The Concept of Anorexia Nervosa - Research Paper Example

Anorexia nervosa Anorexia nervosa has been one of the most talked about eating disorder considering that it has severe weight loss on individuals. The discussion of anorexia nervosa arises from the belief that many individuals especially in the rural areas and the illiterate do not recognize the presence of anorexia nervosa. This brings the need for proper analysis of this disease including the existing cases and the way forward. In order to ensure that people recognize the presence of this disease it is of great importance to hint them on the cases and the effect it has on the individuals. This article highlights on the available reported cases regarding anorexia nervosa besides talking about the possible cases and the ultimate treatment methods. Introduction Anorexia nervosa represents one of the psychiatric disorders which associates with abnormal eating behavior, aggressive weight loss and psychiatric comorbidities (Gila et al, p. 480). Individuals with anorexia nervosa normally faces the fear of eating normally because of the fear of gaining weight. The disease normally have severe effects on individuals. It is often difficult for the individuals to know that they are suffering from the disease thereby furthering the effects of the disease. Because of the fear of gaining weight, the individuals will do anything within their effort to ensure that they have gained weight. Some of the individuals end up starving, while some seek for aggressive physical exercising in order to lose weight. These individuals may feel that they are on their daily efforts of cutting down on their weight, when it is actually anorexia nervosa. They have the feeling that they are perfecting their nature and controlling their body weight which may not be true. The disease is often common on young women who believe that being thing is a perfectionism. The following are some of the facts about anorexia nervosa: Facts about nervosa Statistics shows that the presentation of anorexia nervosa among individuals in the society has been on the increase since the late 1960s with the female constituting gender with higher prevalence. The prevalence in females is 10 to 20 times as regarded in that of male. This statistics provide a background for studying the influence of the disease in the society (Andersen, p. 728). Many of the reported cases in the hospitals also shows that around 90% of the patients admitted because of anorexia nervosa were women. The figures are a good illustration of that women serve as the major individuals susceptible of the disease. The trend on women arises because of the trends of lifestyle that most of the female individuals are likely to live. The statistics also show that among the women, those mostly susceptible of the disease are the women living in upper class besides those in urban societies. They are mostly educated and professionals individuals who are in the peak of exploiting their knowledge. Another striking statistics is that around 5% of the adolescent girls exhibit the symptoms of anorexia nervosa hence bringing to conclusion that the disease can affect an individual irrespective of their ages. Further, the influence of contemporary lifestyle also have considerable effect on the number of young men and adolescent boys being susceptible to the disease. These are surprising facts which must be taken into consideration during the war against the disease. Most of the named individuals in the above statistics do not always recognize the presence of the disease. A study carried in the UK also shows that 1% of women existing within the age bracket of 15-30 years always suffer from nervosa. This is indifferent to the number of men, within the same age group, whose statistics is always varying. Studies also shows that the most susceptible individuals are those who hold unrealistic expectations about their weight. Case presentation from Iraq This is case about MR is a perfect illustration of the experience an individual may have when suffering from anorexia nervosa. MR, a 14 year old was a boy, from Sulimania, living in a middle class family who were a enjoying a good health with no shortage of food. The child was taken to hospital in the year 2010 with the mother complaining that the child refused to eat. The refusal to eat made the child to lose weight while being in a state of general weakness. Her mother noted that the condition of her child began seven months in prior when MR friends began teasing him of plumpness and greedy appetite (Younis & Ali, 1760). To avoid the teasing, he had to restrict on his intake of food, with a subsequent cut down on high calorie foods. Further, he had to involve in extensive exercises with the belief that this was the proper way of cutting weight. The restriction to food intake became a habit with his daily meal being a yogurt cup plus a cucumber piece. This made him to experience a severe headaches, fatigue and vomiting just few weeks before visiting the hospital. The boy had lost 20 kg within four months and was then emaciated with a BMI of 13.0. Historical association of anorexia nervosa Having presented a case for the effect of anorexia nervosa, it is easy to illustrate on the historical and cultural association of the disease. This is a perfect case for the influence of anorexia on individuals as it shows all the dimensions of the disease: from the causes to the effects. The child developed the disorder because of the teasing he receive from his playmates. Social attitudes towards body appearance It is true that the teasing were the main cause of anorexia nervosa in the child. Initially the child had a healthy life with higher appetites which allowed him to eat well. However, due to his plumpness, his friends began teasing him about the shape of his body. This is an implication that the subject society considered plumpness as inappropriate trait that an