Anorexia Is An Eating Disorder

There are several bio-medical definitions of anorexia; The NHS refers to an anorexic as someone who tries to keep their weight as low as possible, by restricting diet, often over exercising and in some cases through the use of laxatives and diuretics (NHS, 2014). The DSM-V definition similarly suggests that anorexia is characterised by a refusal to maintain body weight at or above the minimally normal weight for age and height (DSM-V, 2014). Both definitions highlight an intense fear of gaining weight and a hugely distorted perception

With Anorexia Nervosa, there is a strong fear of weight gain and a preoccupation with body image. Those diagnosed may show a resistance in maintaining body weight or denial of their illness. Additionally, anorexics may deny their hunger, have eating rituals such as excessive chewing and arranging food on a plate, and seek privacy when they are eating. For women, they go through immediate body changes from abnormal to no menstruation periods and develop lanugo all over their bodies. Characteristics of an anorexic individual also consist of extreme exercise patterns, loosely worn clothing, and maintain very private lives. Socially, to avoid criticism or concern from others, they may distant themselves from friends and activities they once enjoyed. Instead, their primary concerns revolve around weight loss, calorie intake, and dieting. In regards to health, many will have an abnormal slow heart rate and low blood pressure, some can develop osteoporosis, severe dehydration which can result in kidney failure, and overall feel weak (Robbins, 27-29). It has been reported that Anorexia Nervosa has one of the highest death rates in any mental health condition in America (www.NationalEatingDisorders.org).

Anorexia nervosa, otherwise stated as anorexia, is an eating disorder that occurs when an individual restricts themselves from necessary energy intake which leads to significantly low body weight. Other characteristics of this disorder include: intense fear of becoming fat or gaining weight, persistent behavior that interferes with weight gain, and disturbances of perception and experience of their own body weight and shape (DSM V, 2013). Effective treatments are still trying to be researched for this disorder, as there is not a “one size fits all” for people of all age groups, living situations, etc. Since adolescents with anorexia are such a vulnerable population,

Anorexia is a serious mental health condition. It is an eating disorder where people try to keep their body weight as low as possible. DSM5 outlines the key diagnostic features for anorexia. Firstly, people with anorexia will restrict behaviours that promote healthy body weight. This could mean that they are consequentially underweight and this can be due to dieting, exercising and purging. There will also be a significant fear of weight gain, but this fear will not be relieved by weight loss. There will be a persistent fear that interferes with weight gain. Lastly, there will be a disturbed perception of ones weight and/or shape and denial of underweight status and its seriousness. Anorexia accounts for 10% of eating disorders in the UK and has

In the book “Boys Get Anorexia Too : Coping with Male Eating Disorders in the Family,” author Jenny Langley briefly describes about anorexia nervosa, and the short-term and long-term effects of it. Anorexia is a disease involving intentional starvation, an obsession with food and weight related issues, and extreme weight loss. Langley notes that people with anorexia will deprive themselves of vital nutrients through severely restricting food intake. Despite this excessive weight loss, the person will continue to feel overweight. They deny the fact that they are at a dangerously low body weight and fear being fat. Thus, the body is forced to slow down all of its processes to conserve energy, or resulting in serious medical consequences. Langley

Anorexia Nervosa is the condition when an individual abstains from food in order to lose weight or prevent more weight gain. In the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV(DSM-IV) there are four aspects of criteria to be diagnosed with anorexia: a refusal to maintain weight above what is minimally normal for one’s age and height, and extreme fear of weight gain, distorted body image, and (in females) having amenorrhea(missing three or more consecutive menstrual cycles.)(DSM-IV, 2000:589) Anorexia not only affects weight, but also alters bone growth, neurotransmitters and hormones in the brain, and electrolytes.

The disorder is similar to Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD), in that in involves faulty cognitions and perceived deficits in appearance, though is unique in its pattern of behaviors and severity. The DSM 5 criteria for anorexia are, “restriction of energy intake relative to requirements leading to a significantly low body weight in the context of age, sex, developmental trajectory, and physical health,” “intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat, even though underweight,” and “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 the current low body weight.” Binge eating and restriction are also facets of the disorder. Because of the vast number of physical symptoms accompanying the disorder (ranging everywhere from amenorrhea to abnormal heart rhythms), anorexia can often be diagnosed by a physician through the use of urine and blood

Anorexia has dangerous effects on the body and the mind. It has the highest rate of death of any mental illness. Between 5% and 20% of people who develop the disease eventually die from it (Lee, 2008). It may start as simple dieting, but can quickly roller coaster out of control such as not eating at all. The person’s main focus is food, dieting, and the fear of weight gain. Others see them as being very thin but they themselves see a distorted fat image when they look in the mirror.

