Psychological Disorders/Anorexia

Essay by jopr908University, Bachelor'sB+, August 2010

download word file, 3 pages 0.0

Running head: ANOREXIA NERVOSA � PAGE �1� � PAGE �2�

Anorexia Nervosa

Most people in this world do not give eating a second thought. Actually eating come second nature to most people, basically in the same category as breathing. However, for a handful or people, eating is also known as a major psychological disorder known as anorexia. After research, Harvard's eating disorder center found that there is one out of every one hundred females between the ages of ten and twenty are not eating, or starving themselves and there are over eight million people in the United States who suffer from an eating disorder. Studies that show that 25-30% die due to complications if not treated. There are many different ways that anorexia is executed, to name a few; one may cease all food intake, exercise continuously, as well as misusing laxatives or forcing themselves to vomit after every meal.

Another fact is that anorexia is not just limited to young females, but can also be diagnosed in all sexes and ages. The outcome of anorexia is not only physical but psychological and is a very dangerous disorder.

As an anorexic patient is evaluated, the first thing that is considered is ones childhood as well as their family life. It is found that families of anorexics often times have psychological issue themselves and may have trouble communicating with other people. Even though an anorexics family has some influence on this disorder, the true issue lies inside the patient themselves. Harvard's eating disorder center states that there are certain psychological patterns that characterize an anorexic, almost like this disorder has its own personality. A few signs or patterns of an anorexic include behavior of a perfectionist, love for being thin, and may even show a fear of maturing. The obsession...