Anorexia Nervosa Research Paper

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.

Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder that affects about 0.5 to 1 percent of women in the United States today. ("Anorexia Nervosa | National Eating Disorders Association") While, that may not seem like a lot of people are suffering from Anorexia nervosa it has received a significant amount of attention due to the consequences of developing this disorder. For example, it is reported that five to twenty percent of people who have Anorexia Nervosa will eventually succumb to their condition and die prematurely. ("Anorexia Nervosa | National Eating Disorders Association") Even those who do recover from Anorexia can develop other consequences as a result of this eating disorder. Muscle loss, amenorrhea, reduced bone density, and abnormally slow heart rate and low blood pressure. The abnormally slow heart rate and low blood pressure tend to show that this means that the heart is changing which puts the person at an increased risk for heart failure. ("Anorexia Nervosa | National Eating Disorders Association")

Some of side effects for anorexia nervosa are serious or even in some cases, life threatening. The most noticeable side effect is the serious weight balance. But there are plenty other side effects that come with the gruesome disorder, which is anorexia nervosa. Most of these side effects can be treated and taken care of to not risk any further injury or death. But if not death can defiantly come your without the proper help. These are most of the side of the side effects for the gruesome disorder.

Doctors annually diagnose millions of Americans with eating disorders. Of those diagnosed, ninety percent are women. Most of these women have one of the two most common types of eating disorders: anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa (National Council on Eating Disorders, 2004). People with anorexia nervosa experience heart muscle shrinkage along with slow and irregular heartbeats and eventually heart failure. Along with their heart, their kidney, digestive system and muscles often fail them. The mortality rate of anorexia is twenty percent, which is the highest of any psychiatric disorder. People with bulimia nervosa experience erosion of their teeth, irritation and rips in their throat, stomach,

Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder that consists of self-regulated food restriction in which the person strives for thinness and also involves distortion of the way the person sees his or her own body. An anorexic person weighs less than 85% of their ideal body weight. The prevalence of eating disorders is between .5-1% of women aged 15-40 and about 1/20 of this number occurs in men. Anorexia affects all aspects of an affected person's life including emotional health, physical health, and relationships with others (Shekter-Wolfson et al 5-6). A study completed in 1996 showed that anorexics also tend to possess traits that are obsessive in nature and carry heavy emotional

Eating disorders are serious disorders that can be life damaging. Eating disorders affect five percent of women and one percent of men in the United States. Reports show that five to ten percent of women who have an eating disorder will die within ten years of having the disease. People need to be taught to be more aware of the dangerous effects of eating disorders.

Eleven million women in the United States suffer from eating disorders such as Anorexia Nervosa (Dunn, 1992). There are different types of media that exist: television, advertisements, billboards, websites, magazines and so on. Advertisements, television programs, billboards, or magazines are omnipresent. These advertisements have a negative impact when it comes to the lives of many people. The media consists of many instruments that can be used to gain control because it has impacted many people and creates a sense of normality. Media generates a negative message for many young and adult women by portraying an “ideal” body type which can develop symptoms of develop

Eating disorders are a serious issue people face in our society. A study put on the National Comorbidity Survey Replication, Involved 9,282 individuals. In this study, they resulted in 0.9% of women and 0.3% of men are suffering from anorexia nervosa,1.5% of women and 0.5%of men are suffering from bulimia, and 3.5% of women and 2.0% of men are suffering from binge eating. Anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating all differentiate but are detrimental to bodily functions. In which case there are certain classifications that qualify them as degrading bodily health.

Anorexia nervosa is a disease where someone is obsessed with food, body, and being thin, sometimes to the point of deadly self-starvation. This condition may cause them to exercise excessively or simply not consume enough food to meet their daily calorie needs. Symptoms may include Underweight, even emaciated appearance with protruding bones or a sunken appearance to the face, fatigue, dizziness or fainting, brittle nails, hair that thins or falls out, menstrual irregularities.

What is body image? Body image gives a different meaning to those suffering from eating disorders as they see their reflection in the mirror. “People with anorexia have an intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat.” (Insel & Roth). Am I fat? No matter what the answer may be, individuals suffering from eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa will continue to see a distorted body image. Society has set the minds of young girls that thin is in. Eating disorders can affect anyone; it does not discriminate. Those suffering from anorexia cannot just turn it off. The majority of people who suffer from eating disorders begin innocently by a simple diet that slowly progresses to extreme and unhealthy weight loss. Unfortunately, eating disorders

Anorexia is a psychological and potentially life-threatening eating disorder. The ones that are suffering from this eating disorder have extremely low body weight relative to their height and body type. A tool that treatment providers often use to assess the appropriate body weight of the individual that is struggling with an eating disorder is called BMI. Another way to diagnose an individual suffering from Anorexia is observing their eating patterns, how much exercise they do, and their personality traits. Those struggling, frequently fear of gaining weight and have distorted body image. They make themselves believe that they are much heavier than they are. Term Anorexia also refers to self-starvation and lack of appetite. There are two types of Anorexia:

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

Anorexia is a physiological disorder that is characterized by an individual who refuses to keep a healthy weight and professes a profound fear of gaining weight; thus, they restrict their nutritional intake. Conversely, patients with Bulimia will binge eat and then proceed to induce vomiting, use laxatives, over exercise or fast in order to lose the weight gained by binge eating. Finally, some individuals practice binge eating without the purging of nourishment which ultimately leads to obesity.

Anorexia Nervosa is a psychiatric disorder characterized by an unrealistic fear of weight gain, self-starvation, and conspicuous distortion of body image. Individuals limit their calorie intake and are obsessed with becoming thin. Adolescents diagnosed with Anorexia Nervosa may display symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Reward system responsiveness is elevated in anorexic adolescents when underweight. Adolescent Anorexia Nervosa is not viewed not as issue to some societal businesses such as fashion industries and to professionals such as models and dancers. Doctors and nurses play a critical role in supporting adolescents to develop healthy views of body image. Nurses especially can help adolescents suffering from Anorexia Nervosa overcome

In-patients with anorexia, starvation can damage vital organs such as the heart and brain. To protect itself, the body shifts into " slow gear ": monthly menstrual periods stop, breathing, pulse and, blood pressure rates drop, and thyroid function slows. Nails and hair become brittle, the skin dries, yellows, and becomes covered with soft hair called lanugo. Excessive thirst and frequent urination may occur. Dehydration contributes to constipation, and reduced body fat leads to lowered body temperature and inability to with stand cold. Mild anemia, swollen joints, reduced muscles mass, and light headedness also commonly occur in anorexia. If the disorder becomes severe, patients may lose calcium from their bones, making them brittle and prone to breakage. Scientists from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) have also found that patients suffer from other psychiatric illnesses. They may suffer from anxiety, personality or substance abuse disorders, and many are at a risk for suicide. Obsessive compulsive disorder, an illness characterized by repetitive thoughts and behaviors, can also accompany anorexia.