EATING AND WEIGHT DISORDERS - Essay Example

Eating Disorders A common plague Abnormal behavioral patterns in eating habits, a lack of systematic or orderly planning in healthy living. Eating disorders have scores of consequences which have critical impacts on health in general. Eating disorders are common in this modern world owing to quite a number of factors such as lack of exercise, overindulgence, negligence and sometimes cultural related issues. DepthBulimia and anorexia nervosa are serious types of eating disorders evident in today’s generation.

The disorders are mostly severe and may have mental implications, intense fear and trauma are evident in patients with the disorder. Obesity, a medical problem in its own right, can result from bingeing and poor food choices. Bulimics binge and then purge (get rid of food by vomiting, taking laxatives, or exercising excessively). Anorexics starve themselves, sometimes to the point of death. Anorexia NervosaA disturbance in a person’s thoughts, here one actually fears gaining weight.

This would mean an avoidance of regular eating just to remain slim, even sometimes when the subject is so thin that the health is at stake. The subject takes up self-starvation methods. 90 percent of most cases are reported in females, although there are cases of this nature in males yet most of them go unnoticed. It is most common among whites or in societies where there is a high demand on thin ladies or were the only qualification of beauty is seen as being thin.

Also in careers that requires for one to be thin, dancing, fashion industry, theater , show business. Possible Causes Obsession with a thin image of beauty.Low self-esteemDifficulty expressing emotionsPerfectionismIntroversionIndiscipline or a need for control.Extreme fear of gaining weight.Patients with anorexia could be spotted trying to hide or cover themselves by wearing baggy and heavy clothes although not so easily, however a well trained psychiatrist or doctor would straightforwardly diagnose the illness.

SymptomsDry cold skinSlow physical and social developmentLoss of menstrual cycleInsomnia or hyperactivityDistorted body imageBulimiaThe America Psychiatric Association classified it as a distinct disorder in 1980, Bulimia nervosa could result from patients with anorexia, in this case it does not matter if you are overweight or underweight, patients result in bingeing (large intake of low calorie foods within a short time interval). It is not a known cause of weight loss but it does result in gastrointestinal problems.

Symptoms Bingeing Distorted body shapeSwollen glands under the jawDry skinDepressionThe results if not treated could lead to irregular heartbeat, heart failure, kidney damage, throat damage, laxative dependency, stomach rapture.Successful recovery includes: Professional counselorsPracticing good nutrition Understanding what triggers unhealthy eatingEmergency planEngaging in healthy exercise Seeking support from family and friends Swain, P. I. (2003) .

Focus on eating disorders research . Hauppauge, NY: Nova science pub inc.