individuals should not associate with. The negative perception about plumpness in the society is the probable cause of teasing by the friends since they had been born in a society where the plump were considered as outcast (Younis & Ali, p. 1763). This is an illustration of why female individuals are most susceptible to the disease. Girls are often more endangered to teasing as compared to the males who always appear to be hardcore to the sarcastic implications. This means that at the slightest provocation about a girls’s weight, they will always look for ways of reducing weight. Consequently, I would conclude that one of the best ways to reduce the number of anorexia nervosa cases is to manipulate the society into accepting individuals the way they are. This is regardless of their eating habit or weight as this may trigger them into exercising their best ways of acting against the teasing. Biological cases The research carried shows that there is a probability of anorexia nervosa being transferred through genes. About a fifth of individuals with anorexia nervosa have a relative with eating disorder thereby supporting the fact that the disease is inheritable. This means that the parents should always seek medical assistance especially before giving birth to their children in order to avoid the bigger consequences. Family causes Just as seen in the case, MR was coming from a middle class family whereby there was healthy living. He could access every type of food he needed. This could have an indirect cause of the disease on the child since it was the probable cause of plumpness. This is an implication that indivdiuals need to check on their diets in order to avoid cultural and social pressures which may ultimately lead them to practicing unnecessary weight loss. As shown in the statistics, most women who contracted the disease were most likely to be professional and were also wealthy. This means that they can eat any type of food especially junks foods which they always associated with. This is an immediate cause of anorexia nervosa since, without looking out for weight, they would gain weight, thereby probing them into looking for ways of perfecting their looks. Consequently, I would propose that individuals should take care of their weight to avoid becoming overweight which may ultimately lead to anorexia nervosa. Effects of anorexia nervosa As shown in the case, anorexia nervosa normally present much unexpected effects on the subjects. One of the most popular effects of anorexia nervosa is its effects in loss of weight. The subjects normally develops a negative attitude towards eating making them to loss water and the ultimate weight. The restriction to eating is what causes an individual to loss much energy. Food is the main source of energy in the body thereby its absence in the body causes the subject to feel dizzy and general weakness. Further, presence of food in the body is what stimulates most of the activities in the body such as brain and circulatory activities. This means that low levels of food in the body causes the brain to slow on its action thereby leading to slow thinking in the individual who suffers from the disease (Crosscope-Happel, p. 365). The absence of food in the individuals is what causes the individual to develop constipation and bloating. Consequently, it is true that the presence or absence of food does a lot when considering the effect anorexia nervosa. The individuals should consider taking an adequate amount of food in order to prevent the effects of food inadequacy. Further, the fear of gaining weight by the individuals may also interfere with the functioning of the brain. The individual cannot always think right because of the depression that he or she is undergoing. The individuals always feel lonely thereby triggering the moody trait and development of bad memory. The subject may also develop malfunctioning of the heart because of the slow activities in the body consequently leading to heart failure. These factors serve as the main reason why MR was always quiet and moody. Conclusion Anorexia is dangerous disease which when not looked out for, may cause a lot of unexpected deaths. There is need to consider the historical and cultural association of the disease in order to apply proper prevention and treatment. It is important to consider the important facts about nervosa in order to establish proper foundation for fighting against the diseases. The facts established that the female individual are more susceptible to the disease as compared to the male individuals. It is true that the teasing were the main cause of anorexia nervosa in the child. Initially the child had a healthy life with higher appetites which allowed him to eat well. The absence of food in the individuals is what causes the individual to develop constipation and bloating. Consequently, it is true that the presence or absence of food does a lot when considering the effect anorexia nervosa. The individuals should consider taking an adequate amount of food in order to prevent the effects of food inadequacy. Work cited Crosscope-Happel C, Hutchin SDE, Getz HG, Hayes GL: Male anorexia nervosa: A new focus. Journal of mental Health Counselling 2000, 365-370. 22, 4 Younis, Maha & Ali, Maha. Adolescent male with anorexia nervosa: a case report from Iraq. Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health 2012, 6:5 doi:10.1186/1753-2000-6- 5. Gila A, Castro J, Cesena J: Anorexia Nervosa in male adolescents: Body image, eating attitudes and psychological traits. J of Adolescent Health 2005, 479-81. 36, 3 Andersen AE, Yager J: Eating disorders. In Kaplan and Sadocks Synopsis of Psychiatry. 10th edition. Edited by Sadock BJ. Baltimore: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins; 2007:727-29 Crosscope-Happel C, Hutchin SDE, Getz HG, Hayes GL: Male anorexia nervosa: A new focus. Journal of mental Health Counselling 2000, 365-370. 22, 4 Read More