Eating Disorders

What You Didnt Know; Eating Disorders

Ciera Bradley, Kristin Breding, and Devree Richhart SLCC English ! !

Eating Disorders

"he #reconceived notion that #eo#le who su$$er with eating disorders are all e%tre&ely s'inny, is e%ce#tionally inaccurate( "here are &any di$$erent $or&s o$ eating disorders such as anore%ia, )uli&ia, o)esity, and ED*+S( "he e%tre&es vary in severities de#ending on the #erson and their individual situation( ,eo#le assu&e $alse $acts a)out eating disorders )ecause they are e%tre&ely &isunderstood( When #eo#le recogni-e what it &eans to su$$er with anore%ia, )uli&ia, ED*+S, or o)esity, they can )egin to co&#rehend the severity o$ these issues that society is $aced with( Anorexia Nervosa .nore%ia nervosa is an eating disorder characteri-ed )y e%cessive weight loss, sel$/starvation, and it can )e #otentially li$e/threatening( "hose who su$$er with anore%ia nervosa are at least 01 )elow their average )ody weight( "he lac' o$ $ood causes a)nor&ally slow heart rates, low )lood #ressure, severe dehydration, &uscle loss, and reduction o$ )one density, dry hair2s'in, hair loss, and growth o$ a downy layer o$ hair( Sy&#to&s o$ anore%ia nervosa include3 the loss o$ &enstrual #eriods $or $e&ales, denial o$ a serious illness, as well as a distorted )ody i&age( .nore%ia nervosa can da&age vital organs such as the heart, )rain, and 'idneys( "he s'in )eco&es yellow as the hair and nails )eco&e )rittle( 4*utritional de#rivation also leads to decreased )rain volu&e which can cause changes in a #ersons thin'ing( 5n the worst/case scenario, #eo#le with anore%ia can actually starve the&selves to death6 7.nore%ia *ervosa 8*.95:, ;! <=( >ood, eating, and weight control )eco&e an o)session $or those who su$$er with anore%ia( 5t is their re$usal to eat that &a'es this disease so deadly( >ear o$ eating and gaining weight is the cause o$ this re$usal( "hese #eo#le want to )e in total control and

Eating Disorders the $ear o$ losing that control is un)eara)le( "hey usually have odd eating ha)its, which include, re?ecting to eat in $ront o$ others and &a'ing &eals that they dont end u# eating( Every &o&ent o$ the day is consu&ed with the thought o$ their ne%t encounter with $ood( 4. #erson with anore%ia constantly thin's a)out $ood@ there is always the atte&#t to try to control eating )ecause o$ the $ear o$ gaining weight@ the individual with anore%ia has an a##etite; he2she ?ust tries to control it6 7.nore%ia *ervosa 8.*.D:, ;! <=( But this $ear is not the only contri)uting $actor( .nore%ia nervosa is a &ental illness( . co&)ination o$ genetics and their environ&ent can lead to anore%ia( "he neurotrans&itters in their )rains do not usually $unction #ro#erly; these include nore#ine#hrine and serotonin( "he &entality o$ the hu&an )eing #lays a large role, as well as stress, de#ression, and vulnera)ility( 9any #eo#le with this disease are not ?ust the ones you would e%#ect( .##ro%i&ately A!/A01 o$ #eo#le who su$$er with anore%ia nervosa are $e&ale while (!0/ 1 o$ .&erican wo&en has this disease( 45t #redo&inately a$$ects adolescent girls and young adult wo&en, although it also occurs in )oys, &en, older wo&en, and younger girls6 7.nore%ia *ervosa 8*.95:, ;! <=( "here$ore it is &ore co&&on $or $e&ale teenagers to )eing dealing with anore%ia nervosa( Wo&en o$ all ethnicities and socioecono&ic )ac'grounds are struggling with anore%ia des#ite the stereoty#ical )elie$ that only u##er/&iddle/class Caucasian $e&ale are su$$erers( .)out 0/;!1 o$ individuals that have anore%ia nervosa will die 7.nore%ia *ervosa 8*ED.:, ;! <=( Since anore%ia nervosa is a &ental illness, it is )est $or #atients to see a s#ecialist( "here are no set treat&ents $or this illness although it is i&#ortant to get )e diagnosed to initiate a treat&ent #lan( 9ost #atients $irst ste# to recovery )egins with getting their

