Description: Anorexia nervosa is characterized by a distorted body image. The individual is severely underweight and thinks they are fat or has a fear of becoming fat (Comer, 2013). There are two types of anorexia. The first type is restricting-type anorexia. The individual restricts food intake to a dangerous degree. The second type is binge-eating/purging type anorexia. The individual purposely regurgitates after eating uses laxatives and/or diuretics (Comer, 2013). Females compose 90-95% of people suffering from anorexia nervosa (Comer, 2013). The typical age that an individual acquires anorexia nervosa is between 14 and 18 years old. However, it is possible to occur at any age (Comer, 2013). Patients diagnosed with anorexia nervosa include 0.5 to 3.5 percent of the populace, however many more individuals may show symptoms (Comer, 2013). It is common for people to acquire anorexia nervosa after a diet or after a stressful event (Comer, 2013). To be diagnosed with anorexia nervosa, an individual must have a significantly low body weight due to food restriction as well as an unjustifiably acute fear weight gain. The patient must also possess a warped perception of their body, place a high value on weight or shape, or are in denial about their unhealthy condition (Comer, 2013). Many suffering from anorexia nervosa spend time thinking and reading about food (Comer, 2013). Anorexic patients tend to severely overestimate body size and have beliefs that support abstaining from ingesting food due to maladaptive thinking patterns (Comer, 2013). Sleep disruption conditions occur with Anorexia Nervosa (Comer, 2013). Perfectionism is one tendency an individual has before becoming anorexic (Comer, 2013). History: Anore... ... middle of paper ... ...reliability and factor similarity of the sociocultural attitudes towards appearance questionnaire-3 (sataq-3) among four ethnic groups. Journal of Eating Disorders, 1(14), doi: 10.1186/2050-2974-1-14 Henderson, K., & Spettigue, W. (2004). Eating disorders and the role of the media. Journal of the Canadian Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 13(1), Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2533817/ (2012, May 01). Karen Carpenter [Web Photo]. Retrieved from https://singingthesonginmyheart.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/karen-carpenter1.jpg (P2) Soh, N., & Walter, G. (2013). Publications on cross-cultural aspects of eating disorders. Journal of Eating Disorders , 1(4), doi: 10.1186/2050-2974-1-4 Worsnop, R. L. (1992, December 18). Eating disorders . CQ Researcher, 2, 1097-1120. Retrieved from http://library.cqpress.com/cqresearcher/
Anorexic: this word is an adjective, a label, and to some, a lifestyle. Medically speaking, it is someone who suffers from the deadly and heartbreaking disease, Anorexia Nervosa. This term translates to “nervous loss of appetite”, but anyone who has battled through this sickness is aware how that is anything but true. Eating disorder patients do not, in fact, lose their appetite; there is more to it than that. Many perceive eating disorders as a choice to be thin, a diet, or a cry for attention; they do not see the mental destruction going on inside of the mind. Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness, yet only 30% of people fully recover (ANAD). The general mindset that society has about eating disorders walks hand in hand with these statistics, slowing down any advances patients may be able to make. Eating disorder patients are not getting proper treatment because of ignorant misconceptions about the illness.
There is no known exact cause of either anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa, but many factors play a role in the initial onset, such as: personality traits, low self-esteem, and social and cultural influences (Costin, 21). Many anorexics have specific personality traits that urge them to refrain from eating. Many are perfectionists that will diet and exercise and not eat until their bodies are perfect. Unfortunately, however, he or she never thinks their body is perfect, and continues their destructive cycle. Anorexics that are perfectionists also tend to want to be in control at all times. Often , they feel as though others are trying to force them to do
According to the National Eating Disorder Association or NEDA, an eating disorder consists of extreme emotions, attitudes, and behaviors surrounding weight and food issues. There are three major types of eating disorders: Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, and Binge Eating Disorder (BED). Anorexia Nervosa is characterized by self-starvation and excessive weight loss. Bulimia Nervosa is characterized by a cycle of bingeing and compensatory behaviors such as self-induced vomiting designed to undo or compensate for the effects of binge eating. Binge Eating Disorder is characterized by recurrent binge eating without the regular use of compensatory measures to counter the binge eating.
Eating Disorders." Current Issues: Macmillian Social Science Library. Detroit: Gale, 2010. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 20 Oct. 2015.
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.
