Taking a Look at Anorexia Nervosa

Anorexia Nervosa is usually psychological as well as possibly an eating disorder which is life-threatening well-defined by a tremendously low body weight comparative to stature, great and needless weight loss, fear of gaining weight and distorted discernment of an individual’s self-image and body. There are several clinical factors of this eating disorder, and they are the following: the victim has a tendency of fearing his normal body weight where in this case, a person fears to be fat. In other words, the fear of normal body weight is very common in this eating disorder which is observed as a pathognomonic of the situation. In the case of Joshua, his parents should understand that he fears to get fat such that he already feels that his body

According to the Mayo Clinic (2016), eating disorders are “conditions related to persistent eating behaviors that negatively impact your health, your emotions, and your ability to function in important areas of life.” One such eating disorder is anorexia nervosa. Not to be confused with anorexia, which is simply a general loss of appetite that can be attributed to many medical ailments, anorexia nervosa is a serious eating disorder and mental illness (Nordqvist, 2015). Anorexia nervosa is estimated to affect about .9% of women and .3% of men in their lifetime (“Eating Disorder Statistics & Research,” n.d.). In general, the disorder is commonly characterized by a distorted body image or self-concept, critically low weight (with respect to the patient’s height and age), and an irrational fear of becoming fat or an intense desire to be thin. There are two subtypes to this eating disorder: restrictive and binge/purge. In the restrictive type, the individual limits caloric intake and may compulsively over-exercise. In the binge/purge type, the individual consumes a considerable amount of food in a short period of time (binging) and then deliberately vomits (purging), takes laxatives, or fasts intensely in order to compensate for the food eaten (“General Information: Anorexia Nervosa,” n.d.). In either case, anorexia nervosa is undoubtedly a dangerous and alarming illness.

Anorexia nervosa has the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric disorder, with more than 10% of those that suffer from it will die.

The study conducted had a sample size of 90 Polish women with AN and the control group was 120 females without any signs of an eating disorder. These females were studied to identify any substantial differences in behavior. The result of the study was that females with AN exhibited less control over cognitive function and emotional behavior. The conclusion reached was that being able to identify the symptoms typical of an eating disorder in females could help in improving treatments and could also prevent any dangerous habits developed by those with

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.

Eating disorders are characterized by a serious disturbance of behavior of food: eating too much or too little, as well as a great concern regarding the size and shape of her body. This short paper is on anorexia nervosa, mental bulimia and the binge eating.Eating disorders are not a function of will but are rather modes unhealthy supply which empower. The voluntary eating of smaller portions or larger than usual is common, but for some people, it becomes a compulsion and eating behaviors become outraged.People suffering from anorexia nervosa refuse to maintain a body weight minimally normal fear many of take the weight and have a distorted perception the shape and the size of their body. Mental bulimia sufferers feed excessively and then use the methods compensatory to prevent the socket weight, for example, by vomiting, in practicing excessive exercise or abuse of laxatives. They give also an excessive importance to the shape and weight of body. To diagnose mental bulimia, the binge eating disorder and behaviors compensatory must occur in average, at least twice a week for 3 months.

According to ANAD Eating Disorder Statistics about thirty million people in America of all ages and genders suffer from one of the three main eating disorders. Many people suffer from more than one of the eating disorders. Only 1 in 10 individuals receive the treatment that is needed to recover(ANDA). Often eating disorders are known to be triggered by outside factors in their life, but studies show that it is more likely to be a part of their genetics.

Having an eating disorder during adolescence can result in negative impacts on the development throughout the lifespan. Eating disorders are complex illnesses that are increasing in adolescents and are being ranked as the third most common chronic illness in adolescents (Golden & Katzman & Kreipe & Stevens & Sawer & Rees & Nicholls & Rome, 2003). Such disorders include both anorexia nervosa and bulimia. Both disorders can be indentified and diagnosed differently with signs and symptoms. With diagnosis, many adolescents lack physical self-awareness, motivation, and feelings of depression due to their stage of cognitive development (Golden & Katzman & Kreipe & Stevens & Sawe r& Rees & Nicholl s& Rome, 2003). However, the causes of these disorders can be categorized into two factors, the external factors such as

until there is nothing left of them. Although, this may disguise itself as a physical

Anorexia is more than twice as common in female girls (Morris & Twaddle,2007). Anorexia Nervosa affects every one out of a 100 high school and college girls in the United States (Silverman,2005). Eighty to 90 percent of anorexia patients are females (Morris & Twaddle,2007). Teenage years are the worst for girls because between the ages of 12 to 18 as many as one in 250 girls may develop anorexia (Romeo,1984). Anorexia is most likely to develop when a girl is in middle school (Romeo,1984). What most girls do not know at this time is that their body is going through a growing stage during their teenage years and they need to be gaining weight not losing it. Magazines, advertising, and social media give girls an ideal body type and this causes eating disorders

There are several approaches in psychology which attempt to explain mental disorders. The biological approach sees a mental disorder as a medical problem, it assumes mental illness to have a physical cause and the treatment offered is physical. Behavioural approach emphasise learned behaviour, its treatment is based on conditioning principles. New adaptive behaviours are learned. Other approaches which propose causes of mental disorders as psychological are psychodynamic and cognitive approaches. Each approach has its strengths and weaknesses.

Anorexia nervosa is a disorder defined by the DSM 5 as a disorder characterized by the client displaying:1. Restricted food intake (energy) proportional to sex, age and developmental trajectory that leads to weight loss. 2. Processing fear of becoming overweight in spite of being underweight. 3. Dysfunctional way of experiencing one’s body weight or shape. Perceived unfavorable view of one’s body or shape (self image), and or lack of seriousness concern or denial of the seriousness of low body weight, (APA, 2013).

This research paper discusses why anorexia nervosa is a disease and not a lifestyle choice. The paper explains what anorexia nervosa is and the misconceptions people have about it which leads them to blame those with AN. These misconceptions can result from a misunderstanding of what AN is, particularly due to the pro-ana movement which promotes AN as a positive lifestyle choice. It then brings down the biological factors behind anorexia nervosa and the awful symptoms those with AN suffer through. The paper contains a lot of in depth understanding of the inner pain an anorexic person goes through and it includes quotes from personal narratives such as Emily Troscianko’s (2010) “Portrait of Hunger” and excerpts from

Anyone can have an eating disorder. Eating disorders can affect all walks of lives, women, men and even children, no longer is it the stereotypical girl that is affected. The person next to you that seems to have everything together, may be fighting for perfection and may be living with an eating disorder. The more knowledge society has, the more we can help those who battle this disease.

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