Eating Disorders )ody to a #ro#er and healthy #hysical state( So&e &ay reBuire hos#itali-ation )ut not all cases are this e%tre&e( 5t is hard to co&#letely overco&e this disease )ecause o$ its on going sy&#to&s( "hera#y can hel# these #atients to co&e to ter&s with their conditions( "hera#y &ethods such as Dialectical )ehavior thera#y and Cognitive )ehavioral thera#y teach co#ing s'ills and ways to alter unhealthy )ody i&ages( 9ost #atients are advised to ?oin grou# thera#y as it gives the& a sa$e #lace to e%#ress their situations( .nore%ia nervosa can )e deadly, )ut with the #ro#er hel#, recovery is #ossi)le( Eating Disorders Not Otherwise Specified Li'e anore%ia and )uli&ia &any #eo#le have no #rior 'nowledge as to what ED*+S is and how it a$$ects the #eo#le who su$$er with it( ED*+S stands $or eating disorders not otherwise s#eci$ied( "his disease is one o$ the least 'nown eating disorders( 5t has )een studied the least there$ore it has the least a&ount o$ direct treat&ent( ,eo#le who su$$er with ED*+S generally have the sa&e sy&#to&s o$ those with anore%ia and2or )uli&ia( "hese sy&#to&s include the negative thoughts, $eelings, and )ehaviors associated with so&eone anore%ic or )uli&ic( 9a?or di$$erences )etween so&eone who su$$ers with ED*+S and so&eone who su$$ers with anore%ia include situations where wo&en su$$ering with ED*+S do not have a loss o$ &enstrual #eriods as #eo#le with anore%ia do( ED*+S #atients could )e diagnosed with all o$ the sy&#to&s o$ anore%ia nervosa e%ce#t, notwithstanding &a?or weight loss, the #ersons weight is still in the average range( ED*+S also covers a wide )ase o$ criteria; $or e%a&#le, a #erson who has &ost o$ the sy&#to& $or )uli&ia nervosa can technically )e considered ED*+S( "hat is, i$ they indulge in )inge eating and #urging )ut it occurs at &ost twice a wee' or lasts less than a </&onth s#ans( Binge/

Eating Disorders eating disorder can )e categori-ed as ED*+S due to 4ina##ro#riate co&#ensatory )ehaviors characteristic o$ )uli&ia nervosa6 7CEating disorder not,C ;! <=( "his &eans that a #erson does not eat su$$icient a&ount o$ $ood over a #eriod o$ ti&e( "hen to &a'e u# $or it they over/eat and )inge, usually on unhealthy and unwholeso&e $oods( .lthough there are $ew studies done concerning ED*+S, assess&ents are &ade that three out o$ $our eating disorders that are treated $or are accounted to ED*+S( Signs o$ ED*+S would also include, a #erson who is constantly worried a)out $ood and their weight( 5t #ertains to the restriction o$ eating or $inding ways to co&#ensate $or eating, whether it is in e%ercising or in #urging( "here are &any serious health co&#lications that are a$$iliated with ED*+S #atients( Dehydration is a &ain issue, in such, &any #eo#le who do not #ro#erly nourish their )odies )eco&e e%tre&ely dehydrated at a ra#id #ace( Deart co&#lications and a ru#turing sto&ach are so&e o$ the &ore dangerous conseBuences associated with ED*+S( Sudden deaths have occurred on account o$ those su$$ering with ED*+S( 5n general, 4low )lood #ressure, slower heart rate, disru#tion o$ hor&ones, )one growth@6 7CEating disorder not,C ;! <= and &a?or &ental and e&otional issues also arise in victi&s that su$$er with ED*+S( Because ED*+S is not a well 'now disorder there is not &uch 'nowledge concerning what causes it, the treat&ents availa)le, and how to #revent it( Eeneral treat&ent $or any given ty#e o$ eating disorders would )e the wisest decision when loo'ing $or a solution( Obesity

