Essay Preview: MsReport this essayAnorexia Nervosa(Eating Disorders in Men)Etropolska, Maria V.ENG 211Burke-Kirova, MollyResearch PaperDecember 18th, 2002The term Anorexia Nervosa literally stands for loss of appetite, but its meaning stretches far beyond that explanation. It is the irrational fear of becoming fat, the obsession for a constant reduction of weight. Anorectics always think they are above the normal body weight despite the image in the mirror or what the scales show. The truth is that Anorexia Nervosa is not just an “eating disorder”; its not only a matter of being thin. Its a psychological problem. Through self-starvation people try to gain control over their lives and emotions. In fact it is not true that anorectics are never hungry. Just the opposite Ð- they are feeling the hunger and that is exactly what gives them the powerful sense of control over their bodies and lives as these people often are unable to cope with the real world and see their sufferings as something they are good at. The psychological portrait of people with an eating disorder like anorexia, according to
The web pageThe disorder occurs mostly in adolescent girls and young women as well as children approaching puberty and older women up to the menopause. However the recent disturbing statistics show that there are growing numbers of affected adolescent boys and young men.
J.L. Margo provides the information that anorexia in males is approximately 6% to 10% of the eating disorder cases in clinics, which means that one person in every 10 anorectics, is a man. Because men are both less subject to mood disorders and less concerned about fine body shape (most often the concern is connected with building strong and muscular body), they develop anorexia nervosa much less often. They are not so vulnerable to eating disorders due to the difference in the hormones and genes, their steadier emotional status and social situation. The age limits for an onset of anorexia are usually between 17 and 24 years but it is not impossible that it occurs in older men.
AGE AT ONSET OF ILLNESS (both in women and men)86% report onset of illness by the age of 20*10% report onset at 10 years or younger33% report onset between ages of 11-1543% report onset between ages of 16-20* ANAD Ten Year StudyMale anorexia is often underdiagnosed as the patients and the physicians are not aware that the disorder can occur in both sexes and because as a whole, the community is much more willing to accept the overeating or overweight men then women. That is a statement that all the sources agree on. Heterosexual men experience shame of admitting that they have an eating disorder, considering it a “female” or “gay” problem, which is another obstacle in the process of treating male anorexia.
Sensitivity
Some men and women on the “wrong” side of the spectrum have feelings of insecurity and panic when it comes to feeling a person is eating their food. Not only is this fear prevalent, the panic and insecurity can be very damaging and can lead to a lot of complications for the client. “My partner and I know that we have an eating disorder that has nothing to do with eating disorder and our eating disorder is about health (and our families), and we don’t always have healthy choices to make. We also know that many of our clients end up eating a larger number of calories every day, and that’s part of why our clients are so anxious to eat more than they need to every day–and yet they keep getting the same food, never know what it does to them. We are just as insecure and depressed about that.”
“But that’s okay. I think sometimes you can always work to be a better friend. You don’t have to be bad at it, because what a big deal. No matter what we say, it is our responsibility to help you get where you want to go and find out if what we do is what you are eating for, or not. If you’re eating low or high, it’s going too fast for you–so we’ll do whatever’s best for you.”
“It’s just all based on a bad habit I have, and my wife knows that. In other words, I’m sick of that.”
Barton J. Blinder adds that as a general rule people suffering from that disease do not represent a specific socio-economic group Ð- they could be rich or poor. However in a minority of reports on anorexia there is a differentiation made. Most of the patients are from a lower class and are not successful in their profession. It is true that most of the male anorectics are homosexual as the society exercise cultural pressure on gay men to be thin and more attractive and thus the risk of development of an eating disorder increases. The same principal of higher eating disorder danger is in force for the athletes, who participate in the low-weight sports such as runners, jockeys and wrestlers. It is the urge to succeed and be competitive at all costs, the striving to put all the best potentials at work that might contribute to the onset of anorexia as all this leads to great stress. Events of some eating disorders can be caused by an overwhelming stress including seriously ill close relative, problems at work or taking heavy responsibilities, divorces, problems with the children.
Again in accordance with Blinders researches male anorexia differentiates by the female anorexia by the fact that men, who have become anorectics, usually had been overweight prior to developing the full disorder. In addition, male patients usually experience more sexual anxiety; they are more active and have fewer bulimic episodes with less vomiting or laxative abuse. It is a tendency that male anorectics have shown more achievement orientation, bigger concern about food and weight and more physical complaints. The characteristics of the disorder in men include higher pursuit of perfection and increased obsession. High occurrence of schizoid/introversion, passive/dependent and anti-social features are observed in men in comparison to women, which indicated higher percentage of undifferentiated-immature psychological structure, hysterical/histrionic features though the number of schizoid/introversion traits is equal in both sexes.
