Anorexia Nervosa and Related Eating Disorders - Term Paper Example

09 April 2008 Eating Disorders Introduction “Mirror, mirror on the wall who is the fattest of them all?” (Thompson,Colleen 2008) When one hears that someone has an eating disorder, the general consensus is that such an individual has a problem with food. However, the reality is that an individual with an eating disorder has a host of deep-seated problems which have a major effect on the daily functioning of that individual’s life (Thompson,Colleen 2008). Eating disorders is an umbrella title that covers disorders such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, compulsive eating, binge eating, pica, body dimorphic disorder, orthorexia nervosa, night eating syndrome, sleep eating disorder, prader-willi syndrome and bigorexia (The Something Fishy Website on Eating Disorders). This paper will focus on bulimia nervosa, anorexia nervosa, compulsive eating and binge eating, the more popular disorders. Thompson 2008 asserts that anorexia nervosa is ‘characterized by a significant weight loss resulting from excessive dieting’. Similar to anorexia nervosa is bulimia nervosa which involves a series of binge eating which may comprise an excessive consumption of calories, or the eating of one forbidden food item. This binge is followed by purging to remove additional calories from the body. Purging may include vomiting, overuse of a laxative, “extreme exercise, fasting, use of diuretics, diet pills and enemas.”(Thompson 2008) Moreover, Thompson 2008 posits that a major factor in the incident of bulimia is low self esteem. In their attempt to secure the approval of others they hide their true feelings, thus, food develops into their main supply of comfort. Thompson also notes that Bulimics are different to the anorexic individual in that they recognize that they have a problem and request help. Compulsive eating appears to be on the other extreme of anorexia and bulimia because entails unmanageable eating and hence results in increase in weight. Food is used as a means of hiding from reality and covering a plethora of problems. Both the bulimic and the compulsive overeater are aware that they have a problem; however, the bulimic attempts purging to solve any weight gain whilst the compulsive overeater attempts to diet. It is this dieting that opens a can of worms. The more the compulsive overeater attempt to diet the more they binge. Binge eating results in the compulsive overeater feeling powerless, useless and guilty hence, Thompson 2008 argues that dieting and bingeing may go on forever unless the reason for the emotional upheaval is resolved. One specific factor in the onslaught of compulsive eating from childhood is the inability to manage stressful situations. Food was used as the major source of stress management. Consequently, fat may be considered a means of hiding from the world. This particularly occurs in individuals who were sexually abused. Interestingly, researchers have found there to be more male overeaters than females. Binge eating refers to the excessive intake of food in “a very short period of time”(Thompson 2008).Binge eating disorder is characterized by consuming large quantities of food in a very short period of time until the individual is uncomfortably full.  Binge eating disorder is much like bulimia except the individuals do not use any form of purging (i.e. vomiting, laxatives, fasting, etc.) following a binge.  Individuals usually feel out of control during a binge episode, followed by feelings of guilt and shame.  Many individuals who suffer with binge eating disorder use food as a way to cope with or block out feelings and emotions they do not want to feel.  Individuals can also use food as a way to numb themselves, to cope with daily life stressors, to provide comfort to themselves or fill a void they feel within.  Like all eating disorders, binge eating is a serious problem but can be overcome through proper treatment. The Factors The public is constantly bombarded by unrealistic images of individuals who appear to be in beautiful, healthy and confident. Interestingly, The Something Fishy Website on Eating Disorders posits that all eating disorders are marked by a low esteem. Many young adolescent women, especially those with low self confidence believe that their looks are responsible for every area of their lives. In particular, they view their every failure as directly related to their looks. Unfortunately, these media images have all been modified by make-up and other artificial means to look “good” in the public eye. Thus, researchers have found that the media helps to promote eating disorders. (Bardick et al. 2004, Faiad, 2006) Other factors influential in the onslaught of eating disorders are maternal and paternal influences, childhood overweight, peer pressure and frequent talking about weight ,to name a few. Researchers posit that two main risk factors of an eating disorder include social pressure to be thin and thin body preoccupation. Further, they have concluded that there is an association between low self esteem and concern with body shape and weight. Hence disturbance of one’s body image is also a risk factor in the development of an eating disorder. (Agras et al, 2006 , Ferraro, 2003, Delinsky and Wilson, 2006, Benninghoven, 