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When things seem out of control in one’s life, they may find the control that they seek through extreme dieting. Some factors that contribute to eating disorders can be quite personal. Having a difficult and troubled past is not uncommon in eating disorder sufferers. History of being bullied and abuse is also not uncommon (NEDA, Factors That May Contribute to Eating Disorders). One of the three major eating disorders is called Anorexia Nervosa. Anorexia Nervosa is a self-starvation and restriction disorder in which the sufferer restricts their food intake by the amount and/or type of food to the extent of starvation (Nancy J. Kolodny, 2). People suffering with anorexia will experience symptoms such as excessive calorie restriction and extreme
Eating disorders are not caused by a single source, such as control, but are due to an accumulation of factors including genetics, upbringing, culture, and personality.
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.
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.
1. Eating disorders in our present society can be viewed as a multi-determined disorder for various reasons. The current definition of a multi-determined disorder is when there is more than one factor with a wide range of causes that creates the disorder to form. Negative influences from family members, friends, the western culture, or even a specific cultural may harshly impact a person and influence how he or she should live their life. Anorexia and Bulimia are both to be considered as a multi-determined disorder that is influenced greatly by socio-cultural, biological and psychological factors. Subcultures create large pressures and restraints to diet and become thin. For instance, the Asian culture, if a person is overweight, they are frowned upon and considered almost as a disgrace to the community. Studies have also proven that family histories that have a weight loss disorder are more likely to also develop depression and anxiety disorders and are more likely found in women. Daily habits in a household also greatly impact the way a child is raised. Factors such as being over protective or having excessive control may also lead to forming an eating disorder, which anorexia becomes more susceptible for children. Psychological factors are most commonly formed when other views and living habits become more influential than our own. The way others perceive a person is defined as a schema. Once schemas are formed they may store in a person’s long-term memory and create self-schemas. Negative self-schemas will change an individual’s personality to become unstable and believe they are constantly being judged. Self-concept then forms leading to more harmful disorders such as poor self-esteem, depression and inability ...
The three most commonly known eating disorders of today are anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating. Anorexia nervosa is a disease connected with abnormal eating; it is not brought on by excitement, delusions, overactivity or a bad habit, it is a mental illness. Development of anorexia usually starts in the early teenage years, however it can go undiagnosed for thirty to even forty plus years. Another eating disorder is bulimia, people who are bulimic have no time to think about daily life; all that is on there mind is their next meal. Someone who has bulimia often l...
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...
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).
Websites promoting anorexia, created by anorexics themselves, are of growing concern. The Eating Disorders Association estimates there are an estimated ten million women and one million men suffering from anorexia, bulimia, and compulsive eating in the US alone. Pro-Anna sites are helping to give incentive to sufferers to throw up their last meal and to reinforce their 500-calorie-a-day diet. These so-called clubs may not cause anorexia but they encourage members to lose weight and avoid recovery.
Eating disorders can be altered by many things including bullying. One way that an eating disorder can come about into someone's life if is low self-esteem. Negative body images can make someone want to become skinnier. When someone has a low self-esteem it means a person who has a very low image of themselves. They think that they are nothing and aren’t worthy of life. When someone thinks this they could exercise excessively thinking that it will make them skinnier.
Anorexia represents one percent of most prevalent eating disorder diseases. The word anorexia itself means, “ lack of appetite”. Anorexia is an all-encompassing pursuit of thinness. The person effected by Anorexia has an absolute fear of becoming obese (Matthew 4).
An eating disorder is a psychological disorder that is characterized by a fixation on weight gain, which can cause abnormal eating habits. This disorder affects both the physical and psychosocial functioning of an individual. There are several types of eating disorders including, anorexia nervosa, binge eating disorder and bulimia nervosa. Anorexia nervosa is characterized but the intense fear of gaining weight, which leads to an obsession with weight gain. An individual with this disorder often partakes in behaviors that prevent weight gain such as limiting the intake of food. There are two types of anorexia nervosa; binge eating/ purging type and the restricting type. An individual with diagnosis with the binge eating/ purging
Anorexia nervosa is when a person demonstrates abnormal eating pattern and loses severe weight, usually fifteen percent of his or her body weight. It is also a complicated mixture of emotional, psychological, and physical changes, it is often referred to as “ the starvation sickness” or “the dieter’s disease” (Kirkpatrick).
Anorexia Nervosa is an extreme fear of becoming overweight, and it leads to excessive dieting to the point of serious ill health and sometimes death. Anorexia Nervosa is rampantly seen in young woman and young men. Anorexia can lead to other psychological diseases like perfectionism and depression, and is related with starvation. People who have Anorexia are said to weigh 85% less than other
There are many reasons that can contribute to the cause of eating disorders. One of the main reasons seems to be the obsession over every little pound a person is wearing. Sometimes low self-esteem or depression from any number of causes can usher in the eating disorder. Other times compulsive exercising can help shed the pounds but leave the enthused unhealthy looking.