Anorexia Nervosa1
Many people suffer from the condition known as anorexia nervosa. Often the victims go through a number of symptoms that can lead to a serious amount of problems concerning a person's weight, happiness, and personality. People should keep a close eye out for anyone who shows signs of certain symptoms that become present later on in the future. In medicine, Anorexia Nervosa is a condition characterized by an intense fear of gaining weight or becoming obese, along with a distorted body image, which leads to excessive weight loss from restricting food intake and exercising excessively. It is essentially self-starvation leading to a loss of body weight 15% below normal, accompanied with hyperactivity, hypothermia, and amenorrhea. Between 5 and 18 percent of known anorexia nervosa victims die of starvation, and the condition may also lead to abnormalities in the menstrual cycle and increased susceptibility to infection. (Bruch, 53)Anorexia is an illness of several causes. The weight loss that triggers the illness is often the result of either a normal diet (the sort that is typical of many normal adolescent girls) or unhappiness or illness. The personalities of those with the illness tend to be confor
Regaining normal weight with a normal eating pattern is the first step of treatment and when the illness is severe this may require admission to hospital. An obsession with diet and exercise are two early signs that a person is becoming anorexic. (Bruch, 158) Many times anorexia will develop and go unnoticed because family members, friends and others close to the anorexic simply do not observe the warning signs, or refuse to believe that the person is anorexic. (Bruch, 147) Other physical problems associated with anorexia are dehydration, stomach pain, constipation, dry skin, decreased heart and metabolic rates, lowered body temperature, dizziness, fatigue, sleeping problems, headaches, cold hands and feet, and abnormalities of the menstruation cycle. Because many persons with anorexia nervosa never seek medical treatment, the exact prevalence of the condition is unknown. Psychotherapy, regular medical monitoring, and nutritional guidance should be part of any treatment program for anorexia. (Claude-Pierre, 102)How does it develop? Perfectionist parents drive their children to be the best and the brightest. Let your self-talk be like the soothing, supportive words of a counselor, friend, or mentor. Other warning signs include disturbed sleep, hyperactivity, irritability, social withdrawal, depression, sensitivity to cold temperature, and fainting spells. Close cooperation among all medical, nutritional and psychological health professionals involved is important. Inpatient treatment will often last for 12 to16 weeks and full recovery will often take a further 18 months. Wasted: A Memoir of Anorexia and Bulimia. Bibliography BIBLIOGRAPHYHornbacher, Marya.
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