Anorexia
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Eating disorders are devastating behavioral maladies brought on by a complex interplay of factors, which may include emotional and personality disorder, family pressure, a possible genetic or biological susceptibility and a culture in which there is an over abundance of food and an obsession with thinness. Eating disorders are generally characterized as bulimia nervosa, anorexia nervosa and eating disorders not other wise specified. According to the World of Psychology anorexia is defined as ” an eating disorder characterized by an overwhelming, irrational fear of being fat, compulsive dieting to the point of self starvation and excessive weight loss.”(World of Psychology
There is no single cause for the eating disorder anorexia but a number of factors including emotional disorders and cultural influences. Researchers have shown that emotional disorders such as depression collaborate in causing anorexia nervosa. This is because most anorexic patients have been found to have abnormal levels of certain neurotransmitters particularly serotonin, that are associated with depression and obsessive compulsive disorder. According to a research conducted by Dr. John .E. Godine of Harvard Medical School ” studies are finding that low blood levels of amino acid tryptophan, a component in food that is essential to the production of serotonin, can produce depression and may also contribute to anorexia nervosa” (Psychology Today
Cultural influences can also cause anorexia as can be seen in most western cultures. The social pressures of western cultures certainly play a major role in triggering eating disorders such as anorexia. On the other hand, advertisers heavily market weight reductions programs and present anorexic young models as the paradigm of sexual desirability and on the other hand again, the media floods the public with ads for junk food. According to the World of Psychology “over the past quarter century, the ideal female figure as portrayed in the media and by fashion and entertainment industries, has become even thinner, often to the point of emancipation”(World of Psychology
The symptoms of anorexia vary since most women with the disorder keep it a secret but the major symptom is the change in size. According to an article from WebMd ” the primary symptom of anorexia is major weight loss from excessive and continuous dieting which may either be restrictive dieting or binge-eating and purging”(www.webmd.com). The feet and hands of the anorexic patient may be cold or swollen sometimes. The stomach is often distressed after eating and is often bloated. Thinking may be confused or slowed, and an anorexic patient may have poor memory and judgment. Again all of these symptoms vary from individuals as could be seen in young women who have diabetes and anorexia. Such people may have a normal weight or even be overweight but still anorexic. A study conducted by Harvard medical school psychiatrist Dr. Theodore .A. Stern concluded, “the most bewildering symptom of anorexia is the distorted body image”(Psychology Today May 96). In another study people with anorexia tended to have an accurate perception of their upper body, but over estimated the size of their abdominal and pelvic area.
There are a lot of complications that could arise from anorexia. Studies of anorexic patients reported death ranging from 4% to 20% (The World of Psychology Page 317). According to the FDA heart disease is the