Anorexia Psychological Issues - Research Paper Example

Anorexia Lecturer’s Anorexia is a psychological disorder that affects a large percentage of people in the world today, and it is most rampant in the United States. Therefore, it is necessary for this disorder to be studied as a psychological problem so that solutions to curb it can be found. Anorexia is a psychological disorder, which involves individuals excessively restricting their food intake because of a fear of gaining weight (Beumont and Touyz 2003, p.120). Moreover, such individuals have a warped sense of how they perceive their bodies. This disorder normally involves extreme weight loss, and it typically occurs when individuals are either in their teenage or in early adulthood. Because of the dread of gaining weight, people tend to restrict their food intake, which often causes metabolic and hormonal disorders. People who suffer from this disorder tend to have plenty of hunger hormones in their blood whose purpose is to inform the brain that the moment has come to consume some food. This shows that while their bodies are trying to make the people involved feel hungry they ignore the urge to eat. Despite feeling extreme hunger, these people often ignore the urge to eat and when they eat it involves exceedingly small amounts of food is consumed. This disorder has many complex consequences on individuals, and it is extremely hard to treat. In fact, it can be considered a lifelong disorder that can only be managed through frequent psychotherapy. Individuals having low body weight having a restrictive eating habit, and the most serious of all, the fixation with having a thin physique, often characterize it. Those affected by the disorder tend to frequently weigh themselves and gaze at their figures on a mirror. They view themselves as being too fat even though their weight is way below the average. They also have to deal with diverse symptoms such as dizziness, headaches and deficiency in physical energy. Anorexia is a psychological disorder, which has to be treated cautiously as it may lead to a patient’s death. This is an ever increasing problem in the world today, and it has been noted that there are high mortality rates among those people it affects (Millar et al 2005, p.753). Anorexia, in most cases has its beginnings during the teenage years and its prevalence is mostly among teenage girls than in teenage boys. It has been seen that the age when this order begins is coming down quickly with some cases in nine year olds being reported. This disorder can affect anyone despite their race or cultural background, but the most number of cases has been reported among women. Cases of anorexia in men are rarely seen, but this does not mean that some are not affected. While it has traditionally been a condition seen in women, its prevalence can also be seen in men. It can be described as a way through which people punish themselves for their perceived weight gain through being addicted to fasting. This fasting has devastating consequences on the body because it causes severe problems in almost every key body organs. When there is a significant plunge in the potassium levels in the blood, then it is likely that the individual involved is experiencing from anorexia. This means that they are at risk of being fatigued having constipation, and in most extreme cases paralysis. Those people with anorexia are at a threat of experiencing depression, which is brought on by the fact that they are not at peace with what their bodies look like. There is a high possibility that a person diagnosed with anorexia will also display characteristics, which are related to obsessive-compulsive disorder. Anorexia has a diverse number of symptoms, which individuals and those close to them have to look out for so that it can be identified and treated early. The most common symptom of this order is the individual’s refusal to retain the weight, which they are supposed to have at a certain age. In women, there should be a concern if there is an absence of three successive menstrual cycles. There is often a fear of even the most trivial gain in weight, and individuals tend to do everything they can to avoid gaining weight. The most obvious symptom to watch out for is a sudden loss of weight, as well as a growing obsession in finding out the amount of fat content in every meal they consume. Another serious symptom that has to be watched out for is an individual’s obsession with cooking. These people tend to make extremely good food for others, but they do not partake in the meal that they have made. This often happens despite their being thin and undernourished. They insist on maintaining a strict diet that ends up doing them more harm than good. Those affected by this disorder display behavior where they will either cut food into tiny pieces before eating it, or will start to hide and discard food. These individuals have the urge to rid themselves of all the food they have consumed, and in order to do this they often ingest substances, which will force them to vomit. This causes them to have swollen cheeks, which are brought about by enlargement of salivary glands due to frequent vomiting. Despite the physical weakness brought about by extreme dieting, these individuals tend to engage in strenuous exercise with the aim of further losing weight. Although the people around them often tell them that they are dangerously underweight, those affected by this disorder continue to believe that