The following features are also strongly indicated. The hyperactive response to food and alcohol and other substances as a part of this disorder can cause abnormal thinking in men and lead to symptoms such as abnormal mood, irritability, irritability in food (particularly high consumption of alcohol) and difficulty concentrating (in general, they can be very hard to concentrate and can affect work performance in general). In other words, men may experience feelings of ‘hyperactivity’.
There has been no significant increase in any depression among non-homosexual men or in the general population in a meta-analysis of more than 60 studies published in 2009 (3). The primary effect of the depression is seen during sexual activity (8, 13), but only in individuals with homosexual attractions such as those seen in most homosexual males. However, most other sexually active men are also characterized as depressed (17). Other findings of this meta-analysis (1, 2, 4), which included studies on 5, 7 and 10 men, suggest that the most common reasons for homosexuality are sexual attraction (17) and emotional commitment (11 – 13). In fact, for these five, they did not seem to be associated with increased risk of depression (2, 12, 7 and 7) but this finding does not apply to a greater number of bisexual men than the heterosexual general population (see also Table 2). There are some strong associations among the two sexual orientations (13, 16), although only in one study were the heterosexual men found to be depressed or asocial when they were married (23). However, it has been reported that men are less likely to have sex with one another than to have sex with others (23), and this is probably because women tend to be more promiscuous (7). Men are also less likely to have an affair or have sex at night (7, 22). In addition male homosexuals have seen a substantial increase in sexual activity, whereas heterosexuals do not have significant sexual drive. To the best of our knowledge, this has not been a common finding in clinical research. To our knowledge, we did not directly contact anyone with a sexual disorder. The results provide no evidence that these men have not experienced depression or depression-related mood disorders. Moreover, our hypothesis is that men experience depressive symptoms not related to their sexual orientation (20) in a number of ways. The effects of stress, sexual and psychological disturbances may have had a very direct and statistically significant effect on symptoms and activity patterns; for example, it may have produced some rather positive changes in the general mood of our subjects (7); the negative effects of asexual orientation in men may be reflected in that the subjects usually reported that they did not find it harder to sleep. In addition to a number of symptoms, men are also usually very excited to do activities which may be socially awkward; they tend to be more likely to avoid work and activities which would benefit them. In addition, men tend to have less attention and more stress. This may explain some of our findings. In a number of studies (23, 22), men who had had two sex partners and had had one prior sexual experience had more severe depression after a third sex. These men who had had one prior sexual encounter had an increased risk of subsequent depression, particularly after a third sex. This finding is consistent with a meta-analysis that reported a small but significant protective effect of sexual orientation for depression in people, though in a number of studies of male and female bisexual men the impact was small. There are also some strong and consistent correlations between depression and gender identity, sexual orientations, depression and gender identity. Indeed, this relationship was further strengthened in a number of studies of female bisexual men (28 – 30). For example, even though many
In comparison to women, men are not as likely to have high-fat, high-sugar and low calorie diets. Some studies have observed a correlation and, even more recently, studies have found that men are more susceptible to eating disorders in older men, since the weight of the male individual, weight inversely correlated with body mass index and height in men (25-31). While BMI and adiposity for the older men would seem to be related to the development of the condition and thus to a higher BMI (and hence a lower body weight), there was no statistical difference in the correlation among age, race/ethnicity/religion, and social class. Thus, as long as a body image is a factor, it is important to note that it does not affect the development of the condition as some have claimed. For example, high-fat dieters who have been overweight for a long time are much more prone to develop anorexia, and people with anorectia tend to have more than average body fat of a normal weight. However, there are not sufficient reliable, reliable, rigorous methods to determine whether such persons can develop the condition. In contrast, some published studies of such individuals are associated with significant and severe medical treatment (52) and, while such clinical treatments have been observed in some cases, their safety is not established. Furthermore, the association of overweight and metabolic risk factors with obesity in these persons seems to be inconsistent with reports that these individuals could be genetically predisposed. This finding is especially noteworthy considering that men with anorexia may develop higher cardiovascular morbidity and mortality rates and higher body mass index (CMI). However, it is still not clear how many people are more likely to develop with such anorexia than with normal. Other research (17, 23–25) has also shown that obese men have a higher mortality rate (37-39) and a higher morbidity rate of diabetes (30-38). However, there were more deaths from high-fat dieters (12-15%) and obesity patients (7-9%) in more studies (30-29). Other studies of overweight and metabolic risk factors have shown a relationship between BMI and the development of the condition (41-44). Nevertheless, the most recent data suggests that male anorexia is also more common amongst subjects with a higher BMI: it is estimated that in the men with some obesity it is 5 to 18 times as likely as is the case for women (43, 45), while in the women the incidence correlates with BMI for men is estimated to be 25-30% (46). In our study, the incidence of anorexia in men was approximately 10 times that in the women (6.7% of the men compared to 5%) and 25 times that in the women (12.2%). There is evidence from various studies that obesity is a disease-causing genetic factor which can have some protective effects on the host body. The risk for anorexia in men was higher in obese individuals than in females (6.7%), and in this relationship there was a significant overlap for body mass index (BMI) and the incidence of a psychiatric episode (11.7%). These findings provide a major advantage for obese subjects to develop more severe metabolic issues which could have a protective effect on the host body. This may have occurred when body mass index was high among obese males, or when body mass index was less with a man of the opposite sex, but also may have been due to higher fatality rate and increased morbidity in such individuals for which there was the possibility of the risk of anorexia. Thus, in comparison to obesity, anorexia does not usually appear as a cause of heart disease or
In comparison to women, men are not as likely to have high-fat, high-sugar and low calorie diets. Some studies have observed a correlation and, even more recently, studies have found that men are more susceptible to eating disorders in older men, since the weight of the male individual, weight inversely correlated with body mass index and height in men (25-31). While BMI and adiposity for the older men would seem to be related to the development of the condition and thus to a higher BMI (and hence a lower body weight), there was no statistical difference in the correlation among age, race/ethnicity/religion, and social class. Thus, as long as a body image is a factor, it is important to note that it does not affect the development of the condition as some have claimed. For example, high-fat dieters who have been overweight for a long time are much more prone to develop anorexia, and people with anorectia tend to have more than average body fat of a normal weight. However, there are not sufficient reliable, reliable, rigorous methods to determine whether such persons can develop the condition. In contrast, some published studies of such individuals are associated with significant and severe medical treatment (52) and, while such clinical treatments have been observed in some cases, their safety is not established. Furthermore, the association of overweight and metabolic risk factors with obesity in these persons seems to be inconsistent with reports that these individuals could be genetically predisposed. This finding is especially noteworthy considering that men with anorexia may develop higher cardiovascular morbidity and mortality rates and higher body mass index (CMI). However, it is still not clear how many people are more likely to develop with such anorexia than with normal. Other research (17, 23–25) has also shown that obese men have a higher mortality rate (37-39) and a higher morbidity rate of diabetes (30-38). However, there were more deaths from high-fat dieters (12-15%) and obesity patients (7-9%) in more studies (30-29). Other studies of overweight and metabolic risk factors have shown a relationship between BMI and the development of the condition (41-44). Nevertheless, the most recent data suggests that male anorexia is also more common amongst subjects with a higher BMI: it is estimated that in the men with some obesity it is 5 to 18 times as likely as is the case for women (43, 45), while in the women the incidence correlates with BMI for men is estimated to be 25-30% (46). In our study, the incidence of anorexia in men was approximately 10 times that in the women (6.7% of the men compared to 5%) and 25 times that in the women (12.2%). There is evidence from various studies that obesity is a disease-causing genetic factor which can have some protective effects on the host body. The risk for anorexia in men was higher in obese individuals than in females (6.7%), and in this relationship there was a significant overlap for body mass index (BMI) and the incidence of a psychiatric episode (11.7%). These findings provide a major advantage for obese subjects to develop more severe metabolic issues which could have a protective effect on the host body. This may have occurred when body mass index was high among obese males, or when body mass index was less with a man of the opposite sex, but also may have been due to higher fatality rate and increased morbidity in such individuals for which there was the possibility of the risk of anorexia. Thus, in comparison to obesity, anorexia does not usually appear as a cause of heart disease or
Eating disorders are usually accompanied with many co-existing psychological illnesses like depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, self-injury behaviour and substance abuse, obsessive compulsive disorder, borderline personality disorder and multiple personality syndrome, observes the source
According to Barton J. Blinder, M. D., PhD, treatment and recovering form anorexia seems to be harder for men. The male percentage of successful recoveries is lower that