought into, it can cause serious consequences as the individual looks for extreme measures of weight control. This weight control can be contained by helping individuals struggling with Anorexia and Bulimia fix their distorted view of themselves, eliminating the negative influence one media source at a time.
Eating Disorders." Current Issues: Macmillian Social Science Library. Detroit: Gale, 2010. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 20 Oct. 2015.
Estimates say that 10 million women and one million men in the US undergo an eating disorder and those numbers are increasing daily. Eating disorders “help” with things such as; emotional pain, conflicts dealing with separation, low self-esteem, depression, or trauma. Although they commonly affect young women, the number of males has increased by over 50% in the last ten years. These disorders are complicated yet very serious. If they are not treated they can cause potential death, physical problems, and mood swings. Although the following list...
Binge-eating disorder is defined as an eating disorder in which a person frequently consumes large amounts of food while feeling out of control and unable to stop. Almost everyone overeats every once in a while but for some people overeating crosses the line to binge-eating disorder and it becomes a regular occurrence. Many people who have this disorder may feel embarrassed about eating large amounts of food in front of others however the urge and compulsiveness of this disorder continues to affect their eating habits. Binge-eating disorder is estimated to affect approximately 1-5% of the general population and also tends to affect women slightly more often than men. Binge-eating disorder is often associated with symptoms of depression and people diagnosed with this may often express distress, shame, and guilt over their eating behaviors.
In civilized societies, there are continuous prizing of thinness than ever before. Occasionally, almost everyone is watchful of their weight. Individuals with an eating disorder take extreme measures to concern where they ultimately shift their mode of eating, this abnormal eating pattern threatens their lives and their well-being. According to Reel (2013), eating disorders are continually misapprehended as all about food and eating. However, there is more to that as the dysfunction bears from emotion concealing a flawed relationship with food, physical exercise and oneself. Persons with eating disorders convey fault-finding, poor self- esteem and intense body discontent. This can lead to extreme distress of gaining weight,
The most dangerous eating disorder is anorexia nervosa. “Anorexia nervosa translates to “nervous loss of hunger”. It is a mental illness involving the irrational fear of gaining weight. Usually, the victim is a perfectionist, although he or she may suffer from a low self-esteem. In general, a member of the opposite sex triggers anorexia. The first disease resembling present-day anorexia is one called “Anorexia Mirabilis,” or “Miraculous lack of appetite.” It is described as
An eating disorder is characterized when eating, exercise and body image become an obsession that preoccupies someone’s life. There are a variety of eating disorders that can affect a person and are associated with different characteristics and causes. Most cases can be linked to low self esteem and an attempt to, “deal with underlying psychological issues through an unhealthy relationship with food” (“Eating Disorders and Adolescence,” 2013). Eating disorders typically develop during adolescence or early adulthood, with females being most vulner...
There may be murmurs about that girl who only fixes herself a salad with only vinegar at dining services or suspicious glances at someone who spends 45 minutes on the treadmill and then switches to the stair stepper at the rec. On-campus eating disorders are talked about everywhere and yet are not really talked about at all. There is observation, concern, and gossip, but hushed conversation and larger scale efforts to help and change never seem to earn public attention.
Eating disorders are often treated lightly and as fleeting disabilities. In an episode of the popular sitcom Full House, “Shape Up,” DJ Tanner under-eats and over-exercises, but she recovers from her negative relationship with food and exercise by the end of the episode. Though it should be noted that this episode does not claim to represent a specific eating disorder and does not glamorize eating disorders in any way, representations like this solidify the stereotype that eating disorders are easily solved and recovered from. Also, eating disorders can be tied to other mental health disabilities, including bipolar disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, anxiety, and depression (Adair).
"Young Girls Start Eating Disorders Early." ABC News. ABC News Network, 19 Dec. 2013. Web. 24 Apr. 2014.
Eating disorders are a big issue in society these days. Young adults and adults are starting to have body images that are likely not reachable. More than 8 million people suffer from an eating disorder in America itself. Eating disorders are mental disorders about abnormal eating or not eating enough a day. There many eating disorders including Anorexia nervosa, Bulimia, Binge eating disorders and lots more. All these and more eating disorders is a way people thinking that they can escape their problems.
Bulimia nervosa, more commonly known simply as bulimia or binge and purge disorder, is an eating disorder that affects 1 in 4 college-aged women in America, or 1 in 10,000 Americans. The most common misconception concerning bulimia is that it is simply a physical or mental problem. Many people do not understand that bulimia is a disease that affects both the mind and the body, and in its course can destroy both aspects of the diseased individual.
Long, Phillip W. "Anorexia Nervosa." Internet Mental Health. Jan. 1997. St. Joseph Medical Center. 19 Aug. 1998 .
It seems like every little girl dreams of becoming a model. They want to be thin and pretty like the models they see on television and in magazines. Often the desire becomes an obsession and young girls see "thinness" as being a needed characteristic. For many girls, the teenage years are spent trying to acquire this look. Females are trying diets and are exercising like it is a competition to see who can lose the most weight the quickest. The obsession of many young girls over their appearance or weight has led to a growing number of people who have developed an eating disorder to try to deal with their lack of self-esteem or other related problems.