they are overweight. Because of the low blood pressure in their bodies due to undernourishment, these people become extremely sensitive to cold, and they frequently complain of being cold even though the environment is warm. Their condition brings about depression, and this makes them want to remain in solitude (Kaye et al 2004, p.2215). They become extremely withdrawn and enigmatic, seeking to avoid the company of their families and friends. It is also is normal for an individual going through this condition to have foul breath caused from vomiting, as well as having hair loss. Anorexia tends to have some extremely serious consequences on the person who it affects especially if it occurs before the completion of their growth process. Such consequences always affect those anorexia patients who are in the adolescent stage, all having something to do with the individuals’ wellbeing. A possible consequence of anorexia in adolescents it the retardation in the development of the individual affected and this is because of relentless weight loss and malnutrition, the height gain of this individual may slow down or come to a complete stop. In many of the cases; however, if the condition is brought under control, the gain of height might resume if the person affected is put back on a regular food intake. The potential for height gain is always retained in adolescents as long as their case of anorexia is not severe. In such cases, the early treatment of the condition takes back the growth progression in the individual to normal. People with anorexia in their adolescence may have pubertal delay due to the lack of production of the growth hormone from the pituitary gland. The condition creates a resistance in the production of this growth hormone; hence, a retardation of growth. If this condition is not dealt with swiftly, then there is a possibility that the growth of a patient will either be delayed, or stunted. There is also the possibility that the bone mass of an individual will be substantially reduced because of this condition (Valtuena et al 2003, p.260). If anorexia affects them, especially in their puberty, it is quite possible that their bone mass will remain low for the rest of their lives. This condition also has an effect on the liver, as it causes the fatty infiltration of the liver and if this is detected, especially in children, then it is a sign of malnutrition. There are various causes of anorexia and some of these may be biological, environmental, or and effect of the media. Among the biological issues that can be considered causes of this condition are obstetric problems and genetics. There are times when prenatal and postnatal complications may take place, and these may play a role in the development of anorexia (Favaro et al 2006, p.82). Complications such as maternal anemia and neonatal cardiac abnormalities may have a certain influence on an individual, making them attempt to avoid harm at any cost, and such traits have been known to be a sign of the development of anorexia (Olivares et al 2005, p.383). This condition is believed to be likely transmitted from parents to their children; in fact, the possibility is in more than fifty percent of those affected. Some scholars have stated that anorexia does indeed run in families and that a person with this condition is likely to have a relative with the same. In fact, anorexia has come to be associated in a majority of the cases involved with people with a lifelong depression (Wade et al 2000, p.469). This condition is more prevalent in females than in males and some studies have come to associate it with the onset of puberty. It has been stated that most of the instances of anorexia arise because of the irregular response of the brain to estrogen. The environment in which individuals live has been stated as an aspect in the growth of anorexia. There are certain cultural factors, such as the promotion of slimness as the best form for women, especially in the West, which has had a massive impact on how many females perceive themselves. Mainly the media have sponsored this promotion, while in some cases it is because of the working conditions under which some people such as fashion models are involved (Griffin and Berry 2003, p.43). Anorexia, especially in America, is brought about by the nation’s obsession with appearances. This condition is normally witnessed among fashion models whose jobs largely depend on their keeping their weight low and their figures slim. Since most people view these models as fashion icons, they attempt to imitate them and in the process, the cases of this disorder are further increasing within the general population, and if radical steps are not taken to counter them, then eating disorders are going to become a serious global problem in the near future. More should be done by governments worldwide to ensure that the stereotype that a slim body is beautiful is destroyed and instead should promote the perception that people should be proud of who they are and should not want to become that which they are not. The adjustment of the way of life, especially among those girls from immigrant families, can result in the development of anorexia among them. This is because while in their home countries, nobody cares about their weight, when they move to new places like in the developed world they come to find that their weight is not the ideal. Instead, they find that they are considered overweight and unappealing, and this may push them