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Strongest contributions to aetiology of eating disorders
Aetiology of eating disorders
Strongest contributions to aetiology of eating disorders
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The film documentary “Thin” focuses on four young women receiving treatment for eating disorder. The film took place at the Renfrew Center in Florida, a residential facility for treatment of women with an eating disorder. The film introduces the viewer to four women in the facility named Shelly, Polly, Brittany and Alisa. Each of these women have been battling their eating disorder for years. Throughout the film, I observed these women go through routine checkup, trying to eat a full meal, and speaking about how this journey is affecting them and those they love.
Among the four women, there were some similarities in their behavior and how they coped with their eating disorder before receiving treatment. Brittany, the youngest of the four
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women admitted into the facility had struggled with eating disorder since she was eight years of age. She arrived to the Renfrew facility with a low heart rate, liver damage, and hair loss. Throughout the film she expressed that she wanted to die. Brittany did not want anyone to feel concerned about her or her condition. She was often forced to eat, however, she would throw up. It was also mentioned in the film that her mother also had an eating disorder. During a session with her counselor, Brittany expressed that part of the reason for her eating disorder was she always cared about what other people thought about her. While watching this film, I learned about the struggles that these young women faced and the challenges they must overcome.
Referring back to the symptoms and warning signs of Anorexia Nervosa , these young women explained methods and ways they tried to self-harm. Some examples of signs of Anorexia Nervosa include, withdrawal from friends and activities, low self-esteem, feelings of guilt after eating, abuse of diuretics, and the intense anxiety of gaining weight. Each of these four women showed these signs and more throughout their treatment. I was surprised to learn that after they left the treatment facility, they relapsed and went back to being underweight. Another thing that also caught my attention was Alisa’s drawing of her body. She labeled everything that was wrong with her such as saddlebags, muffin top, and areas that she needed to tone up just to name a few. Each woman mentioned that their goal was to be thin. The thought of weighing more than a hundred pounds was the worst thing they could …show more content…
imagine. Polly, one of the women that celebrated her birthday during her treatment at Renfrew knew she wanted to get better. Polly, in my opinion, was a mentor for the other women in the film especially Shelly. Both women found comfort in each other, they shared similar experiences of how they dealt with their eating disorder. Smoking for these two women was a coping mechanism for anxiety; smoking was prohibited in Renfrew along with other things such as getting a tattoos something that these women did. According to some of the criteria that are used to diagnose Anorexia Nervosa, the women in this facility feared gaining weight or becoming overweight.
I recall Alisa and Polly describe their obsession with dieting and keeping count of the amount of calories they consumed. Listening to these women speak about their need to be thin was overwhelming, they were taking an unhealthy approach rather than exercising and following a healthy diet. Counselors and therapist checked up with them to follow up about their feelings and how to deal with these emotions in a more positive manner. The film also showed the reactions towards hiding food in pockets or their bedroom; this is a major factor in Anorexia Nervosa. Being underweight also brought other developmental issues such as the absence of amenorrhea. The DSM-V does not include as a diagnostic criteria because it does not apply to the male population. There is a small percentage of females that although they have an eating disorder, they can have a monthly menstrual cycle. Alisa, during one of her counseling became emotional when she expressed that due to her eating disorder, she felt like she was a little girl. Alisa’s mindset was on her goal of being thin, even if she died, at the same time she did not want to leave her children without a
mother. As I watched this documentary, there were so many emotions that I felt mostly about the decisions these women had made for themselves. They took a path of destruction that not only affected them, also those that cared about them. I have read about women battling disorder and how they cope with these issues and sometimes they do not make it. At the end of the documentary, the epilogue for each of these women stated that after receiving treatment they relapsed and went back to being underweight, doing the same things they were doing to keep bodies as thin as possible. They had developed a tremendous negative mindset about their bodies and until they did not attain the goal, if any, of their ideal body they were going to continue doing what they were already doing before treatment.
Anorexia Nervosa has been a problematic disease many women suffer from. The article “The Slender Trap” was composed by Trina Rys who is a stay at home mother with a husband and one daughter. Rys writes the main reasons a woman may develop anorexia from. She states that the psychological pressures, expectations of friends and family and influences of the media all are factors when a woman is inflicted with the disease. I strongly agree with Rys persuading argument that anorexia could be caused by an unknown identity and the overall main focus of the ideal image of a woman. Although, I believe Rys requires a stronger argument on whether food restrictions executed by parents are a major step to developing the harmful illness. She seems to put emphasize on mainly women but does not shine any light on men.
The documentary Thin focuses on women who suffer from eating disorders in a treatment facility. Currently not many women are educated on the problems they may face when they have an eating disorder. Not only do women themselves understand what is happening to them, the people around them fail to understand why they may have these problems. Throughout the film we are able to focus closely on some of the patients more closely. The patients the film allows us to see closely are Polly, Alisa, Shelly and Brittany. These ladies are all of different ages and are all at different points in treatment.
