Eating Disorders Anorexia Essay Research Paper

Eating Disorders: Anorexia Essay, Research Paper

Eating Disorders: Anorexia

Each year millions of people in the United States are affected by serious and

sometimes life-threatening eating disorders. The vast majority are adolescents

and young adult women. Approximately one percent of adolescents girls develop

anorexia nervosa, a dangerous condition in which they can literally starve

themselves to death. Another two to three percent develop bulimia nervosa, a

destructive pattern of excessive overeating followed by vomiting or other ”

purging ” behaviors to control their weight. These eating disorders also occur

in men and older women , but much less frequently. The consequences of eating

disorders can be severe. For example, one in ten anorexia nervosa leads to death

from starvation, cardiac arrest, or suicide. Fortunately, increasing awareness

of the dangers of eating disorders, sparked by medicall studies and extensive

media coverage, has led many poeple to seek help. Nevertheless, some people with

eating disorders refuse to admit that they have a problem and do not get

treatment. Family and friends can help recognize the problem and encourage the

person to seek treatment.

Anorexia nervosa is a disorder where people intentionally starve themselves. It

usually starts around the time of puberty and involves extreme weight loss.

Sometimes they must be hospitalized to prevent starvation because food and

weight become obsessions. For some, the compulsiveness shows up in strange

eating rituals, some even collect recipes and prepare gourmet feasts for family

and friends. Loss of monthly menstrual periods is typical in women with this

disorder and men with this disorder usually become impotent.

People with bulmia nervosa consume large amounts of food and then rid their

bodies of the excess calories by vomiting, abusing laxatives or excersising

obsessively. Some use a combination of all these forms of purging. Many

individuals with bulimia ” binge and purge ” in secret and maintain normal or

above normal body weight, they can often successfully hide their problem from

others for years. As with anorexia, bulimia typically begins during adolescence.

The condition occurs most often in women but is also found in men. Many

individuals with bulimia, do not seek help until they reach their thirties or

forties. By then, their eating behavior is deeply ingrained and more difficult

to change.

Medical complications can frequently be a result of eating disorders.

Individuals with eating disorders who use drugs to stimulate vomiting, may be in

considerable danger, as this practice increases the risk of heart failure. 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.

Bulimia nervosa patients- even those of normal weight- can severly damage their

bodies by frequet binge eating and purging. In rare instances, binge eating

causes the stomach to rupture, purging may result in heart failure due to loss

of vital minerlas, such a potassium. Vomiting causes other less deadly, but

serios, problems. The acid in vomit wears the outer layer of the teeth and can

cause scarring on the backs of hands when fingers are pushed down the throat to

induce vomiting. Further the esophagus becomes inflamed and glands near the

cheeks become swollen. As in anorexia, bulimia may lead to irregular menstual

periods and interest in sex may also diminish. Some individuals with bulimia

struggle with addictions, including abuse if drugs and alcohol, and compulsive

stealing. Like individuals with anorexia, many people with bulimia suffer from

clinical depression, anxiety obsessive compulsive disorder, and other

psychiatric illnesses. These problems place them at high risk for suicidal

behavior. People who binge eat are usually overweight,so they are

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