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ArticlesEating DisordersAnorexia Nervosa
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Anorexia NervosaAnorexia Nervosa
Anorexia nervosa is a chronic illness
that involves an intense fear of fat and gaining weight. Those that
suffer from Anorexia have a distorted image of what their body looks
like, and they either refuse or are unable to maintain a healthy body
weight.
Anorexia is the third most common illness among pre-teen and teenage girls. The term Anorexia literally means loss of appetite, but the reality is that teens who suffer from Anorexia are most often hungry, but they choose to control their appetite, which in turn gives the sufferer a false feeling of power over their body.
Anorexia is a life threatening disease defined by a refusal to maintain a body weight within fifteen to twenty percent of a minimal normal weight. Anorexia is characterized by a preoccupation with food, self starvation, compulsive exercising; the process of eating becomes an obsession. The sufferer develops bizarre eating habits, such as counting out small quantities of food, picking apart and weighing food, and skipping meals altogether. If left untreated, Anorexia can be fatal (What is Anorexia?). In its early stages, the symptoms of Anorexia are very difficult for friends and family to detect. As the disorder progresses, parents and friends usually become suspicious as they notice weight fluctuations, preoccupations with appearance and weight, and a pattern of avoidance behaviors. The afflicted teen will often isolate themself, or wear two to three layers of clothing in an attempt to keep their loved ones from finding out how far the disease has progressed. Sometimes they will become involved in the abuse of stimulants, such as ephedrine based diet pills and methamphetamine, all in an attempt to suppress their appetite and lose more weight. The teen may consume large amounts of laxatives and exercise to the point of exhaustion in an attempt to lose the fat they see when they look in the mirror. Adolescents with Anorexia have four primary problem areas which include: • Control • Argument and debate • Guilt and shame • Obsession over appearance and weight • Secretive behaviors
Symptoms and warning signs of Anorexia Nervosa include the following:
the teenager is typically a perfectionist and achieves above average to
excellent grades in school. At the same time, she suffers from low self
esteem and irrationally believes she is fat, no matter how thin and
emaciated she becomes. Desperately needing a feeling of control over
her life, the teen with Anorexia only feels in control when she
deprives herself of the food her body needs. When she looks in the
mirror she sees herself as fat and in a relentless pursuit to be thin,
the teen starves herself.
Often this reaches a point where there is serious damage to the internal organs, the teens hair begins to fall out in clumps, and she experiences irregular heartbeat. These symptoms can lead to death if not caught in time (Teenagers with Eating Disorders). In patients with Anorexia, starvation will eventually damage vital organs, such as the heart and brain. To protect itself, the body shifts into “slow gear”; monthly menstrual periods slow down and eventually stop, and blood pressure, pulse and breathing rates drop. Hair and nails become brittle and the skin dries, yellows, and becomes covered with soft hair called lanugo. At this stage, dehydration, excessive thirst, and frequent urination occur. Mild anemia, swollen joints, reduced muscle mass, and light-headedness also commonly occur in people suffering from Anorexia. If the disorder is allowed to continue and becomes severe, sufferers may lose calcium from their bones, making them brittle and prone to breaking. In some patients, the brain shrinks, causing personality changes. Fortunately, this condition can be reversed when normal weight is reestablished (Answers to Questions about Teenage Bulimia and Anorexia). With specialized and comprehensive treatment, most teenagers can be greatly helped and learn to control and modify their eating habits. Treatment for Anorexia usually requires a team approach, including individual and family therapy, working with a nutritionist and the primary care physician, and medication. It is also important to get help for any other medical problems, including anxiety, substance abuse, and depression. The general response toward friends and caregivers who attempt to reason and persuade these kids to eat is often resistance, avoidance, or defiance, At the same time, the teen will seem to make efforts at compromise, but in reality they are determined that no one will stop them from their eating behaviors. This mixed message produces frustration in friends and family who fail to understand the inflexible nature of the teen’s obsession (Answers to Questions about Teenage Bulimia and Anorexia). Research has shown that early identification and treatment leads to a more positive outcome for teens suffering from Anorexia. They must learn how to deal with their unpleasant feelings of self image and appearance in more positive ways. Teenagers and their parents need to be educated in order to spot dangerous warning signs of Anorexia. By educating children and giving them the tools they need, teens may be able to spot the problem in a friend before it escalates. At the same time, friends must realize that Anorexia is extremely dangerous and they should alert counselors and parents immediately regarding their concerns. Being informed about signs, symptoms, and causes of Anorexia will give everyone concerned a better understanding of what to look for and expect (What is Anorexia?). Works Cited