2006) Consistent with this idea, Vocks et al, 2007 proposed that “A disturbed body image is a main characteristic of bulimia nervosa and plays an important role in the development and maintenance of the eating disorder.” (6) In direct relation to body image distortion is the concept of body checking behaviors. Body checking is the act of frequently checking aspects of one’s body in a number ways. Mountford, 2003 suggested that body checking behaviors are central to the maintenance of the eating disorders. Researchers have hypothesized that “body checking magnifies perceived imperfections, serving to maintain body size preoccupation” (qtd in Mountford 2). Further, investigators have confirmed that more than half of the individuals with eating disorders revealed that body checking influenced their “sense of self, eating, weight or shape.” (2) In agreement with the critical role of body checking and active avoidance are the conclusions of Delinsky and Wilson. They asserted that the “frequency of body checking and avoidance is associated with the overevaluation of weight and shape among patients.” (7)They claimed that these two concepts maintain patient’s preoccupation and dissatisfaction with their weight and shape. (7) The ANRED website categorized several factors which may lead to the incident of eating disorders. These categories include biological factors, psychological factors, social factors and family factors and cultural pressures. Biological factors refer to the genetic dimensions of individuals which researchers have found to account for ‘56 percent of the risk of developing anorexia nervosa.’ (ANRED) Researchers further suggest that temperament is affected by genetics. One’s genetics influences one’s ability to cope with ‘anxiety, perfectionism, and obsessive-compulsive thoughts and behaviors.’ Furthermore, researchers have discovered that female anorexics may have excess activity in the dopamine receptors which control gratification. Thus, there is a belief that this excessive activity is the reason for the desire to lose weight. However, anorexics receive no enjoyment from losing weight. Examples The theory persistently points to the importance of body image to the development of an eating disorder. The National Eating Disorder Association defines body image as “how you see yourself when you look in the mirror or picture yourself in your mind.” They posit that a negative body image is “a distorted perception of your shape...you feel ashamed, self-conscious, and anxious about your body.” Contrastingly, a positive self image is “a clear true perception of your shape—you see the various parts of your body as they really are.” Hence, there is strong support for the investigation into the effect of mirrors in a treatment clinic. If this hypothesis is in fact true then not only will this concept reduce the individual’s length of stay at a treatment clinic and hence improve the quality of life on an individual level but it would also signal a break through for the treatment of patients with eating disorders, consequently benefitting the overall area of eating disorders and abnormal psychology. Interestingly, there is an abundance of research on the prevention of eating disorders in comparison to the meager quantity on treatment. The National Eating Disorder Association states that there are about “10 million females and I million males” struggling in “a life and death battle with an eating disorder such as anorexia or bulimia. Millions more are struggling with binge eating disorder.” Dissatisfaction with appearance is one of the major risk factors in eating disorders. (Vocks 2007, Thompson 2007, Rosevinge 2002, Agras 2007 and Kowalski 2003) Eating disorders can affect young, old, rich, poor, every colour and every race. The Something Fishy Website researchers state that there are about one percent of female adolescents suffering from anorexia nervosa, about four percent with bulimia (American Family Physician. 2008;77:187-195, 196-197) Works Cited Agras, Stewart,W. Childhood Risk Factors for Thin Body Preoccupation and Social Pressure to be Thin. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. (2007): 46 .2 171-178 Anorexia Nervosa and related Eating Disorders.04 February 2006. 03July 2007. Bardick, Angela, D. et al. Eating Disorder Intervention, prevention, and treatment: Recommendation for School Counselors. Professional school Counseling (2004):8.2 168-175 Ferraro, Richard,F. et al. Processing Fat –Related Information in Individuals at Risk for developing an Eating Disorder. The Journal of Psychology (2003):137.5 467-475 Kowalski, Kathiann, M. Body Image. Current Health. (2003):2 29.7 6-12 National Eating Disorder Association. 2002. 01 July 2007. Rosevinge, Roald, B et al. The Effect of exercise, cognitive therapy, and nutritional counseling in treating bulimia nervosa. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise (2002): 34.2 190-195 The Something Fishy Website on Eating Disorders. 05 July 2007. Thompson, Colleen. 23 May 2007. 01 July 2007. Vocks, S. et al. Static and Dynamic Body Image in Bulimia Nervosa: Mental Representation of Body Dimensions and Biological Motion Patterns. International Journal of Eating Disorders (2007):40.1 59–66 Anorexia Nervosa and Related Eating Disorders, Inc. Read More