Anorexia Nervosa is an eating disorder. Those who have anorexia have immense trepidation about gaining weight. Thus they do everything within their power to achieve an extremely boney frame. Those with anorexia, loose more weight than is considered healthy for their age and height ("Anorexia Nervosa"). Anorexics severely limit their food intake, vomit intentionally, exercise excessively, and take laxatives to avoid weight gain (“Anorexia Nervosa – Causes”). About 24 million people (of all genders and ages) have some type of eating disorder (anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorder) in the U.S. (“Eating Disorders 101”). Typically, 95% of anorexics are between the ages of 12 and 25 (“SAMHSA”). According to webmd.com, eating disorders are complex, thus it is difficult for experts to determine what causes them. However, someone is more prone to developing anorexia due to their personality traits (low-confidence and perfectionism), family’s history (genetics), and other social factors (cultural pressures and peer pressure). To further elaborate, people are more likely to develop anorexia if someone in their family has some type of eating disorder (anorexia or bulimia nervosa). Additionally, someone is at risk of developing the disorder if they are under immense pressure due to having to maintain their weight to fulfill the duties of their job (gymnastics, ballet, modeling, etc.). Moreover, if someone constantly tries to be perfect, never feels good enough and worries a lot, then these negative personality traits can also drive them to develop an eating disorder. Stressful life events (such as a divorce, moving to a new city or school etc.) can also be a contributing factor. According to an article on nlm.nih.gov, there are several ... ... middle of paper ... ...ederal poverty level. Finally, I recently came across a documentary (I can’t recall the title of the documentary) on anorexia nervosa, while I was channel surfing. Although, I only watched the documentary for a few seconds, the documentary sparked my interest in this subject. I initially wanted to research anorexia, so I can get a better understanding of how people can develop an eating disorder. I wanted to know what exactly triggers the disease and why people would go through great lengths to starve themselves. I only was aware of some basic information about the disease. However, I was unaware of the various types of health problems a person can develop, as a consequence of having an eating disorder. After extensively researching (the causes, symptoms, treatments, etc.) this disease, I believe that I am more knowledgeable on the subject of eating disorders now.
One possible factor is biology. A person might inherit a gene from their parents that predisposes them to a susceptibility to eating disorders. While that may not be enough on its own, it certainly starts that person off on the wrong foot and if combined with other factors it can lead to an eating disorder. For example, an individual could inherit a slow metabolism causing them to put on weight faster than others, which in turn could cause them to develop an eating disorder to counteract the weight gain.
Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder in which individuals intentionally starve themselves to try to lose weight. Most anorexic individuals become obsessed with “weighing themselves, portioning food, or eating very small quantities of only certain foods.” Even after losing significant weight, many people with anorexia nervosa still see themselves as overweight (NIH
Anorexia nervosa is a disease that revolves around the thought of “Never being skinny enough.” Once someone starts to live an anorexic lifestyle nothing else in his or her life matters anymore. Family, friends and other activities are pushed aside because all that matters in the life of someone with anorexia is losing weight (Anorexia Nervosa). However, anorexia isn’t just about eating unhealthy. Anorexia is about malnutrition, excessive weight loss and starvation of the body. Anorexia isn’t a very popular disease. Anorexia appears in less than one percent of girls (Rosen, Meghan).
As defined by the National Eating Disorders Association, “Anorexia Nervosa is a serious, potentially life-threatening eating disorder characterized by self-starvation and excessive weight loss.” (NEDA). The term “Anorexia Nervosa” literally means “neurotic loss of appetite”, and could be more generally defined as the result of a prolonged self-starvation and an unhealthy relationship regarding food and self-image. It is characterized by “resistance to maintaining body weight at or above a minimally normal weight for age and height”, “intense fear of weight gain or being “fat”, even though underweight”, “disturbance in the experience of body weight or shape, undue influence of weight or shape on self-evaluation, or denial of the seriousness of low body weight”, and “loss of menstrual periods in girls and women post-puberty.”(NEDA) Among women on a range of 15 to 24 years old, AN has been proved to have 12 times the annual mortality rate of all death causes, and from premature deaths of anorexic patients, 1 in every 5 is caused by suicide, which gives a rise of 20% for suicide probability. (EDV)
Anorexia is a psychiatric disorder that is most common in young women. Those who suffer with anorexia have a fear of gaining weight and have an inaccurate portrayal of their own bodies. They see themselves as being fat, even though they are already thin to begin with. They are willing to go to extreme measures to lose weight, but the only outcome is a severely unhealthy body weight. To achieve the weight they want they will either starve themselves or do a tremendous amount of exercise.
Today, as many as 10 out of 100 young teens struggle with an eating disorder. Each year, many teens develop eating disorders, or problems related to their weight, body image, and food. Anorexia is a serious eating disorder associated with an intense fear of weight gain and food. People who suffer from anorexia limit the amount of food they eat and have a distorted view of their body size and shape and may become dangerously thin. That is because the disorder affects not only their body but also their mind. Although the cause of anorexia is not fully understood, there is evidence that physical, biological, and social triggers are part of problems in anorexia. All of these causes revolve around the society we are living in today.
