Anorexia Nervosa Patients example essay topic

Vanessa Pereira English 2 Mrs. Ska cel 24 March 1998 Thesis Statement: Anorexia Nervosa effects a person both physically and mentally. Anorexia is one percent of most prevalent eating disorder disease. The word anorexia itself means", lack of appetite". Anorexia is an all-encompassing pursuit of thinness occurring. The person effected by Anorexia has an absolutely fear of becoming obese (Matthew 4). Approximately one percent of adolescent girls develops Anorexia Nervosa, a dangerous condition in which they can literally starve themselves to death.

People who starve intentionally starve themselves suffer from an eating disorder. The disorder, which usually begins in the young people around the time of puberty, involves extreme weight loss. At least fifteen percent below the individuals normal body weight. Many people with the disorder look emaciated, but are convinced they are over weight (Matthew 5). Anorexia Nervosa has three Diagnostic Criteria. One is refusal to maintain body weight at or above normal.

The other is, intense fear of becoming fat, even though under average weight. The last one is, Disturbance in the way in which one's body weight or shape is experienced, undue influence of body weight or shape on self- evaluation, or denial of the seriousness of low body weight (Long 15). Anorexia Nervosa has two specific types, one is Restricting type and the other is Binge-Eating / Purging type. Restricting type during the current episode of Anorexia Nervosa, the person has not regularly engaged in binge- eating or purging behavior. In Binge- Eating / Purging type, during the current episode of Anorexia Nervosa, the person has regularly engaged in binge-eating / purging behavior (Rockwell 10). Anorexia may not be noticed in early stages.

The Anorexic usually chooses to wear layered and baggy clothes to hide the "ugly fat body". An Anorexic may have ritualistic eating patterns such as cutting food into little tiny pieces and weighing themselves. These can be found in people who are on a healthy diet, but in Anorexics these behaviors are extremely exaggerated. Other warnings are deliberate self-starvation with weight loss, fear of gaining weight, refusal to eat, denial of hunger, constant exercising, sensitivity to cold, absent or irregular periods, loss of scalp perception of being fat when the person is really to this. Some other associated features are depressed mood, somatic sexual dysfunction, and guilt obsession, anxious fearful dependent personality (O'Dwyer 15). Anorexia causes many problems to the Anorexic.

Girls stop having menstrual periods, dry skin and thinning hair on the head, grow fine hair all over body, they may get sick often, Hypothermia, often in a bad mood, they have a hard time concentrating and are always thinking about food. It is not true that they never feel hungry. Actually they are always hungry. Feeling hunger gives them a feeling of control over their lives and their bodies. It makes them feel like they are good at something - they are good at losing weight. Some of other major problems are superior mesenteric artery syndrome, major depressive schizophrenia, social phobia, compulsive disorder, body dysmorphic disorder, Bulimia Nervosa could occur.

People with severe Anorexia Nervosa may be at risk of death from starvation. Of seven million women aged 15 to 35 who have an eating disorder, will die from complications of Anorexia. Most famous case was Karen Carpenter, pop singer who died from heart failure resulting from Anorexia. (Long 15). Family and friends have to love the anorexic. People with Anorexia feel safe, secure and comfortable with their illness.

Their biggest fear is gaining weight; it is seen as losing control to them. They will beg and lie to avoid eating or gaining weight, which is like giving up to the illness (Matthew 20). Hospitalization is one very important step in trying to overcome Anorexia Nervosa. The patient will resist hospitalization and will plead to be discharged. Patient's family should fully support the decision to hospitalize the patient. In hospitalization the patient will be weighed daily after urination.

The following are other procedure in hospitalization: daily fluid intake and urine out put, if vomiting Serum Electrolytes must be regularly tested, bathroom should be inaccessible for two hours after meals, follow a diet of 1,500 to 2,000 calories a day, and six equal feedings through out the day (Long 19). Drugs also play an important role in the treatment of Anorexia Nervosa. Antipsychotic drugs are given to severely obsessive -compulsive, anxious and agitated Anorexia Nervosa patients, and are likely to require Chlorpromazine. Although clinically experience has supported the use of Chlorpromazine with these patients, as yet there has been no controlled double-blind study to definitely prove its efficiency. Antidepressants have been effective in treating Anorexia Nervosa. Double-blind study of 72 Anorexia Nervosa patients showed that amitripty line had a passable effect on decreasing number of days necessary to achieve normal weight when compared to a cure (Rockwell 19).

According to studies archives of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, researchers examined the medical records of residents of Rochester from 1935-1979 found 140 cases (90% female) of Anorexia Nervosa. The overall rate did not change during the 45-year period, although the rate among girls aged 10 to 19 dipped in the 1950's. In 1980 the prevalence of the disorder was two percent in women and negligible men. On the 140 for whom the diagnosis was eventually confirmed, only 66% had it explicitly stated in their records (Matthew 35). Fifty percent of girls in an anonymous serve, stated that they have developed Anorexia seeing television. One developed Anorexia after seeing a 20/20 program dealing with the prejudices that people deal with in society.

Two developed Anorexia after seeing a " movie of the week" where the main character was Anorexic. Mike's ten year old daughter developed Anorexia after seeing "The Body Trap", a program on Nickelodeon. These findings seem to exemplify along standing debate, if educational programs prevent eating disorders or contribute to them. This is not a scientific study, just a dad with some very disturbing news: Television programs dealing with Anorexia and / or eating disorder are triggering Anorexia in some of our children (Long 15).