Eating Disorders in Women - Coursework Example

Eating Disorders in Women Introduction Eating disorders are common health care all over the globe. The National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health (2004) reveals that there has been an increase in the number of persons affected by eating disorders over the last 60 years, globally. They are most common amongst women as compared to men. According to National Association of Anorexia Nervosa, it is tricky for a person to agree to that they are suffering from an eating disorder. The mortality rate for individuals suffering from eating disorders is the most prevalent of all psychiatric disease. Individuals suffering from eating disorders are 12 times likely to die in advance of time as contrast to individuals without eating disorders. This shows that eating disorders are a very serious health care and need to be handled more seriously (Micali, et.al, 2013). Types of eating disorders There are three, major categories of eating disorders depending on their features. They comprise Anorexia nervosa, Bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorders. Anorexia nervosa is characterized by an individual’s refusal to maintain a minimum body weight of 85% of the healthy body weight, additionally, the person have an intense fear to add weight and has distorted self body perception. It is frequently accompanied by amenorrhea (lack of menstrual periods) in most women. Majority of the victims affected by these disorders tend to deny having an eating problem (Roberto Olivardia et.al, 2008). Bulimia nervosa is characterized by recurring episodes of binge eating. The binge eating occurs as being out of control. This is often followed by regular purging, or does excessive exercises in order to avoid gaining weight. The victim may also undergo prolonged sessions of fasting in order to evade gaining weight. Moreover, the victim persistently over-concerned about weight gain and body shape. An individual is pronounced to have bulimia nervosa if they exercise at least two episodes of binge eating and purging/excessive exercise/fasting within a week, for the period of at least three months. Binge eating disorder, unlike bulimia nervosa, is characterized by uncontrollable binge eating. In this case, the casualty does not have any compensatory behaviors such as purging, fasting or over-exercising. The victim often consumes very large amounts of food, and they feel that they are not in control during the eating. More often than not, the victim feels a lot of shame after their episode of binge eating (National Association of Anorexia Nervosa, 2011) Prevalence and Mortality Rate of Eating Disorders According to Micali, et.al (2013), between 2000 and 2009, there has been an increase in eating disorders in the United Kingdom. Every year there are around 4000 new cases diagnosed. One in every 500 hundred girls in the United Kingdom is predicted to develop an eating disorder in her lifetime. It is also evident that 62.6 per 100,000 women suffer from eating disorders, while only 7.1 per 100,000 men suffer from eating disorder in the United Kingdom. On the other hand according to the National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health (2004), an estimate of 9% of the people living in United Kingdom is affected by eating disorders according to the same association. An estimate of 15% of women in Britain experience eating disorders during their lifespan. In the United Kingdom, anorexia nervosa as well as bulimia nervosa affects approximately 2% to 4% of the total population of the continent. Other eating disorders, which are not, specified account for an additional 5.02% of the total population. Approximately 28% of the women in the United Kingdom have undiagnosed eating disorders it is estimated that 85-95% of all the people suffering from anorexia nervosa as well as bulimia nervosa are female. Additionally, 65% of those suffering from binge eating disorder are females (Micali, et.al, 2013). According to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders, eating disorders are the leading cause of death amongst all other mental illness. According to a study conducted by the same association, young women suffering from anorexia are 12 times more likely to die as match up to people their age. Moreover, 5-10% of the people suffering from anorexia die within ten years of getting the disease, while 18-20% dies within 20 years and only 30 to 40% of the victims recover fully for the disorders. The mortality rate of anorexia nervosa is said to be 12 time higher than the death rates of all other causes of mortality for females aged between 15 and 24 years.(Ian Halperin, 2001). Causes of Eating Disorders Eating disorders are beyond just food. Though there is no specific cause of eating disorders, they are often believed to be as a result of other disorders. Other predisposing factors include culture, family history, biological cusses to name but a few (Roberto Olivardia et.al, 2008). Personality disorders such as Body Dysmorphic Disorder may cause an individual to have a wrong understanding about him/her. It may be either actual or an illusion. An individual may see their body as being disfigured to imaginary weight. In an effort to shed off the additional weight, the person may end up not eating, practicing purging behaviors or even over exercising (Roberto Olivardia et.al, 2008). Culture is said to have a strong influence on the occurrence of eating disorders because some couture’ promote a certain body image. For example, in the American society, women who are slender and tall are perceived as having a high amount of self-control and disciplines. In order to achieve the so called beauty, and sense of self control, many women within such society indulge themselves in minimal eating and slowly by slowly they start acquiring diseases such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa in the name of gaining a good body shape(Ian Halperin,2011). Emotional disorders such as depressions and anxiety can drive an, person into acquiring an eating disorder in several ways. To begin with, some people fast in order to feel as if they are in control of their lives. By denying their body some food, they feel as if they are achieving their goals better. For example, some people use food as a source of reward or punishment to their body. In case somebody wants to achieve a set goal or is anxious about achieving a set objective, then they deny their body some food until they achieve the set goal. Failure to achieve the goal results to more punishment by not feeding the body at all. With