Pica: A Look Into A Little-Known Eating Disorder

5. What is the prevalence and prognosis of this condition? Is it an inheritable (genetic) condition/disease? (1 point)

This Disorder can occur at any age and affects approximately eight percent of the adult population.

Topic: What is causing young adults and teens to develop eating disorders and how can we help them?

“Eating disorders are a serious mental illness, not a lifestyle choice.” Millions of people have to deal with inner demons on a daily basis, some more serious than others but one that is severe, is Pica disorder. Pica disorder is an eating disorder where people have an appetite for non-nutritive, inedible materials and become addicted to eating items such as clay, nail polish, drywall, light bulbs and much more. This disorder causes victims to eat unimaginable things and causes many medical problems in the process. Some doctors believe that this disorder is just complication of the mental psyche, but there is more underlying issues that cause this disorder. Thus, Pica disorder is caused by a combination of biochemical,

Nowadays, when people emphasis more and more on healthy lifestyles, both exercise and food intake have become a big part of the consideration. With the goals of being fit and losing weight, some people eat irregularly or do not eat at all. As a result, eating disorders seem more often on news and reports. However, some people still view it as a joke. With the increasing number of people diagnosed with eating disorders, people should raise awareness on the effects of eating disorders and treat them seriously.

Forty-three published abstracts were retrieved from PubMed database and three were retrieved from CINAHL database, for a total of 46 articles for potential inclusion in the review. Three duplicates were then removed, yielding 43 articles for potential inclusion. Two articles were excluded because they are commentaries. Three articles were excluded because they are reviews. One article was excluded because it is a case study. 14 articles were excluded because they do not include a mindful eating intervention. Two articles were excluded because they do not focus on weight or weight-related co-morbidities. One article was excluded because it focuses on anorexia nervosa or bulimia. One article was

This chronic and often unpredictable disease can cause a wide range of symptoms, including, but not in any way limited to:

The four sections that follow review the article “A qualitative study of transgender individuals experiences in residential addiction treatment settings: stigma and inclusivity” by Lyons, T. Shannon, K., Pierre, L., Small, W., Krüsi, A., Kerr, T. (2015).

Pica can go unnoticed, and is usually only discovered when a health problem strikes. It can remain undetected for months or even years. Very often pica is detected when an individual suffers from an intestinal blockage, intestinal tear, dental injury, or a poisoning infection linked with eating non-food substances. Blood tests will usually be carried out during, to determine if a mineral shortage could be the cause. Pica is diagnosed in individuals who have routinely eaten non-food substances for at least a month, for whom this behavior is inappropriate to their developmental stage. Those who do not consume these substances as part of a recognized cultural or religious practice will fit into the category. Only a qualified doctor should make a diagnosis of Pica. Laboratory studies may be used to access these answers. The choice of imaging or laboratory studies depends on the characteristics of the ingested materials and the resulting medical problems. In addition to people having pica some animals even

      Another disorder alluded to in the story is pica. Pica is generally defined as "a pathological craving for normal food constituents or for substances not commonly regarded as food" (Danford 303). It is said to be the most frequently observed eating dysfunction of mentally handicapped persons, particularly long-term schizophrenics or those with marked personality disorders (Decker 551 - 552). While no specific reference to the heroine actually eating non-foods exists in the story, references to missing

Pica is mostly commonly found in children and pregnant women. Pica can also occur in people who have mental disabilities. Schizophrenia and obsessive-compulsive disorder may have pica, since they use eating materials as a coping

rid of hope as every case is really a unique one. If left untreated, it might cause

Brewerton, Timothy D. "Eating disorders, trauma, and comorbidity: Focus on PTSD." Eating disorders 15.4 (2007): 285-304.

Both of these disorders are serious and require the attention of trained professionals. No one has agreed on the causes of these disorders but what is important

The cause is most likely complex with the possibility of more than one factor being at the root of this disorder.