Anorexia
In American society women are given the message starting from a very young age that in order to be successful and happy, they must be thin. Eating disorders are on the rise, it is not surprising given the value which society places on being thin. Television and magazine advertising that show the image of glamorous and thin models are everywhere. Thousands of teenage girls are starving themselves daily in an effort to attain what the fashion industry considers to be the "ideal" figure. An average female model weighs 23% less than the recommended weight for a woman. Maintaining a weight 20% below your expected body weight fits the criteria for the emotional eating disorder known as anorexia (Pirke & Ploog, 1984). According to medical weight standards, most models fit into the category of being anorexic (Garfinkle & Garner, 1990). Physicians now believe that anorexia has existed for at least 300 years (Pirke & Ploog, 1984). It was however only about one hundred years ago that Professor Ernest Lasegue of the University of Paris finally identified anorexia as an illness (Pirke & Ploog, 1984). The term "anorexia nervosa" literally means nervous lose of appetite. Most researchers and physicians agree that the number of pati
Although the mortality rate is high (30% of anorexics will eventually die from the disease), approximately one third are able to overcome the disease with psychiatric help (Pirke & Ploog, 1984). Warning signs to look for in someone you suspect of anorexia. Physical signs or intolerance of cold due to the absence of the body's natural insulator (fat), dizziness and fainting spells, dry skin, loss of muscle, and the most obvious, a weight loss of about fifteen percent. There are also behavioral changes in a person when they become anorexic including restricted food intake, odd food rituals, an increased fear of food, hyperactivity, dressing in layers, and regular weighing. Some "odd food rituals" include things like cutting food into small pieces, counting bites or even talking to their food. The Psychobiology of Anorexia Nervosa. New York: Springer-Verlag. Thompson, Colleen. (1996). A Personal Recovery Story: Starving for Attention. Laureate (http://www.laureate.com/) Pirke, K.M., & Ploog, D. (Eds.). (1984).
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Approximate Word count = 2173
Approximate Pages = 9 (250 words per page double spaced)
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