Analysis of Diary of an Anorexic Girl - Book Report/Review Example

     Diary of an Anorexic Girl Anorexia refers to the reduced sensation in a person’s appetite. Anorexia can also be used to refer to anorexia nervosa. There are a number of causes for a decrease in appetite, several of them may be harmless, while others may pose a tremendous risk or highlight a severe clinical condition. Anorexia nervosa is caused by an irrational panic of gaining weight and excessive food restrictions. Anorexia nervosa is also characterized by a distortion perception of a person’s body. In addition, Anorexia nervosa entails too much weight loss. Normally, Anorexia nervosa arises early adulthood and during adolescence. Individuals experiencing Anorexia nervosa have tremendously high amounts of ghrelin in their blood. Ghrelin is the hormone that informs the brain when it is time to have a meal. This paper will be a book report of Morgan Menzie’s Diary of an Anorexic Girl. Summary The story is about a girl called Blythe. In seventh grade, Blythe is given a diary by her grandfather. She uses the diary to document her everyday experiences, feelings, and thoughts. She changes the focus of her diary from recording her everyday experiences, feelings, and thoughts to new eating and exercising behaviors. This happens after she sees her friend Laurie is losing her body weight. She uses her diary to copy Laurie’s exercising and eating practices. From Blythe’s reaction to Laurie, it is evident that she is not pleased with her current body weight. In addition, Blythe not only writes about the transformations in Laurie’s physical appearance; she also writes about other people’s words and thoughts on the way she looks. The period between seventh and eighth sees Blythe exercising and dieting to a stage where it is perceived to be an issue. She uses her diary to document her exercise activities and what she consumes. Moreover, Blythe starts to miss family occasions, for example, Christmas and Thanksgiving holidays so that she cannot be seen eating meals by other people. All this is because of her obsession of becoming thin or lose her body weight. Later, her mother starts to become aware of her body weight loss and refers her to Becca, a therapist who specializes in nutrition. She uses the therapy sessions to attempt prove to everyone that she is improving her health status by adding small amounts of body weight and enhancing her meal diaries with additional calories than she consumes. Blythe’s eating issues start to have a negative impact to more than just her wellbeing; it affects her relations with boyfriends, friends, and family, her school performance, and her mood. She assures her parents that her condition will improve. She later goes to Collins-Weatherby preparatory school. By the start of her junior year of high school, Blythe recognizes that she has reached the lowest point weighing 92 pounds. Her discovery makes her talk to her mother and confess she requires health assistance. Blythe gains support from her friends and family. She also gains a renewed in God. These support systems make her start the extensive road to recovery. Later on, Blythe manages to live a fulfilling and healthy life. Comments on the Book The book highlights issues associated with Anorexia, an eating disorder that is covered in abnormal psychology. The psychopathology of eating disorders revolves around disturbances regarding body image, for example, concerns with body shape and body weight. People associate their self-worth with their body shape and body weight. They also fear adding body weight even if they are underweight. In addition, the book is relevant to abnormal psychology because it highlights denial of the degree of seriousness the Anorexic symptoms are and the distortion the body is experiencing. I learnt new things from Morgan Menzie’s book. First, the fear of gaining body weight makes individual suffering from Anorexia nervosa limit the size of meals they consume. For instance, Blythe uses her diary to document exercising and dieting schedules. In addition, she skips Christmas and Thanksgiving holidays so that she cannot be seen eating meals by other people. Second, I learnt that Anorexia nervosa has numerous negative impacts on a patient. Anorexia nervosa has a number of health complications to a person suffering from it and may be considered a lifelong condition. Blythe’s mother is concerned with her wellbeing after she notices Blythe is losing weight. She even sends her to a therapist who specializes in nutrition. In addition, Blythe’s eating condition affects her association with boyfriends, friends, and family, her school performance, and her mood. Third, I also learnt Anorexia nervosa is set apart by unsuitable eating behaviors, obsession with a thin body figure, and low body weight. Blythe is obsessed with Laurie’s body figure after she sees her losing body weight. Her obsession makes her copy Laurie’s exercising and eating practices in her diary. I would recommend this book to learner, instructors and any person interested in mental health. This is because of a number of reasons. First, the book takes the audience through a worrying but inspiring and hopeful description of an eating disorder. The book gives an explanation of how the eating disorder starts, the implications, and ways of coping or managing. Second, the book provides extremely useful information into the life of an Anorexic patient. In addition, the author utilizes a straightforward writing technique that connects the audience to the emotional tussles, attitudes, and physical issues that come with the complex disorder of Anorexia nervosa. Also, the author provides a true picture of the ideas covered in a psychology class with a personal experience. This provides readers with an insight of how it feels to be Anorexic. In addition, I would recommend the book because it relates to abnormal psychology. It shows how Anorexia nervosa is a psychiatric disorder depicted by abnormal eating habits that may result in considerable loss of weight and severe medical outcomes. The book also highlights how individuals suffering from Anorexia nervosa have issues with eating. This is because they are anxious of their body weight. Finally, the book highlights how Anorexics have a distorted perception of their body weight and body shape and live in denial. Read More