“The attention-grabbing pictures of various high-flying supermodels and actors on different magazine covers and advertisements go a long way in influencing our choices” (Bagley). The media is highly affective to everyone, although they promote an improper image of living. Research proved says those with low self-esteem are most influenced by media. Media is not the only culprit behind eating disorders. However, that does not mean that they have no part in eating disorders. Media is omnipresent and challenging it can halt the constant pressure on people to be perfect (Bagley). Socio-cultural influences, like the false images of thin women have been researched to distort eating and cause un-satisfaction of an individual’s body. However, it is clear that, although virtually all women are exposed to these socio-cultural influences, only a very small proportion develop clinical eating disorders (Mazzeo and Bulik). Every article believes that socio-culture have an impact on eating disorders. Although, researchers believe that is not the only reason, and the easiest statement to make. Eating disorders are far more complicated than it just being blamed on the media. Bagley, Mazzeo and Bulik all state that media play a role in the development but are not the main reason to developing an eating disorder. In all of the research done thus far media is a part of eating disorders, but not the only culprit.
In medicine, Anorexia Nervosa is a condition characterized by an intense fear of weight gain or becoming obese, as well as a distorted body image. An anorexic will claim to "feel fat" even when emaciated, and will refuse to maintain a normal, minimal body weight. Visible signs of Anorexia include:
Wiseman, C., Gray, J., Mosimann, J., & Ahrens, A. (1992). Cultural expectations of thinness in women: An update. International Journal Of Eating Disorders, 11(1), 85--89.
According to Laura Shapiro, a notable researcher on eating disorders, the medical condition of anorexia consists of several elements. By definition, anorexia nervosa is a condition characterized by intense fear of gaining weight or becoming obese, as well as a distorted body image, and a feeling of loss of control (Shapiro 69).
(Weiten, 2017). Anorexia nervosa is a serious eating disorder that results in unhealthy, often dangerous weight loss. While it is most common among adolescent women, anorexia can affect women and men of all ages and is characterized by a refusal to maintain a healthy body weight, an intense fear of gaining weight, and a distorted body image. Weiten (2017) states that the three syndromes of eating disorders are: anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and a new syndrome added to DSM-5 called binge-eating
Matthews, John R. Library in a Book: Eating Disorders. New York: Facts on File Inc. 1991
“Historians and psychologists have found evidence of people displaying symptoms of anorexia for hundreds or thousands of years. Although the disorder most frequently begins during adolescence, an increasing number of children and older adults are also being diagnosed with anorexia. Nor does a person need to be emaciated or underweight to have anorexia. Studies have found that larger-bodied individuals can also have anorexia, although they may be less likely to be diagnosed due to cultural prejudice against fat and obesity”, as stated on the online source National Eating Disorder Association.
In the United States, up to 30 million people of different ages and genders suffer from an eating disorder. Anorexia Nervosa affects a great figure of people, particularly young women, in today 's modern societies. Anorexia Nervosa usually occurs when a person will refuse to eat or experiences an extreme fear of gaining weight. Just one-third of people struggling with Anorexia Nervosa in the United States obtains treatment. Anorexia Nervosa has the highest fatality rate of any mental sickness. It is an eating disorder that involves a large population, particularly adult females. Anorexia Nervosa serious symptoms and can be caused by outside forces, genetic predisposition or a combination of both.
Even more of these girls develop an eating disorder in order to look like the women in the magazines. Eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia affect all girls, some as young as 5 or 6 years old. Anorexia is the third most common chronic illness among adolescents; over 1 million boys suffer from this illness as well.... ... middle of paper ...
Anorexia nervosa is a possible life-threatening eating disorder in which the people starve themselves through restriction of food in order to be thin. Symptoms of people suffering from anorexia nervosa are having a weight that is less than eighty-five percent of what is considered normal for their age and weight, an illogical fear of gaining weight, a distorted perception of self-image and body, and a lack of menstruation. Additionally, women who suffer from anorexia nervosa are obsessed with their body weight, weighing themselves, looking at themselves in the mirror, and exercising. Individuals with anorexia nervosa have a distorted perception of their body because even when they are thin they view themselves as too fat. They never think they are thin enough. Anorexia nervosa usually begins in the early to middle adolescent years to predominantly non-Latina White females. On the other hand, Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder in which the person goes on an eating binge and then purges. While people with anorexia essentially hate food, people with bulimia are preoccupied with it. Moreover, while anorexics appear to be unhealthy, bulimia is usually difficult to detect in individuals because they typically fall within normal weight range. Similar to anorexics, bulimics have a strong fear of becoming overweight, feel depressed or anxious, and have a distorted body