Anorexia Nervosa is a DSM-5 psychological disorder characterized by energy restriction, weight loss and psychological comorbidities. The treatment of anorexia nervosa involves mainly medical and psychological interventions, and new treatments are being researched every day. Re-feeding is known to be the cornerstone, initial treatment. However, the specifics of treatment are not currently defined. Most therapeutic programs resort to a multidisciplinary treatment approach based off of clinical judgment and expertise. Treatment for anorexia nervosa is an ongoing challenge due to feeding complications and extremely high relapse rates. Future research is necessary to establish a gold standard initial treatment plan for anorexia nervosa and to continue finding new, more effective treatments.

Anorexia Nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by four criteria. The four criteria are weight is fifteen percent or more below average, the person has a distorted body image, the person fears being fat, and there is a loss of three or more periods (Nevid, Rathus, & Greene, 2014, p. 337). The subtype that will be discussed in this paper is the restricting subtype. Restricting subtype anorexia victims usually “rigidly, even obsessively, control their diet and appearance” (Nevid, Rathus, & Greene, 2014, p. 337). The other subtype is the exerciser subtype. Someone who suffers from Anorexia Nervosa, the exerciser type, tends to eat a little and then compensate for eating by overly exercising (Nevid, Rathus, & Greene, 2014, p. 337). Anorexia begins to affect those around the ages twelve to eighteen, marking the transition

Psychological, environmental, and/or physiological factors are most commonly the determinates of the onset of anorexia.       “The major psychological features seem to be the fear of maturing and the fear of loss of control.' ; (Mathews, 31) Many anorexics confirm that they do become fearful of losing control in their life, which is why they turn to starvation and deprivation. By becoming anorexic or developing anorexic patterns, they are able to control their food intake and weight.

Anorexia nervosa is a severe mental illness which carries mental, physical and psychological consequences. It is often characterised by low body weight and image distortion, along with obsessive concerns and fears about the gaining of weight.(1) This constant anxiety of weight gain manifests itself through the deprivation of food and excessive exercise. Anorexia Nervosa can broken down further into the restricting type where weight loss is achieved through the restriction of calories,(2) or the purging type where vomiting, laxatives and diuretics(2) are used to gain the similar outcomes. Both of these types have severe impacts on an individuals health and knowledge of the symptoms, care and impacts it has is imperative.

Many individuals nowadays suffer from many illnesses, one in particular is eating disorders. There are many types of eating disorders, but there are three common ones that are known today, which are anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder. Eating disorders are not healthy, this type of disease can be very fatal and crucial to one 's health  mentally, physically, and socially. The purpose of this report is to provide background information about eating disorders, strategies to prevent this illness from occurring, and lastly potential cures and treatments that can be attained to an individual if the illness is caught early. Using this  information outsiders who are not familiar to this topic can be more aware.

Anorexia Nervosa or more commonly called Anorexia is a disease that is caused by any number of things including stress, self-esteem issues, and the words of other people. These things can cause someone to feel ashamed or self conscious of their weight and lead them to start dieting which in extreme cases leads to anorexia due to the intense fear of gaining weight. For anorexics, the line between dieting and malnourishment becomes blurred and most reject offers for

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manuel of Mental Disorders 5th edition defines anorexia nervosa as an eating disorder characterized by self-starvation and excessive weight loss; it is a serious and potentially life-threatening disorder. According to the DSM 5, the typical diagnostic symptoms of anorexia nervosa are: dramatic weight loss leading to significant low body weight for the individuals age, sex, and health; preoccupation with weight; restriction of food, calories and fat; constant dieting; feeling “fat” or overweight despite weight loss and fear about gaining weight or being “fat.” Many individuals with anorexia nervosa deny feeling hungry and often avoid eating meals with others, resulting in withdrawal from usual friends and activities