“Answers to Questions about Teenage Bulimia and Anorexia”
Understanding and Dealing with Bulimia and Anorexia. 2001. 17 Mar. 2005
http://www.crisiscounseling.org/Handouts/BulimiaAnorexia.htm “Teenagers with Eating Disorders” AACAP-Facts for Families #2. Jul. 2004. 17 Mar. 2005
http://www.aacap.org/publications/factsfam/eating.htm
“What is Anorexia?” Muhlenberg.edu. 2001. 17 Mar. 2005
http://www.muhlenberg.edu/depts/biology/faculty/nichole/anorexia.htm
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Ganar Reply to this Comment Hola sufro de anorexia hace mas de 9 meses no es facil salir de ella, pero me estoy rpoponiendo metas. help Reply to this Comment i dont want to go into hayvenwick ive been there b4 no help to me i cnt stop thinking that everytime i eat im goin to get fat i need help someone help em i cnt get away from myself! Halfway Houses for ED Reply to this Comment Does anyone know of any Halfway Houses that treat Eating Disorders? Please contact me via email at amypileggi@sbcglobal.net. can you help me? Reply to this Comment my best friend suffers severly from anorexia....and its killing her. what to do recommend when it comes to treatment options? you will be in my prayers....please keep her in yours. adjustment Reply to this Comment I have been on a food plan for nearly a month. I won't get on the scale. If I do I know that I'll restrict. I know that I'm gaining & its really freaking me out. I'm trying to do the right thing & get healthy, but my disease is so tormenting mentally. any tips? can anyone relate? im anorexic Reply to this Comment well i have not been eating tht good and besides im bulimic, its very hard to accept it but this is driving me crazy im from El PAso, Texas and i dont even know where i can get help from any hotline or place what should i do! Anorexia Reply to this Comment You all act like anorexia is a physical disease, you're wrong it is a mental disorder that if you try hard enough to conquer, you can. Just remember, its all in your head and you have the power to stop it, and we all hope you do Can this happen?! Reply to this Comment I have a friend who lives in a very bad home. He mom has the stress capacity of a 2 year old, never takes responsibility, and tends to get physical when her daughter doesn't agree with her opinion. Now, my friend is a pretty meek person. If you ask her to do something.. she does it. I've seen how she handles her mom too. If her mom starts throwing a tantrum, my friend tries to calm her down, agreeing with whatever she's screaming about. However, her mother thinks she can control her life, and she doesn't understand that my friend is her own person. Just recently the got in an argument about college. My friend wants to go to a cheaper college because she has to pay for everything, and she doesn't have any money. Her mom, on the other hand, says no. She can't. SHe has to do what her mom wants. They got in an argument about whose life it was and my friends mom ended up shoving her into the couch. My friend is used to being slapped, so this shove was a little surprising, so she grabbed onto her moms arm to try not to fall and ended up scratching her. Her mother is now trying to say she'll call the cops and report that my friend is abusing her!! When it really is the opposite! So my friend, knowing she could count on me, came over to my house so she could get out of that situation before it got anyworse. However, my friends mom is threatening her to come home, or she'll set up a bed for her at Havenwick. My friends mom is a "counsellor", by the way. My friend is 17, almost 18, and can technically be emancipated from her family. Can her mom really send her to Havenwick with no actual evidence of mental insatbility, and against her will?? I can help Reply to this Comment 17890 Two Bar Road, Boulder Creek, CA (408) 271-5970 You’re Rights as a Consumer: • Be informed of the qualifications of your counselor: education, experience, professional counseling certification(s), and license(s). • Receive an explanation of services offered, your time commitments, fee scales, and billing policies prior to receipt of services. • Be informed of the limitations of the counselor's practice to special areas of expertise (e.g. career development, ethnic groups, etc.) or age group (e.g. adolescents, older adults, etc.). • Have all that you say treated confidentially and be informed of any state laws placing limitations on confidentiality in the counseling relationship. • Ask questions about the counseling techniques and strategies and be informed of your progress. • Participate in setting goals and evaluating progress toward meeting them. • Be informed of how to contact the counselor in an emergency situation. • Request referral for a second opinion at any time. • Request copies of records and reports to be used by other counseling professionals. • Receive a copy of the code of ethics to which your counselor adheres. • Contact the appropriate professional organization if you have doubts or complaints relative to the counselors conduct. • Terminate the relationship at any time. food Reply to this Comment I have wanted to write something for a while. I am 19 and having a terrible problem with food. I think everyone thinks that it is just a thing for woman but it is not-My parents do no inow what is going on with me. I sleep a lot and dont feel like spending time with anyone. I dont eat much and sometimes I dont eat for a few days-I have a sister and i tried to talk to her but she wont listen becaus e she says i am just teasing her. She is the smart