"Anorexia Nervosa"
Bizarre, devastating, and baffling are three words that describe the anorexia nervosa disease. By definition, anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder in which a normal-weight person diets and becomes significantly underweight, yet, still feeling fat, continue to starve themselves. The term "anorexia nervosa" literally means nervous lose of appetite. People with the disorder are suppressing a strong desire to eat, because they are afraid of becoming fat. Anorexia is characterized by extreme starvation that leads to a disastrous loss of weight. Anorexia nervosa affects a large number of people today in the world, and does not discriminate against anybody. Its victims can
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It was only about one hundred years ago that it was finally identified as an illness by modern science, by a professor from the University of Paris named Ernest Lasegue.
How do you identify the signs of this very dangerous disease? Some of the physical signs are intolerance of cold due to the absence of the body’s natural insulator, dizziness and fainting spells, dry skin, loss of muscle, and the most obvious, weight loss of at least fifteen percent(Baker 13). There are also behavioral changes in a person when he or she becomes anorexia. Some of these include restricted food intake, odd food rituals, an increased fear of food, hyperactivity, dressing in layers, and regular weighing. Some of the so called "odd food rituals" include things like counting bites and cutting food into small pieces. Despite what many people think, anorexics are not repelled or revolted by food. In fact, their minds are often dominated by thoughts of food. They often use such ridiculous tactics such as laxatives for weight loss, because they feel the overwhelming urge to be thinner.
Besides making the sufferers very thin, anorexia nervosa has many other harmful physical effects. Some of these include bowel tumors, hypoglycemia, throat infections, and low blood sugar. Women can
Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness. Three of the most discussed are anorexia, bulimia, and what researchers call EDNOS (eating disorder not otherwise specified). Each of the eating disorders can be fatal in their own way. What are the signs, what do they do to you and your body, and what can be done to treat the problem? Researchers have studied long and hard into these three disorders so that those questions could be answered to the best of their ability. In this paper, the outcomes of the research that was done and the thesis
Characteristics of anorexia are dieting despite being thin and having an obsession with caloric intake as well as fat grams. An anorexic person often pretends to eat or will lie about their intake of meals because of their belief of being overweight. With all of the food restrictions many problems occur in the body and outside of the body. Some of these risks include the drastic change in brain chemistry that makes it difficult for them to think correctly, decrease in memory, fainting, or they may become sad, moody, irritable, or depressed. Other changes would include, hair may become thin and brittle, skin is dry and easily bruises, they get cold easily, and nails often get brittle. However those are not the most dangerous risks. If one is anorexic,
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).
It’s only human to wish you looked different or could fix something about yourself. But when a more serious notion with being thin takes over your eating habits, thoughts, and life, it’s a sign of an eating disorder. When you have anorexia, the desire to lose weight becomes more important than anything else. You may even lose the ability to see yourself as you truly are. Anorexia is a serious eating disorder that affects people of all ages. It can damage your health and threaten your life. But you are not alone. There’s help available when you’re ready to make a change. Everyone
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
The clinical presentation of Anorexia Nervosa are; patient have low body weight, amenorrhea, yellow skin, lanugo, cold extremities, peripheral edema, muscle weakening, constipation, abnormal laboratory values, abnormal computed tomographic scans, electroencephalographic changes, Cardiovascular changes and impaired renal
People who have Anorexia Nervosa have this fear of gaining weight so they result by not eating regularly or eat little amounts of food or not eating at all. People see themselves as being fat but instead they are skinny. “Anorexics usually strive for perfection” (www.mirror-mirror.org 1). So in doing this they feel like not eating anything can make them look perfect and have the body they want. “The lack of food can cause a person to become very thin, develop brittle hair and nails, dry skin, and a low pulse, become not able to stand the cold, and suffer from constipation and sometimes diarrhea” (Hendrick 3).
In recent years, it seems that the public has begun to pay more attention to eating disorders. This trend could be a consequence of the heightened nutrition and fitness craze that the 1990's has brought about, or possibly a result of more intense and conclusive research studies. More clearly defined definitions of anorexia and bulimia in the DSM-IV may also have contributed to better diagnosis of eating disorders.
Anorexia Nervosa is an eating disorder found in both male and female, and it ranges in all age groups. Anorexia Nervosa is an eating disorder in which one starves themselves for different reasons. Anorexia is found in models that are influenced by the media thinking that stick thin is the only way to be attractive. Anorexia is found in teens that fear weight gain, have struggled with a large weight, have the fear of throwing up, etc. Anorexia is even found in older adults for the same reasons as teens. Once one recovers from anorexia the rest of his or her life is an uphill battle. The thought of gaining weight and the slightest bit of weight gain can cause an immediate relapse. Anorexia is a serious condition
The effects of Anorexia include; being underweight, fearing gaining weight, bad perception of own body, and depending on the age: absence of their period in women ("Treating Eating Disorders"). Other effects can be; "The physical manifestations of anorexia often include drastic weight loss, erosion of the stomach lining caused by self-induced vomiting, loss of menstruation, anemia and, in severe cases, heart failure. Other symptoms include obsessive exercising and strange eating habits. Anorexics will often play games when they eat, such as not allowing the cutlery to touch their lips; chewing a certain number of times per bite, or arranging the food in certain patterns on their plates" (Goldman). Even after being treated and being brought back to a good health, Anorexia patients can find it hard accepting that they are back to a weight that they used to find uncomfortable to be in (Goldman). Anorexia does not just affect the person whom has it, but the people who care for that person such as family and friends, who are the ones who help the person with it seek
“Thin appearance, Abnormal blood counts, Fatigue, Insomnia, Dizziness or fainting, Bluish discoloration of the fingers, Hair that thins, breaks or falls out, Soft, downy hair covering the body, Absence of menstruation, Constipation, Dry or yellowish skin, Intolerance of cold, Irregular heart rhythms, Low blood pressure, Dehydration, Osteoporosis, Swelling of arms or legs” ("Anorexia Nervosa").
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
We must also consider the effects of anorexia. People with anorexia experience hair loss and fingernail breakage. Women who suffer will begin to have period loss. Those who continue to be anorexic without getting help can become anemic and even begin to develop very brittle bones. Anorexia is a serious medical illness, and with severe malnutrition anorexia can also cause death.
“Anorexia Nervosa is characterized by self-starvation to avoid obesity. People with this disorder believe they are overweight, even when their bodies become grotesquely distorted by malnourishment.” (Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia)
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.