due time, the person may find themselves affected by some eating disorder (Judge & Bono, 2007). Biologic factors may also cause eating disorders. For instance, hormonal factors/changes may affect the manner in which an individual respond to food. Other chemicals in the human brain say also affect the development and recovery from eating disorders. History of a person suffering from any eating disorder within a family lineage is a predisposing factor to acquiring an eating disorder within the same family. Complications of Eating Disorders Individuals anguish from eating disorders lead to suffer not only corporeal complications, but also emotional problems. Eating disorders may have a long term impairment of individual’s social and functional responsibilities (Roberto Olivardia et.al, 2008). Some of the complexities that can come from starving and excessive fasting include amenorrhea/ absence of the menstrual cycle due to body’s lack of adequate nutrients. This may lead to other complications such as infertility due to irregular of lack of periods. Secondly, such fasting may lead to bone disease such as osteoporosis. Vomiting and extreme fasting may lead to electrolyte imbalance, which may end up leading to fatigue and demised kidney reflexes kidney damage and cardiac arrest and even death. It may also lead to cognitive impairment (Roberto Olivardia et.al, 2008). Complications from purging methods: Vomiting may lead to electrolyte imbalance which can lead to cardiac arrest as well as death, abdominal pain, dehydration, toothaches, tears in the esophagus and headaches. Use of diuretics as a purging method may lead to electrolyte imbalance, muscle weakness and muscle cramping headaches and fatigue. Use of laxatives as a purging method may lead to electrolyte imbalance, constipation fatigue and muscle weakness (Roberto Olivardia et.al, 2008). Intervention for Eating Disorders Eating disorders need to be treated using a multi-disciplinary approach. There is a need for the medical team, which is inclusive of medical Doctors, nutritionists, mental health clinician’ counsellors and psychologists. The treatment should actively involve the patient as well as his or her family members. There are different approaches to this, but the main thing is to use a multidisciplinary approach and to actively involve the family of the affected individual as well as the patient in an active manner. It also calls for respect to the patients’ beliefs and culture, as well as personality (National Association of Anorexia Nervosa, 2011). Support groups can be very effective while treating an individual with eating disorders. The person may need toll; be introduced to other people with a similar disorder. This will help the client to understand their condition faster as compared to treating the patient in alone manner. It gives the patient an opportunity to cooperate with other people who are affected and learn better tips on how they speeding their recovery process. Support groups help reduce suicidal attempts and tendencies as it helps the patient appreciate themselves better and be grateful for the fact that they are not suffering from extraordinary problem. It also helps the patient cope with the stigma that comes from the society against people with eating disorders (Margaret McKenna, 2008). Group therapy can also be very effective in treating individuals with eating disorders. Like any other mental disorder, a group therapy is conducted through several group meetings. The clinician in this case acts as a facilitator during the discussion and tries to engage all the members actively. He/she poses questions that act as a start of the discussion, and then let the victims make their own contributions. The preceding topic of discussion comes as the team members continue with the discussion. The facilitator controls those who are too verbal, without humiliating them and tries to make the less verbal and shy members contribute onwards the topic at hand more freely (Margaret McKenna, 2008). Guidance and counselling can also be a very effective way of helping the victims of eating disorders can cope with their disorder and recover fully from the something can be done by a professional counsellor or a psychologist. The counsellor or psychologist listens keenly to the victim without showing any judgment to the victim. He/she then tries to identify the real cause of the problem and the trigger of the eating disorder. In the case the disorder is caused by personality disorders, emotional disorders or any other cause which the counsellor is in a position to support, then they render they are help(Judge & Bono,2007). During a counseling session, the person doing the counseling should help the victim see that there is a problem that has lethal consequences and require to be dealt with as fast as possible. The counsellor makes the victim identify the consequences of such a problem and the variety of solutions that can be available to the victim. The victim is then left to make their own decision on the option they think best suits them (Roberto Olivardia et.al 2008). Family support is also very vital during the recovery process of the patient. The family members should be actively involved and well educated about the victim’s condition and the development of the illness as well as the treatment therapy put in place to ensure quick recovery of the victim. The family members have a big role to play especially when it comes to financial support and psychological support. They should also shield the client from victimizations that may be coming from outside and make them appreciate the fact that their condition is just like any other condition and anybody can acquire it and recover fully from the same. (Margaret McKenna, 2008). Medical help is also very imperative during the treatment of victims of eating disorders. The medical partners should play a role in diagnosing the primary problem and its actual cause. They ought to also be in a situation to identify any other complications which could be resulting from the primary disorders. The medic should not make any assumptions, rather should carry out investigative procedures in order to ensure that they identify the real disease, its cause and remedy to be taken towards healing the disorder as well as its complications. In addition, responsibility of the medical Doctor or nurse practioner to identify other team members to help the victim to get better from the disorder. They ought to also identify the patient concerning the condition, its complications and the necessary steps towards recovery from the condition. Proper diagnosis, a