Eating Disorders +)esity is a &a?or eating disorder that a$$ects #hysical and &ental health( 9cLennan states, 4"he de$inition o$ o)esity relates to the )ody &ass inde% 7B95=( Children a)ove the F0th #ercentile are classi$ied as overweight and those a)ove the A0th #ercentile are o)ese(6 De#ression is a co&&on side e$$ect $ro& )eing o)ese( 4+ne recent study $ound that overall, o)ese individuals have a ;! #ercent elevated ris' o$ de#ression, and s#eci$ically $or Caucasian college/educated #eo#le with o)esity, the de#ression ris' rises to as high as GG #ercent6 7Engstro&, ;! <=( +)esity a$$ects each individual in &any di$$erent ways )ecause it not only shortens their li$e, )ut it is also hard on the heart( 4+)ese youth are &ore li'ely to have ris' $actor $or cardiovascular disease, such as high cholesterol or high )lood #ressure6 7Childhood +)esity >acts, ;! <=( Children are )eing a$$ected )y this $rightening disorder( 5n general, o)esity signi$ies that a #erson is overweight and can )e an e%cessive eater( 49any .&ericans dont 'now $at can cause cancer, in$ertility@6 7CBS 5nteractive 5nc(, ;! <=( Body $at can e$$ect re#roduction( Wo&en who are o)ese and still ovulate nor&ally are less li'ely to )eco&e #regnant than those o$ an average )ody &ass( +)esity can raise the ris' o$ cancer( "he &ore overweight an individual is, the higher the ris' o$ o)taining &ulti#le ty#es o$ cancers( >at tissues #roduce estrogen; high levels o$ estrogen can )e )een correlated with the ris' o$ )reast, endo&etrial, and other cancers( +)ese #eo#le can over #roduce insulin, which causes the #ancreas to wor' harder resulting in the develo#&ent o$ certain tu&ors( Due to a childs o)esity they can o$ten )e neglected( So&e #arents $ind it di$$icult to care $or these children since they loo' di$$erent $ro& other children( 4So&e #arents cant #rovide the treat&ent $or their &or)idly o)ese 'ids so they dont #ay $or the treat&ent and #retend li'e there is nothing wrong( "hat is child

Eating Disorders neglect6 7He$$erson, ;! !=( +)esity is a #hysical and &ental disorder that increases the sorrow o$ those who are a$$ected( "here is &ore to anore%ia, )uli&ia, ED*+S, and o)esity than what &eets the eye( 5t isnt always evident as to who &ay )e su$$ering with these eating disorders( 5n $act, the &a?ority o$ the #o#ulation in the Inited States endures living with eating disorders( "hese diseases can )e very serious and can cause death( ,revention includes &edical treat&ent and thera#y where &any o$ these illnesses can )e overco&e( +ver all, the )est way to #revent anore%ia, )uli&ia, ED*+S, and o)esity is awareness( .s long as #eo#le 'now the a$$ects o$ these disease, how to hel# those who su$$er with the&, and how to o)tain hel# i$ they are su$$ering, then these eating disorders can )e #revented(

Eating Disorders

Re$erence sheet3
.nore%ia *ervosa 8.*.D:( 7;! <=( Retrieved $ro& http://www.anad.org/getinfor ation/abo!t-eating-disorders/anorexia-nervosa/" gc#id$%&'f()*#i+s%,-phfgod.DwA/.nore%ia *ervosa 8*ational .lliance on 9ental 5llness:( 7;! <=( Retrieved $ro& htt#322www(na&i(org2"e&#late(c$&J sectionKByL5llnessMte&#lateK2Content9anage&ent2ContentDis#lay(c$&MConte nt5DKNG!A .nore%ia *ervosa 8*ational Eating Disorders .ssociation:( 7;! <=( Retrieved $ro& htt#322www(nationaleatingdisorders(org2anore%ia/nervosa Child o)esity $acts( 7;! <, Dece&)er G=( Retrieved $ro& htt#322www(cdc(gov2healthyyouth2o)esity2$acts(ht& Eating disorder not otherwise s#eci$ied 7ednos=( 7;! <, Dece&)er !;=( Retrieved $ro& htt#322www(na&i(org2"e&#late(c$&J SectionKByL5llnessMte&#lateK2Content9anag&ent2ContentDis#lay(c$&MConten t5DKO0FGA Engstro&, D( 7;! <=( +)esity and de#ression( Retrieved $ro& htt#322www(o)esityaction(org2educational/resources2resource/articles/;2o)esity/ related/diseases2o)esity/and/de#ression *.( 7;! <, Hanuary N=( +)esity survey suggests &any a&ericans donPt 'now $at can cause cancer, in$ertility ( Retrieved $ro& htt#322www(c)snews(co&2news2o)esity/survey/suggests/&any/a&ericans/dont/ 'now/$at/can/cause/cancer/in$ertility2 "ho&as, H( 7;!!A, 9ay=( "he relationshi# )etween eating disorder not otherwise s#eci$ied 7ednos= and o$$icially recogni-ed eating disorders( Retrieved $ro& htt#322www(nc)i(nl&(nih(gov2#u)&ed2 A<NA!;< Whitney, C( 9( 7;! <, Hanuary F=( What A<1 o$ a&ericans dont 'now3 +)esity raises cancer ris' ( Retrieved $ro& htt#322www(#sychologytoday(co&2)log2nourish2;! <! 2what/A</a&ericans/ don/t/'now/o)esity/raises/cancer/ris'