into practically starving themselves so that they can achieve the body shape that is most favored in their new environment. Such a desire tends not to get the desired effect, instead causing these girls problems as they fall into the pit of anorexia, a condition that is not easy to leave behind. The need to succeed and to excel in every aspect of their lives leads many girls, especially in the upper classes of society to develop the anorexia. The drive for these women to succeed is so powerful and what both their families and the society expect of them tends to affect them negatively as they try to fulfill these expectations. The mothers of these girls tend to be perfectionists and are unusually demanding of their children setting such unreasonable goals for them to achieve that this pressure becomes overwhelming for them. The fathers of these girls tend to always be busy and have not enough time to get to know their families better and are often busy. Such situations always lead young women into living a life that is not fulfilling to them and in the process the void, which has not been filled by doing what they would have loved to do is often filled by an obsession with food or the lack of it. It should be noted that anorexia is a disorder, which is more prevalent in upper class families than in the working class ones. The main reason for this is most likely because of the higher expectations that are required from the members of such families and their feeling of inadequacy that they are not able to fulfill these expectations. Therefore, it is necessary for parents to know the effect, which they have on their children so that they can get a hint of what actually goes on with their children, and to ensure that they raise their children in a considerate environment where they do not feel too pressured to succeed. Furthermore, it is imperative that parents pay close attention to their children and talk to them often so that they can gauge their mood and feelings. In this way, the psychological problems, which bring about anorexia will be prevented easily avoided hence children, especially adolescents, being able to grow up into healthy people. There should be a balance in the priority given to the wellbeing of adolescent children because they are the ones who are most likely to be affected by anorexia. Not only should their physical wellbeing be catered for, but also their psychological wellbeing because these two are connected in so many ways. This duty should be placed on parents because they are the only ones who can detect whether their children are behaving abnormally. If parents experienced anorexia when they were younger, then they should carefully observe their children for signs that they may have also inherited the condition. In case this is found to be true, then it will be possible to treat this condition early; therefore, avoiding the adverse consequences if it had been left to last for long (Wang 2010). In conclusion, it is imperative that all the parties concerned, whether it is the parents, adolescents affected, and the government deal with anorexia decisively. The government should take the initiative to deal with this issue because if it is not dealt with now, then there are going to be many health problems due to the various undesirable medical conditions that come about because of anorexia. Anorexia is a growing problem all over the world due to the changing lifestyle that is becoming prevalent especially to children whose principal forms of entertainment are quickly changing from physical activities such as sports. This provides exercise and attending entertainment provided by visual media, which give them false ideas about how they should look and the lifestyle which they should live (Goetz 2002). Furthermore, actions against anorexia, especially among those of a young age, are extremely pertinent to ensure that the welfare of such people is well taken care of to prevent any occurrence of medical conditions related to it. References Beumont, Pierre, J. V., and Touyz, Stephen W. (2003)."What Kind of Illness is Anorexia Nervosa?" European child & adolescent psychiatry 12: I20-4. Favaro, A. et al. (2006). "Perinatal Factors and the Risk of Developing Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia Nervosa." Archives of General Psychiatry 63.1: 82-8. Goetz, P. (May 09 2002). "Anorexia is Not Normal, but it is Epidemic." Orange County Register. Griffin, J., and Berry, E. M. (2003). "A Modern Day Holy Anorexia? Religious Language in Advertising and Anorexia Nervosa in the West." European journal of clinical nutrition 57.1: 43-51. Kaye, W. H., et al. (2004). "Comorbidity of Anxiety Disorders with Anorexia and Bulimia Nervosa." The American Journal of Psychiatry 161.12: 2215-21. Millar, H. R., et al. (2005). "Anorexia Nervosa Mortality in Northeast Scotland, 1965-1999." The American Journal of Psychiatry 162.4: 753-7. Olivares, J. L., et al. (2005). "Cardiac Findings in Adolescents with Anorexia Nervosa at Diagnosis and After Weight Restoration." European journal of pediatrics 164.6: 383-6. Valtuena, S., et al. (2003). "Bone Resorption in Anorexia Nervosa and Rehabilitated Patients." European journal of clinical nutrition 57.2: 260-5. Wade, T. D., et al. (2000). "Anorexia Nervosa and Major Depression: Shared Genetic and Environmental Risk Factors." The American Journal of Psychiatry 157.3: 469-71. Wang, S. S. (Oct. 05 2010). "Parental Role Aids Anorexia Recovery." Wall Street Journal. Read More