good referral system and proper education to the victim helps the victim recover more quickly. (Margaret McKenna, 2008). The assistance from a nutritionist is very necessary towards the recovery process of the victim of eating disorders. It is the role of a nutritionist to identify the nutritional needs of the victim and guide the victim on the food, the amount of food and the frequency of taking meals they need to exercise. He or she should also try as much as possible to identify the foods which are locally available, affordable and acceptable to the victim’s culture and traditions, which contained the nutritional values which are needed by the victim. (Ian Halperin, 2001). A physiotherapist is also imperative towards helping the victims of eating disorders recover from their condition. A physiotherapist may help in guiding the victim into knowing the necessary f exercise as required by their bodies. He/she should help the victim avoid doing extreme exercises and overworking themselves more that he/she should do all in the name of maintaining a good body image according to the societal expectation. The physiotherapist can also play an important part in assisting the victim do other physical exercises in case the victim had been affected severely to the point that they cannot be in a position to do exercise by them and may need some assistance in doing the same (Margaret McKenna, 2008). Social media and other types of media should play an important role in healing and prevention of eating disorders. However, it has been revealed that rather than preventing such disorders, social media and other types of media such as televisions and magazines have been the ones promoting the occurrence of such disorders. They promote the disorder through setting imaginary expectations for the people within the society. This includes through making a slender body appear more beautiful as compared to a big body size or vice versa. The media should promote the prevention of eating disorders by advertising good eating habits which would make a person healthy, rather than encouraging any extremes of the disorders (Roberto Olivardia et.al 2008). Bearing in mind most eating disorders crop from personality issues. Such as, low self-esteem, and emotional disorders such as stress and other psychological disturbances, there must be a lot of psychological support for the victim of eating disorders. Psychologists should encourage such people into accepting themselves without necessarily judging them. They should help boost the self-esteem issues of such people, as well as guide them on the most appropriate ways to deal with stressing issues and anxieties in life, rather than torturing their own bodies. The society as a whole should also appreciate the variation in body size, shapes and appearance of different people rather that judging people and making them feel as if they do not fit within a certain society due to their physical appearance. This would bring down the prevalence of eating disorders, since everybody would be struggling to live a healthy lifestyle rather than trying to gain a certain body shape (Judge& Bono, 2007). It would also reduce self-esteem problems and hence people would appreciate themselves as they are. Cultures which promote unhealthy eating habits should also be scrapped off from the society, by the lawmakers in order to bring down the prevalence of eating disorders (Judge & Bono, 2007). It is obvious that the recuperation process from eating disorders requires a multi-disciplinary approach. Moreover, it requires; much commitment from the patient as well as from the family in order for the patient to recover. Continuous encouragement for the patient to continue with the treatment and be committed into healing requires much help from psychologists and counsellors. The patient must always be reminded of the consequences of not complying with the rearmament therapy, which include death. The patient must also be frequently reminded of their body’s need for nutritional components without being judged harshly. Guidance and psychological support need to be continued even after the recovery of a patient in order to prevent recurrence of the same disease in future (Margaret McKenna, 2008). Evidence form different researches aver reflected that seeking treatment in a timely manner leads o faster recovery of victims of eating disorders Late treatment may also take a longer duration to heal as compared to early treatment of the disorder. Moreover, the success rate of early treatment is higher as compared to the success rate of treating the disorders at advanced stages (Roberto Olivardia et.al, 2008). Conclusion Eating disarray are becoming more rampant within much society. These disorders are more common amongst women as compared to men. The consequences of such disorders are as severe as they lead to impediments for example, diabetes, kidney failure, and heart failure to name but a few. Additionally, the mortality rate of individuals suffering from eating disorders is the highest as compared to the mortality rate of other mental disorders. The causes of such disorders vary, and the approach towards treating the disorder should be based on the cause. The treatment is also multi-disciplinary and people can recover from the disease for as long as they are committed and follow the treatment given to them. List of References National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health. (2004). Eating Disorders: Core interventions in the treatment and management of anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa,and related eating disorders. London. The British Psychological Society and Gaskell. National Institute of Mental Health. Eating Disorders: Facts About Eating Disorders and the Search for Solutions. 2011. Margaret McKenna.2008.Textbook of Inpatient Psychiatry. "Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa,".U.S.A: Sange publishers. Roberto Olivardia, BA, and Harrison G. 2008. Directions in Psychiatry: "Eating Disorders in women,” - Vol. 17, Special Report. Ian Halperin...2001"Inside the Dazzling and Deadly World of Supermodels: Bad & Beautiful," New York: Citadel Press. Judge, T.A. & Bono, J. (2007). Relationship of core self-evaluations traits – self-esteem, generalized self-efficacy, locus of control, and emotional stability – with job satisfaction and job performance: A meta-analysis. Journal of Applied Psychology, 86 (1), 80-9 Micali N, Hagberg KW, Petersen I, Treasure JL. 2013. The incidence of eating disorders in the UK in 2000-2009: findings from the General Practice Research Database. BMJ Open. Read More