eating disorders
In America, girls are given the message at a very young age that in order to be happy and successful, they must be thin. Given the value, which our society places on being thin, it is not surprising that eating disorders are on the increase. In America thousands of teenage girls are dealing with emotional situations daily and eating behavior can be affected by the way they are feeling. Eating disorders affect over five million men and women in the United States, and sadly enough thousands of them will die from the physical problems caused by conditions that are linked with eating disorders. Most people think of the extremes of anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating; the truth is that almost every American, at some point in his or her lifetime, will suffer from issues of weight loss, body shape, or self-image, if not all three. Due to these factors, eating disorders are a major concern for psychologists today (Harmon, 1999). This trend, however, is found mainly in America and countries with western ideals. Eating Disorders are primarily behavior disorders. Douglas Eagles (1987) states, "the behavioral disturbance leads to disorders of nutrition" (p. 71). The definition of Eating Disorders as defined by Harmon (1999), "a psychologica
The prevalence of eating disorders has increased in the last forty years. It is believed that extreme eating disorders occur in approximately 4 percent of American females (Costin, 1999). However, eating disorders can also be found in males. "Both anorexia and bulimia appear to be much more common in women than in men, from 90 to 95 percent of all patients are females" (Long, 1999). Eating disorders typically begins in adolescence between the ages of twelve and twenty-five, however, it may begin as early as seven and can continue until as late as fifty-nine. One of the most proven causal factors for eating disorders is that of personality. Adolescents who develop the disease seem to have common personality characteristics. Women who are obsessed with their bodies also tend to be obsessed with emotional problems. They also tend to have low self-esteem, feelings of helplessness, diminished self worth, feelings of emptiness, quest for perfection, desire to be special, need to be in control, need for power, desire for respect and admiration, difficulty expressing feelings, need for escape, lack of coping skills, lack of trust, and terrified of not measuring up (Costin, 1999). Eating disorders are linked to several causes. One consideration is the perception of the ideal body image. Teens are given two messages when it comes to dieting and eating. First they are bombarded with images of slim, successful women from the media. The media promotes the idea that one must be thin in order to be liked by peers and successful. The second message, as determined by Abraham and Llwvellyn-Jones (1999), "is that eating is a pleasurable activity which meets many needs, in addition to relieving hunger, and women have a right to have these needs met" (p. 38). Anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating can cause physical problems and a great deal of unhappiness. It is important to remember that many people have worries about food and their own self-image at some point in their lives. This does not necessarily mean that they will go on to develop an eating disorder. But, it is important not to overlook the early warning s
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Approximate Word count = 1426
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)
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