Anorexia Nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by severe restriction of food, an intense fear of gaining weight, a distorted body image and a body mass index of less than 18.5 (Kring, Johnson, Davison, Neale, 2013). There are two subtypes of anorexia, Restricting and Binge Eating/Purging. An individual who falls under the Restricting subtype severely restricts food intake, while an individual who falls under the Bing Eating/Purging subtype regularly engages in binge eating and purging. Anorexia typically begins in adolescence and primarily affects women. The disorder is more common in women than in men mainly because of the cultural emphasis that is placed on women’s beauty. Individuals with anorexia generally have a low self-esteem, a very critical self-evaluation and a belief that they can never be too thin. Due to the seriousness of the disorder, the issue of whether or not an individual should have the right the refuse life-sustaining treatment is highly debated.
Anorexia Nervosa is an eating disorder that causes people to intentionally starve themselves or severely restrict their food intake. Anorexia usually occurs at the time of puberty and involves extreme weight loss. People who have this disorder have a fear of becoming overweight even though they are 15% below the average weight. Many causes of anorexia show that they adhere to strict exercise routines to keep off weight, 90% of all anorexics are women.
Anorexia nervosa, more commonly known as anorexia- an emotional and medical disorder, generally is the lack of food consumption due to a constant fear of gaining weight, an objection to preserve or control a healthy body weight, and a mentally distorted body image. This primarily begins with ones misery with their body. You start to block out everything in your life (school, work, friends, and hobbies) and mainly focus on meals and what should or shouldn’t be consumed. The thing that mainly diagnoses one as anorexic is the simple fact that "... No matter how skinny you become, it's never enough." People diagnosed with this eating order are often in denial and see no wrong doings when they could potentially reach a state of health the body cannot maintain and die.
Anorexia is an eating disorder in which the individuals have lost more weight than what is considered healthy for their height and age. Their weight loss and food intake or what they lack in consumption is deliberate. They are extremely afraid of gaining weight and have specific methods for losing weight. These individuals workout excessively and usually go for the method of starvation, with a few purging tendencies. There are many negative drawbacks of being anorexic because the average anorexic loses 30 percent of their average body weight. Many individuals that do not have eating disorders often cannot control their body weight so there is not specific weight that is associated with these eating disorders, but is generally assumed that being less than 85 percent or an average’s expected body weight is being “too skinny”.
Anorexia Nervosa is a mental condition which affects one’s both physical and mental health. It is a condition that causes one to have a distorted self-image and forces themselves to starve even if their body weight is already dangerously low. They often restrict their food intake to the point where they are extremely thin. Anorexia is found to occur most often in women, especially those who are aged 15 to 35. There have been cases reported as early as the age of 7 and as late as the age of 80. Researchers believe that about 5 to 10 percent of women overall have a distorted body image but approximately 1 to 2 percent of those women suffer from anorexia nervosa. Often at times anorexia can begin during the early teen years. Over 90 percent of the victims of anorexia are found to be women but yet many cases go unnoticed or unreported.
Out of all mental illnesses found throughout the world, eating disorders have the highest mortality rate. Anorexia nervosa is one of the more common eating disorders found in society, along with bulimia nervosa. Despite having many definitions, anorexia nervosa is simply defined as the refusal to maintain a normal body weight (Michel, 2003). Anorexia nervosa is derived from two Latin words meaning “nervous inability to eat” (Frey, 2002). Although anorexics, those suffering from anorexia, have this “nervous inability to eat,” it does not mean that they do not have an appetite—anorexics literally starve themselves. They feel that they cannot trust or believe their perceptions of hunger and satiation (Abraham, 2008). Anorexics lose at least 15 percent of normal weight for height (Michel, 2003). This amount of weight loss is significant enough to cause malnutrition with impairment of normal bodily functions and rational thinking (Lucas, 2004). Anorexics have an unrealistic view of their bodies—they believe that they are overweight, even if the mirror and friends or family say otherwise. They often weigh themselves because they possess an irrational fear of gaining weight or becoming obese (Abraham, 2008). Many anorexics derive their own self-esteem and self-worth from body weight, size, and shape (“Body Image and Disordered Eating,” 2000). Obsession with becoming increasingly thinner and limiting food intake compromises the health of individuals suffering from anorexia. No matter the amount of weight they lose or how much their health is in jeopardy, anorexics will never be satisfied with their body and will continue to lose more weight.
Anorexia Nervosa (AN) is an eating disorder with the highest mortality rate of any other mental disorder. The National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders characterizes the disorder as “a relentless pursuit of thinness and unwillingness to maintain a normal or healthy body weight”. (2014) Individuals also experience a “distortion of body image, intense fear of gaining weight and extremely disturbed eating behavior.” (National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Related Disorders, 2014) As a result, they experience complications physically, mentally and socially. About 80% of individuals with eating disorders suffer from cardiac complications with death due to arrhythmias being the most common cause. This paper will focus on the connection between AN and cardiovascular rhythm disturbances. Individuals with this disorder have an increased chance of sudden death due to cardiovascular abnormalities like bradycardia, myocardial modification including atrophy and refeeding syndrome. (Casiero & Frishman, 2006)
Long, Phillip W. "Anorexia Nervosa." Internet Mental Health. Jan. 1997. St. Joseph Medical Center. 19 Aug. 1998 .
Classified as a serious mental illness, anorexia strikes many people about the age sixteen to twenty years old. That is about eighty six percent of people between the age 16-20 years old who have a problem or has dealt with anorexia (“Eating Disorder statistics”). Thirty million people each year, all different ages, become anorexic. According to Linda Gehlin the definition of anorexia is “ loss of appetite,” but she does not agree with that because anorexia is not a loss of appetite. Anorexia is about people not wanting to gain weight because they are too scared to, so they start to either: restrict what they eat, or they start purging (Gehlin). Restricting type, and purging type are two different ways to define, or show what kind