The author’s intended audience is most likely to people who are experiencing the disorder or are interested in knowing more about eating disorders. When Lia was admitted to New Seasons, her rehabilitation facility, she relates her experience to someone who has gone through the struggles in that kind of facility. Lia was expected to be “a good girl [by not poking holes] or write depressing poetry and [eat and eat]” (Anderson 18). Her struggles in the facility allowed the audience who experienced this disorder to relate their experiences. In addition, people who choose to starve...
Anorexia Nervosa may be described directly as an eating disease classified by a deficit in weight, not being able to maintain weight appropriate for one’s height. Anorexia means loss of appetite while Anorexia Nervosa means a lack of appetite from nervous causes. Before the 1970s, most people never heard of Anorexia Nervosa. It was identified and named in the 1870s, before then people lived with this mental illness, not knowing what it was, or that they were even sick. It is a mental disorder, which distorts an individual’s perception of how they look. Looking in the mirror, they may see someone overweight
...d the gravity of her situation. Portia De Rossi met the three criteria for an anorexia nervosa disorder binge-eating type at the age of 25. Her restrictive food intake through her diets impeded her from having a healthy body weight. As a result she was 85% less than her normal body weight. She also had an immense fear of gaining weight and recurred to purging and excessive exercise. Portia viewed herself to be “fat” even though she was already underweight due to her distorted point of view on body image and weight; all that matter to her was to be thin. Despite having symptoms that could also diagnose her with bulimia nervosa, there was still no clear proof she fulfilled all the criteria for this disorder. However, what clearly differentiated her from being diagnosed with bulimia nervosa and anorexia nervosa was her low weight which was below 85% of normal weight.
Anorexia nervosa is a psychosociological disease which affects young women. Anorexia is mainly a female's disease which has been evident for centuries-however, in the past twenty years, the incidence of this disorder has risen to horrifying proportions. It is characterized by the refusal to maintain body wight over a minimal normal weight for age and height; intense fear of gaining weight; a distorted body image; and, amenorrhea. (http://www.pgi.edu/hagopian.htm) This disorder becomes a disease when the mind starts to cause problems with one's physical well-being. A connection has been found between sociocultural pressures to achieve, familial characteristics, and individual personality traits.
The DSM-IV outlines four criteria for anorexia nervosa (APA, 1994). One, a refusal to maintain body weight over a minimal normal weight for age and height (i.e., weight loss leading to maintenance of body weight less than 85% of that expected). Two, an intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat, even though underweight. Three, a disturbance in the way in which one’s body weight, size, or shape is experienced (i.e., denial of the seriousness of current low body weight, or undue influence of body shape and weight on self-evaluation). Four, in post-menarcheal, amenorrhea (the absence of at least three consecutive menstrual cycles). Two types of anorexia nervosa are defined. The binge eating/purging subtype means that the individual engages in recurrent ep...
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)
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.
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...
In 1978, Brunch called anorexia nervosa a 'new disease' and noted that the condition seemed to overtake ?the daughters of the well-to-do, educated and successful families.? Today it is acknowledged and accepted that anorexia affects more than just one gender or socio-economic class; however, much of the current research is focused on the female gender. ?Anorexia nervosa is characterized by extreme dieting, intense fear of gaining weight, and obsessive exercising. The weight loss eventually produces a variety of physical symptoms associated with starvation: sleep disturbance, cessation of menstruation, insensitivity to pain, loss of hair on the head, low blood pressure, a variety of cardiovascular problems and reduced body temperature. Between 10% and 15% of anorexics literally starve themselves to death; others die because of some type of cardiovascular dysfunction (Bee and Boyd, 2001).?
Anorexia Nervosa has three Diagnostic Criteria. One is refusal to maintain body weight at or above normal. The other is, intense fear of becoming fat, even though under average weight. The last one is, Disturbance in the way in which one’s body weight or shape is experienced, undue influence of body weight or shape on self- evaluation, or denial of the seriousness of low body weight (Long 15).
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 and Bulimia nervosa are described as psychological eating disorders (Keel and Levitt, 1). They are both characterized by an over evaluation of weight. Despite being primarily eating disorders, the manifestations of bulimia and anorexia are different. They both present a very conspicuous example of dangerous psychological disorders, as according to the South Carolina Department of Health, “Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness” (Eating Order Statistics, 1). While Bulimia and anorexia both psychological disorders primarily prevalent in women, anorexia tend to have different diagnostic complexities, symptoms and physiological effects as compared to bulimia.
This is a critique of" Roger And Me", a documentary by Michael Moore. This is a film about a city that at one time had a great economy. The working class people lived the American dream. The majority of people in this town worked at the large GM factory. The factory is what gave these people security in their middle working class home life. Life in the city of Flint was good until Roger Smith the CEO of GM decided to close the factory. This destroyed the city. Violent crime became the highest in the nation, businesses went bankrupt, people were evicted from their rented homes. There were no jobs and no opportunity. Life was so bad that Money magazine named Flint the worst place to live in the entire nation. When news of the factory closing first broke, Michael Moore a native of flint decided to search for Roger Smith and bring him to Flint.