one in the family and i thing my parents think i am stupid. I think I am pretty good looking but since i have not been eating i don't look as good. I went to my doctor and he thinks maybe i have a problem but he does not seem to know what to do. I am wanting to go to college but i don;t have much money and i feel like i dont know whicjh way to turn in my life. i read what everyone has to say but it does not seem to work for me. This problem seems to ger bigger the more frustrated i feel. I like to ride my bike and i like to read but somtimes i am too tired to do that.a friend of mine told me that i need to get in a group maybe one for men so i can talk about all of this. i am afraid of crowds and groups but i dont know what else to do.Last week my friend told me he was going to move away and tht made me feel worse. The days are lonley with no friends and my family is a mess. I think maybe food is the only thing that i can control so maybe that is the problem. I just found out to that my dog has a health problem.Ieat maybe three things in the day and i weigh myself often. when i weigh myself i i feel better if it is less and bad if it is not. I dont know if this means i have a food problem or not but i think it does. I read tht if you dont eat you will have bad bones and it can happen to men to. I am going to have some medical tests done and I hope they are good. I just got a call from a person who know something about this problem cause she has gont throught it herself and she tol me i could call her if i needed to and she owuld take me to her group. i get so scared when I am in a group that i dont know if I can do it or not. I wonder how many people have been helped by doing this. i feel like when i feel in control of my food i feel better. i wonder if any other men have this problem cause you only hear from the women.If any other men are reading this please let me know what worked for you. I wish my father would listen to me when i try to tell him how bad it feels to think of food all the time and it feels like it makes me feel rally bad about myself. You know that might be the problem too-Guess I deep trying to figure this out. Maybe if i work i will feel better about myself so i am going to see if i can get a job-If anyone knows of some work i can go at home maybe mailing something off please let me know- I will work hard and i need to do this. I need to work from home becasue it scares me to go out to much. If anyone knows of a job or they have a job at home for me pleasde please let me know and you wont be sorry i will take anything that will help me. i am going to try and not think about food so much Have your friend call me Reply to this Comment Please read my article about Anorexia Nervosa. I am an expert in the field just like I am in the field of addictions. I like to see patients everyday and I only charge $100.00 an hour. help Reply to this Comment I am in El Paso also, and have been looking for support groups and whatever I can find. There is not alot out there for us, especially in El Paso, but I have started going to a therapist that is awesome. I really didn't think she would be any help, but she knows what she is doing. Her name is Elizabeth Richeson and her number is 915-584-3636. If you have any questions about it or just want to talk my email is pink130420@yahoo.com Hope this helped. Unethical therapy Reply to this Comment Barbara: You owe me restitituion for what you did. You cannot believe you did honest work with me unless you are a sociopath! Anorexia Reply to this Comment This is a terrible disease that needs medical and psychological intervention. Also don't forget the impact it has on the family/caregivers as well. Barbara Cummings PHD Reply to this Comment Barbara Cummings PHD is located in El Paso-If anyone needs a good person they might want to call her-She has helped me SB 707 Reply to this Comment 11976.55. A counselor shall display his or her license or certification in a conspicuous place in the counselor’s primary place of business. The current renewal receipt shall be displayed near the license. Barbara Reply to this Comment Barbara Cummings PHD in El Paso was a name that was given-I have been seeing her and I want to thank the person who suggested her-Thanks sounds like me Reply to this Comment AnnaLee, Your situation sounds just like mine. I feel like I might start restricting again at any moment. I don't want to gain because I'm still relatively average weight and feel I haven't lost enough yet. I am on a food plan with a nutritionist but I only let myself have 200 calories in a sitting. Just stick to your food plan and have something in mind that you can only do when you get healthy. Help w/ anorexia Reply to this Comment My twin sister had anorexia and I hated it. We begun to have a terrible relationship. The best thing for you is to get treatment- therapy with a counselor specializing in eating disorders and getting with a doctor and nutrionist can help a lot. She started using a food log and had homework of adding specific food groups between visits. She started treatment early and is now fully recovered!! She weighs a healthy 130 at 5'4! I'm so proud of her and hope that this can help you. If money is a problem or getting somewhere then talk to your school counselor. Letting other people support you helps too. My sister had depression and a group of our friends all made bracelets to support her and show that we love her. I think it really helped for her to know she had love behind her. No matter what Jesus loves you! I prayed for her and I'll pray for you. I hope this helps! | ||||||||
By:Geizza Posted: Dec 16 2006 08:37:14 AM