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Two psychological approaches/perspectives with reference to the critical issues of eating disorders to be discussed are the cognitive and psychodynamic approaches. There are several eating disorders and the most common two of them are Anorexia Nervosa involving the irrational fear of being extensively overweight and Bulimia Nervosa involving periods of binge eating when food is excessively eaten within a two hour period than would normally be eaten in that time. This paper will seek to understand and describe cognitive and psychodynamic approaches whilst also comparing and contrasting the differences between the two.
Cognitive psychologists study the mental processes of behaviour through memory, thought processes, language, attention to detail and abnormal mental states affecting behaviour. Cognitive behaviour is similar to a computer by input of data into a computer and prior knowledge stored in the human brain as data and information are processed. The computer reaches its results from a series of data and the brain receiving information reaches its results neurologically.
When a person is suffering from an eating disorder like Anorexia Nervosa cognitive psychologists try to change the irrational thoughts a person has in relation to how they perceive their body shape and by changing their thought patterns their eating disorder about their body being too fat may be cured. This process takes a long time and is usually done through counselling.
In contrast, behavioural psychologists studied the effects of behaviour as being a physiological response in terms of bodily processes by learning and conditioning, leading to rewards or punishment dependent upon the learnt behaviour.
B F Ski...
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...t make the participants question and analyse themselves as to what kind of humans are they.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
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Eating Disorders (EDs) are a series of often life-threatening mental health disorders which are commonly used as coping mechanisms or as ways to mask one’s problems. The causes of these illnesses are still being researched, and the effects they have on a person’s physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing can often be as long as the sufferer’s life.
Today’s society uses people’s physical characteristics to measure beauty and accomplishment. This causes people to drive their bodies to an extreme to try and attain physical perfection. There are people who want to be accepted by society and will do whatever it takes. Some take the way that causes them to develop eating disorders. The two most common eating disorders are known as anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. They are often mixed up with one another because they share many of the same qualities. Even though they are much alike, it is important to understand that each disorder has its own distinct behavior that makes it different from the other. People with either one of these illnesses are not only worried about the opinions of others
Eating disorders are described as an illness involving eating habits that are irregular and an extreme concern with body image or weight. Eating disorders tend to appear during teenage years, but can develop at any age. Although more common in women, eating disorders can affect any age, gender or race. In the United States, over 20 million women and 10 million men are personally affected by eating disorders. There are many different causes of eating disorders such as low self esteem, societal pressures, sexual abuse and the victims perception of food. Eating disorders are unique to the sufferer and often, their perception of themselves is so skewed, they may not be aware they have an eating disorder. Media, for quite some time now, has played a significant part in eating disorders. Magazines with headlines ‘Summer Body’, or ‘Drop LB’s Fast!’ attract the attention of girls who may be insecure with themselves. Television productions such as the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show or American’s Next Top Model, show airbrushed and photoshopped women who have body types that may be unachievable. Those who are suffering from eating disorders can suffer dangerous consequences, and it is important to seek help.
Today, America is plagued with eating disorders such as Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, and Compulsive Eating Disorders. Each has its own characteristics that distinguish the illness yet there are some similarities that they also share. According to the National Eating Disorders Association, as with most mental illnesses, eating disorders are not caused by just one factor but by a combination of behavioral, biological, emotional, psychological, interpersonal and social factors. Shockingly, they also report that in the United States, there are as many as 10 million females and 1 million males that are battling with eating disorders such as anorexia or bulimia. Additionally, another 25 million are struggling with binge eating disorders (www.NationalEatingDisorders.org). Typically, psychological factors such as depression and low self-esteem contribute to eating disorders...
The biological approach looks at the relationship between behaviours and the body's physiological systems, especially the nervous system. Biological psychologists also believe that the chemical processes within the brain have an influence on behaviour. The treatments for the biological approach to psychology include, as previously said drug ...
...he victims to deal with other problems and stress in their lives without fueling the eating disorder. Often, the counselor will have to address the deeper problems that the anorexia stemmed from such as depression, family issues, or a past traumatic event (“Anorexia Nervosa: Signs, Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment”).
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.
After reading the articles of Bulimia Nervosa: Friend or Foe? The Pros and Cons of Bulimia Nervosa (Serpell & Treasure, 2002) and Anorexia Nervosa: Friend or Foe? (Serpell, Treasure, Teasdale and Sullivan, 1999) many thoughts came to my mind. On both articles, the authors propose that eating disorders like the ones mentioned before, are a challenge to treat because the perception that the patients have in regards the disorder, are not all negative. There are some traits about the disorder that are perceived as positive by the patients.
Hewstone, M. Fincham, F. and Foster, J (2005). Psychology. Oxford: The British Psychological Society, and Blackwell Publishing. P3-23.
Eating disorders are real, complicated, and horrible conditions that have extreme consequences for life in general, including productivity, family matters, and relationships. Anorexia nervosa is a serious, potentially life-threatening problem that affect a person’s health on multiple levels. People who struggle with this problem absolutely need to seek professional aid. The earlier a person with an eating disorder seeks treatment, the greater the chances of that person's recovery.
Cognitive and behaviorism are both two very intriguing theories to me. They are similar and they are different also. Two different theories but both branches of psychology attempt to explain human behavior. Cognitive theory assumes that all humans have the capacity to process and organize information in our minds. This theory is not concerned with the actual visible behaviors but focuses more on the thought process behind the behavior. Cognitive psychology does its best to understand concepts of the brain like decision making and memory. In the 1950s there was a push to move from cognitive theory to behavioral theory but, in 1967, American psychologist Ulric Neisser described his approach in his book Cognitive Psychology. Neisser states that cognition involves "all processes by which the sensory input is transformed, reduced, elaborated, stored, recovered, and used. It is concerned with these processes even when they operate in the absence of relevant stimulation, as in images and hallucinations... Given such a sweeping definition, it is apparent that