Comparison Contrast on Anorexia and Bulimia
In today's society, where physical characteristics are used to measure beauty and success, people are willing to push their bodies to extremes to achieve physical perfection. As an overweight woman, I may be considered a failure of society's beauty test. However, my high self-esteem and acceptance of my body allows me to not be disturbed by what, to some, may seem as a sign of failure. Unfortunately, there are people whose desire to be accepted by society causes them to develop eating disorders. The two most common are called anorexia and bulimia (WebMD.Com Eating 1). The Anorexia Nervosa and Related Eating Disorders, association (ANRED), states "Anorexia and bulimia affect primarily people in their teens and twenties, but clinicians report both disorders in children as young as six and individuals as old as seventy-six" (ANRED Statistics 1). Anorexia and bulimia are both serious eating disorders with differences and similarities in their symptoms, diagnosis, causes, treatments and prognosis.Although anorexia and bulimia share many of the same symptoms, they also have many differences. "About half of people with anorexia also have symptoms of bulimia" (MayoClinic.Com 2). According to the American
Anorexia and bulimia are not diseases discussed everyday. More discussion is done about the disadvantages of being overweight than those of being underweight. As long as society continues to embrace the thin and use them as the model of perfection, the number of people who truly suffer from these very serious eating disorders may never be known. According to the American Psychological Association, a diagnosis of bulimia requires that a person have all of the following symptoms: Recurrent episodes of binge eating (minimum average of two binge-eating episodes a week for at least three months). A feeling of lack of control over eating during binges. Regular use of one or more of the following to prevent weight gain: self-induced vomiting, use of laxatives or diuretics, strict dieting or fasting, or vigorous exercise. Persistent over-concern with body shape and weight. (qtd in "Bulimia Nervosa" 3) One misconception is that eating disorders are confined to young white people from affluent families. People of all races, ethnic groups and socioeconomic levels can be affected. In the United States, researchers have found that Hispanics are diagnosed with eating disorders at about the same rate as whites, while higher rates are found among American Indians. Although the disorders are less common among young people who are Asian and black, there is evidence that blacks are more likely to develop bulimia than anorexia. (MayoClinic.Com 3) hospitalization; to prevent death, suicide and medical crisis, medication; to relieve depression and anxiety, dental work; to repair damage and minimize future problems, individual counseling; to develop healthy ways of taking control, group therapy; to learn how to manage relationships effectively, family therapy; to change old patterns and create healthier new ones, nutrition counseling; to debunk food myths and design healthy meals, and support groups; to break down isolation and alienation. (ANRED Treatment 2)There are a few disorder specific treatments for both. Hospitalization is recommended for anorexics that weigh less than 40% of their normal body weight, show signs of severe depression or risk of suicide, and suffer from severe binging and purging. Anorexics who are not severely underweight can be treated in outpatient therapy ("Anorexia Nervosa" 4). If a person does not show signs of a psychiatric disorder, drugs are rarely used to treat anorexia. Sometimes, a drug called cyproheptadine ma
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Approximate Word count = 1652
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)
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