Anorexia Nervosa
Research paper
Anorexia Nervosa What is Anorexia nervosa? “Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder that is characterized by the refusal to sustain a healthy weight.” (Kumar, Tung, & Iqbai). Many believe that anorexia is more common amongst Caucasian women, but anorexia occurs throughout all cultures and races. “Anorexia nervosa has the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric disorder.” (Kumar, Tung, & Iqbai). Every major organ with in the human body is affected greatly because of the malnutrition that anorexia causes. When people with anorexia look in the mirror they see a distorted image in the reflection rather than what is reality. Victims of anorexia see themselves as being obese or huge when in actuality they may be average size and weight for their age and height range. Once a person is officially diagnosed with anorexia nervosa it is extremely hard for them to return to normal. Not only is it hard for a person with anorexia to recover, it is also extremely easy to have a relapse at any time. It takes a lot of intense therapy along with proper treatment to cure someone with anorexia. Anorexia is found in every culture and race; it varies amongst African Americans differently as opposed to other cultures.
“Symptoms of anorexia nervosa include an intense fear of gaining weight, refusal to keep body weight up, and amenorrhea for 3 consecutive months.” (Kumar, Tung, & Iqbai). “Amenorrhea is the abnormal absence of menstruation. Some other symptoms of anorexia nervosa are lanugo, joint swelling, dental cavities, tooth loss, and abdominal distension.” (Kumar, Tung, & Iqbai). “Lanugo is the growth of fine white hair that grows when anorexics have no body fat left to keep themselves warm (Kumar, Tung, & Iqbai). There also tends to be changes in the endocrine
Anorexia Nervosa What is Anorexia nervosa? “Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder that is characterized by the refusal to sustain a healthy weight.” (Kumar, Tung, & Iqbai). Many believe that anorexia is more common amongst Caucasian women, but anorexia occurs throughout all cultures and races. “Anorexia nervosa has the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric disorder.” (Kumar, Tung, & Iqbai). Every major organ with in the human body is affected greatly because of the malnutrition that anorexia causes. When people with anorexia look in the mirror they see a distorted image in the reflection rather than what is reality. Victims of anorexia see themselves as being obese or huge when in actuality they may be average size and weight for their age and height range. Once a person is officially diagnosed with anorexia nervosa it is extremely hard for them to return to normal. Not only is it hard for a person with anorexia to recover, it is also extremely easy to have a relapse at any time. It takes a lot of intense therapy along with proper treatment to cure someone with anorexia. Anorexia is found in every culture and race; it varies amongst African Americans differently as opposed to other cultures.
“Symptoms of anorexia nervosa include an intense fear of gaining weight, refusal to keep body weight up, and amenorrhea for 3 consecutive months.” (Kumar, Tung, & Iqbai). “Amenorrhea is the abnormal absence of menstruation. Some other symptoms of anorexia nervosa are lanugo, joint swelling, dental cavities, tooth loss, and abdominal distension.” (Kumar, Tung, & Iqbai). “Lanugo is the growth of fine white hair that grows when anorexics have no body fat left to keep themselves warm (Kumar, Tung, & Iqbai). There also tends to be changes in the endocrine
Cited: Carter, J. C. “Maintenance treatment for anorexia nervosa: A comparison of cognitive behavior therapy and treatment as usual.” International Journal of Eating Disorders, web.23Oct.2008. Fernandes, N.H., Crow, S.J., Thuras, P., & Peterson, C.B. “Characteristics of black treatment seekers for eating disorders.” International Journal of Eating Disorders.web.10April.2010. Franko, D.L., Becker, A.E., Thomas, J.J., Herzog, D.B. “Cross Ethnic differences in eating disorders symptoms and related distress. International Journal of Eating Disorders.web.15Aug.2007. Kumar, K.k., Tung, S., & Iqbai, J., “Bone loss in anorexia nervosa; Leptin, serotonin, and the sympathetic nervous system. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences.Nov.2010.